Butterflies in Switzerland
Switzerland is home to several butterfly species, including the Large Blue, the Purple-edged Copper, and the Mazarine Blue.
List of Different Butterfly Species of Switzerland
Brush-Footed (Nymphalidae)
- Almond Ringlet (Erebia alberganus)
- Alpine Grayling (Oeneis glacialis)
- Alpine Heath (Coenonympha gardetta)
- Arran Brown (Erebia ligea)
- Assmann’s Fritillary (Melitaea britomartis)
- Blind Ringlet (Erebia pharte)
- Bright Eyed Ringlet (Erebia oeme)
- Cardinal (Argynnis pandora)
- Chestnut Heath (Coenonympha glycerion)
- Comma (Polygonia c-album)
- Common Brassy Ringlet (Erebia cassioides)
- Cranberry Fritillary (Boloria aquilonaris)
- Cynthia’s Fritillary (Euphydryas cynthia)
- Dark Green Fritillary (Speyeria aglaja)
- Dark Rock Brown (Chazara briseis)
- de Lesse’s Brassy Ringlet (Erebia nivalis)
- de Prunner’s Ringlet (Erebia triarius)
- Dewy Ringlet (Erebia pandrose)
- Dryad (Minois dryas)
- Dusky Meadow Brown (Hyponephele lycaon)
- Eriphyle Ringlet (Erebia eriphyle)
- European Nettle-tree Butterfly (Libythea celtis)
- False Heath Fritillary (Melitaea diamina)
- False Ringlet (Coenonympha oedippus)
- Glanville Fritillary (Melitaea cinxia)
- Grayling (Hipparchia semele)
- Great Banded Grayling (Brintesia circe)
- Great Sooty Satyr (Satyrus ferula)
- Grisons Fritillary (Melitaea varia)
- Heath Fritillary (Melitaea athalia)
- Hedge Brown (Pyronia tithonus)
- High Brown Fritillary (Fabriciana adippe)
- Hungarian Glider (Neptis rivularis)
- Large Ringlet (Erebia euryale)
- Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychloros)
- Large Wall Brown (Lasiommata maera)
- Lesser Marbled Fritillary (Brenthis ino)
- Lesser Mountain Ringlet (Erebia melampus)
- Lesser Purple Emperor (Apatura ilia)
- Lesser Rock Grayling (Hipparchia genava)
- Little Fritillary (Melitaea asteria)
- Map (Araschnia levana)
- Marbled Fritillary (Brenthis daphne)
- Marbled Ringlet (Erebia montanus)
- Marbled White (Melanargia galathea)
- Marsh Fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia)
- Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina)
- Meadow Fritillary (Melitaea parthenoides)
- Mnestra’s Ringlet (Erebia mnestra)
- Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa)
- Napaea Fritillary (Boloria napaea)
- Nickerl’s Fritillary (Melitaea aurelia)
- Niobe Fritillary (Fabriciana niobe)
- Northern Wall Brown (Lasiommata petropolitana)
- Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)
- Pales Fritillary (Boloria pales)
- Peacock Butterfly (Aglais io)
- Pearl-bordered Fritillary (Boloria euphrosyne)
- Pearly Heath (Coenonympha arcania)
- Phoebe Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe)
- Piedmont Ringlet (Erebia meolans)
- Poplar Admiral (Limenitis populi)
- Provençal fritillary (Melitaea deione)
- Purple Emperor (Apatura iris)
- Queen of Spain Fritillary (Issoria lathonia)
- Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
- Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus)
- Rock Grayling (Hipparchia hermione)
- Scarce Heath (Coenonympha hero)
- Scotch Argus (Erebia aethiops)
- Shepherd’s Fritillary (Erebia pronoe)
- Silky Ringlet (Erebia gorge)
- Silver-washed Fritillary (Argynnis paphia)
- Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus)
- Small Mountain Ringlet (Erebia epiphron)
- Small Pearl-Bordered Fritillary (Boloria selene)
- Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae)
- Sooty Ringlet (Erebia pluto)
- Southern Comma (Polygonia egea)
- Southern Gatekeeper (Pyronia cecilia)
- Southern White Admiral (Limenitis reducta)
- Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria)
- Spotted Fritillary (Melitaea didyma)
- Stygian Ringlet (Erebia styx)
- Sudeten Ringlet (Erebia sudetica)
- Thor’s Fritillary (Boloria thore)
- Titania’s Fritillary (Boloria titania)
- Tree Grayling (Hipparchia statilinus)
- Tullia’s Ringlet (Coenonympha tullia)
- Tyndarus Ringlet (Erebia tyndarus)
- Violet Frillitary (Boloria dia)
- Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera)
- White Admiral (Limenitis camilla)
- Woodland Brown (Lopinga achine)
- Woodland Grayling (Hipparchia fagi)
- Woodland Ringlet (Erebia medusa)
- Yellow-banded Ringlet (Erebia flavofasciata)
- Yellow-spotted Ringlet (Erebia manto)
Gossamer-Winged (Lycaenidae)
- Adonis Blue (Lysandra bellargus)
- Alcon Blue (Phengaris alcon)
- Alpine Argus (Agriades orbitulus)
- Alpine Zephyr Blue (Kretania trappi)
- Amanda’s Blue (Polyommatus amandus)
- Baton Blue (Pseudophilotes baton)
- Black Hairstreak (Satyrium pruni)
- Blue-spot Hairstreak (Satyrium spini)
- Brown Argus (Aricia agestis)
- Brown Hairstreak (Thecla betulae)
- Chalkhill Blue (Lysandra coridon)
- Chapman’s Blue (Polyommatus thersites)
- Cranberry Blue (Agriades optilete)
- Damon Blue (Polyommatus damon)
- Dorylas Blue (Polyommatus dorylas)
- Dusky Large Blue (Phengaris nausithous)
- Eros Blue (Polyommatus eros)
- Escher’s Blue (Polyommatus escheri)
- European Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus)
- Geranium Argus (Eumedonia eumedon)
- Geranium Bronze (Cacyreus marshalli)
- Glandon Blue (Agriades glandon)
- Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi)
- Green-underside Blue (Glaucopsyche alexis)
- Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus)
- Idas Blue (Plebejus idas)
- Ilex Hairstreak (Satyrium ilicis)
- Iolas Blue (Iolana iolas)
- Lang’s Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous)
- Large Blue (Phengaris arion)
- Large Copper (Lycaena dispar)
- Long-tailed Blue (Lampides boeticus)
- Mazarine Blue (Cyaniris semiargus)
- Meleager’s Blue (Polyommatus daphnis)
- Northern Brown Argus (Aricia artaxerxes)
- Orion Blue (Scolitantides orion)
- Osiris Blue (Cupido osiris)
- Provençal Short-tailed Blue (Cupido alcetas)
- Purple-edged Copper (Lycaena hippothoe)
- Purple Hairstreak (Favonius quercus)
- Purple-shot Copper (Lycaena alciphron)
- Reverdin’s Blue (Plebejus argyrognomon)
- Scarce Copper (Lycaena virgaureae)
- Scarce Large Blue (Phengaris teleius)
- Short-tailed Blue (Cupido argiades)
- Silver-studded Blue (Plebejus argus)
- Silvery Argas (Aricia nicias)
- Sloe Hairstreak (Satyrium acaciae)
- Small Blue (Cupido minimus)
- Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas)
- Sooty Copper (Lycaena tityrus)
- Violet copper (Lycaena helle)
- White-letter Hairstreak (Satyrium w-album)
- Lycaena subalpina
Whites and Sulphurs (Pieridae)
- Berger’s Clouded Yellow (Colias alfacariensis)
- Black-veined White (Aporia crataegi)
- Cabbage White (Pieris brassicae)
- Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra)
- Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus)
- Common Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni)
- Dark-veined White (Pieris bryoniae)
- Eastern Bath White (Pontia edusa)
- Green-veined White (Pieris napi)
- Moorland Clouded Yellow (Colias palaeno)
- Mountain Clouded Yellow (Colias phicomone)
- Mountain Dappled White (Euchloe simplonia)
- Orange Tip (Anthocharis cardamines)
- Pale Clouded Yellow (Colias hyale)
- Peak White (Pontia callidice)
- Provance Orange Tip (Anthocharis euphenoides)
- Réal’s Wood White (Leptidea reali)
- Small White (Pieris rapae)
- Southern Small White (Pieris mannii)
- Wood White (Leptidea sinapis)
Metalmark (Riodinidae)
- Duke of Burgundy (Hamearis lucina)
Swallowtail (Papilionidae)
- Alexandra’s Swallowtail (Papilio alexanor)
- Apollo (Parnassius apollo)
- Clouded Apollo (Parnassius mnemosyne)
- Old World Swallowtail (Papilio machaon)
- Phoebus Apollo (Parnassius phoebus)
- Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides podalirius)
- Southern Festoon (Zerynthia polyxena)
Skipper (Hesperiidae)
- Alpine Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus andromedae)
- Carline Skipper (Pyrgus carlinae)
- Chequered Skipper (Carterocephalus palaemon)
- Cinquefoil Skipper (Pyrgus cirsii)
- Dingy Skipper (Erynnis tages)
- Dusky Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus cacaliae)
- Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus malvae)
- Large Chequered Skipper (Heteropterus morpheus)
- Large Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus alveus)
- Large Skipper (Ochlodes sylvanus)
- Lulworth Skipper (Thymelicus acteon)
- Mallow Skipper (Carcharodus alceae)
- Marbled Skipper (Carcharodus lavatherae)
- Oberthür’s Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus armoricanus)
- Olive Skipper (Pyrgus serratulae)
- Red-underwing Skipper (Spialia sertorius)
- Rozy Grizzled Argus (Pyrgus onopordi)
- Safflower Skipper (Pyrgus carthami)
- Silver-spotted Skipper (Hesperia comma)
- Southern Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus malvoides)
- Southern Marbled Skipper (Carcharodus baeticus)
- Tufted Skipper (Carcharodus floccifera)
- Warren Skipper (Pyrgus warrenensis)
The Alps are a great place to experience the butterfly diversity of Switzerland.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most common butterfly families in Switzerland?
The Brush-footed butterflies (Nymphalidae) are one of the most prominent and diverse families in Switzerland. This group includes a wide range of species such as numerous Fritillaries, Ringlets, and the Comma butterfly, which are adapted to the country’s varied habitats from lowland meadows to high alpine zones.
Are there rare butterfly species found in Switzerland?
Yes, Switzerland is home to several rare and localized butterfly species, particularly within its unique alpine ecosystems. Species such as Cynthia’s Fritillary (Euphydryas cynthia) and the Little Fritillary (Melitaea asteria) are considered rare and are often restricted to specific high-altitude habitats, making them notable finds.
Where can you find alpine butterfly species in Switzerland?
Alpine butterfly species in Switzerland are typically found in high-altitude meadows, scree slopes, and rocky areas above the treeline. The Swiss Alps provide the specific cold-adapted habitats required for specialized species like the Alpine Grayling (Oeneis glacialis) and the de Lesse’s Brassy Ringlet (Erebia nivalis).
What types of Ringlet butterflies live in Switzerland?
Switzerland hosts a remarkable diversity of Ringlet butterflies, primarily from the genus Erebia. These are typically brown butterflies with characteristic eyespots. Notable Swiss species include the Common Brassy Ringlet, Dewy Ringlet, Lesser Mountain Ringlet, and the Large Ringlet, each adapted to specific meadow or mountain environments.
How can you identify the Mourning Cloak butterfly in Switzerland?
You can identify the Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa) by its large size and distinctive dark maroon wings bordered by a bright, creamy-yellow edge. Located just inside this light-colored border is a row of iridescent blue spots. This unique coloration makes it one of Switzerland’s more recognizable butterflies.
When is the best time of year to see butterflies in Switzerland?
The best time to see butterflies in Switzerland is from late spring to late summer, generally between May and August. This period offers the warmest weather, promoting peak flight and activity for most species. High-altitude alpine butterflies may have a shorter window, typically appearing in July and August.
Why are Swiss meadows important for Fritillary butterflies?
Swiss meadows are crucial for Fritillary butterflies as they provide essential nectar sources from wildflowers for the adults and specific host plants for their caterpillars. Species like the Dark Green Fritillary and Heath Fritillary depend entirely on these flower-rich habitats for their complete life cycle, from egg-laying to feeding.
