Butterflies in Uganda
There are over 1200 species of butterflies in Uganda, with potentially more to be discovered. Several of these are endemic and cannot be seen elsewhere, like the Toro Sprite. Out of the well-known named species that can be found here, the African Monarch, the Mackinnon’s Swallowtail, and the Forest Leopard are the most prominent.
List of Different Butterfly Species of Uganda
Brush-Footed (Nymphalidae)
- Abdera Acraea (Acraea abdera)
- African Map Butterfly (Cyrestis camillus)
- African Monarch Butterfly (Danaus chrysippus)
- African Snout Butterfly (Libythea labdaca)
- Air Commodore (Precis actia)
- Black Friar (Amauris hecate)
- Black-and-white Acraea (Acraea oreas)
- Black-bordered Charaxes (Charaxes pollux)
- Black-winged Acraea (Acraea asboloplintha)
- Blue Evening Brown (Melanitis ansorgei)
- Blue Mother-of-pearl (Protogoniomorpha temora)
- Blue Patch Charaxes (Charaxes lactetinctus)
- Boisduval’s False Acraea (Pseudacraea boisduvalii)
- Bonasia Acraea (Acraea bonasia)
- Broad-bordered Acraea (Acraea anemosa)
- Cepheus Acraea (Acraea cepheus)
- Clubbed Ringlet (Ypthima antennata)
- Common Commander (Euryphura chalcis)
- Common Glassy Acraea (Acraea quirina)
- Common Glider (Cymothoe caenis)
- Common Joker (Byblia anvatara)
- Common Nymph (Euriphene barombina)
- Common Orange Forester (Euphaedra ruspina)
- Common Ringlet (Ypthima doleta)
- Common Yellow Glider (Cymothoe confusa)
- Danaid Eggfly (Hypolimnas misippus)
- Dancing Acraea (Acraea serena)
- Dark Vulgar Bush Brown (Bicyclus sandace)
- Demon Emperor (Charaxes phaeus)
- Dentate Bush Brown (Bicyclus dentata)
- Doriclea Nymph (Euriphene doriclea)
- Dubious Scalloped Bush Brown (Bicyclus dubia)
- Dusky Evening Brown (Gnophodes chelys)
- Dusky Friar (Amauris tartarea)
- Eastern Musanga Acraea (Acraea pentapolis)
- Edward’s Forester (Euphaedra edwardsii)
- Elegant Acraea (Acraea egina)
- Eleus Orange Forester (Euphaedra eleus)
- Eyed Bush Brown (Heteropsis perspicua)
- Falcate Acraea (Acraea perenna)
- False Wanderer (Pseudacraea eurytus)
- Fashion Commodore (Precis pelarga)
- Fiery Acraea (Acraea acrita)
- Flaminia Forester (Bebearia flaminia)
- Forest Leopard (Phalanta eurytis)
- Forest Mother-of-pearl (Protogoniomorpha parhassus)
- Giant Emperor (Charaxes castor)
- Glassy Acraea (Acraea semivitrea)
- Glossy White-striped Forester (Euphaedra vicina)
- Golden Pansy (Junonia chorimene)
- Golo Bush Brown (Bicyclus golo)
- Granular Ringlet (Ypthima granulosa)
- Green Demon Charaxes (Charaxes cedreatis)
- Green False Acraea (Pseudacraea semire)
- Grizzled Bush Brown (Bicyclus ena)
- Hadrian’s White Charaxes (Charaxes hadrianus)
- Hewitson’s Acraea (Acraea alciope)
- Hewitson’s Commander (Euryphura plautilla)
- Hill Bush Brown (Bicyclus campus)
- Ituri Glassy Acraea (Acraea iturina)
- Jeffrey’s Bush Brown (Bicyclus jefferyi)
- Jodutta Acraea (Acraea jodutta)
- Jordan’s Sailer (Neptis jordani)
- Kiriakoff’s Sailer (Neptis kiriakoffi)
- Large Alciope Acraea (Acraea aurivillii)
- Large Marble Bush Brown (Bicyclus mandanes)
- Large Pathfinder (Catuna angustatum)
- Large Spotted Acraea (Acraea zetes)
- Large Velvet Bush Brown (Bicyclus sophrosyne)
- Le Doux’s Glassy Acraea (Acraea endoscota)
- Lesser Rock Bush Brown (Bicyclus milyas)
- Light-brown Forester (Bebearia zonara)
- Little Sailer (Neptis puella)
- Lycoa Acraea (Acraea lycoa)
- Marsh Commodore (Precis ceryne)
- Montane Tree Nymph (Sevenia garega)
- Mother-of-pearl (Salamis cacta)
- Natal Acraea (Acraea natalica)
- Noble White Charaxes (Charaxes nobilis)
- Northern Short-tailed Admiral (Vanessa dimorphica)
- Ocellated Commodore (Precis coelestina)
- Ochreous Tree Nymph (Sevenia umbrina)
- Orestia Glassy Acraea (Acraea orestia)
- Pagenstecher’s Castor (Ariadne pagenstecheri)
- Painted Empress (Apaturopsis cleochares)
- Penelope’s Acraea (Acraea penelope)
- Pharsalus Acraea (Acraea pharsalus)
- Pink Acraea (Acraea caecilia)
- Plistonax Forester (Bebearia plistonax)
- Rare Musanga Acraea (Acraea vesperalis)
- Ribbe’s Glassy Acraea (Acraea leucographa)
- Rock Bush Brown (Bicyclus pavonis)
- Savanna Sailer (Neptis morosa)
- Scarce Clubbed Sailer (Neptis nicobule)
- Scarce Commander (Euryphura isuka)
- Shining Blue Forester (Bebearia carshena)
- Shining Red Charaxes (Charaxes zingha)
- Silver Ringlet (Ypthima albida)
- Silvery Demon Charaxes (Charaxes catachrous)
- Small Black Bush Brown (Bicyclus buea)
- Startled Bush Brown (Bicyclus angulosa)
- Straw-coloured Acraea (Acraea viviana)
- Streaked False Sergeant (Pseudathyma neptidina)
- Streaked Sailer (Neptis melicerta)
- Sykes’ Acraea (Acraea sykesi)
- Two-tailed Pasha (Charaxes epijasius)
- Unmarked Pink Forester (Euphaedra diffusa)
- Vulgar Bush Brown (Bicyclus vulgaris)
- Wandering Donkey Acraea (Acraea neobule)
- Western Blotched Leopard (Lachnoptera anticlia)
- White-banded Castor (Ariadne albifascia)
- Euphaedra christyi [endemic]
- Euphaedra olivacea [endemic]
- Acraea simulata [endemic]
- Acraea bergeri [endemic]
Gossamer-Winged (Lycaenidae)
- Acraea Blue (Aethiopana honorius)
- Agrippina’s Fantasy (Pseudaletis agrippina)
- Alberic’s Chalk Blue (Thermoniphas alberici)
- Apricot Playboy (Deudorix dinochares)
- Ashen Smoky Blue (Euchrysops subpallida)
- Audeoud’s Blue (Cacyreus audeoudi)
- Aurivillius’ Common False Head (Oxylides albata)
- Aurivillius’ Sapphire (Iolaus aurivillii)
- Balkan Pierrot (Tarucus balkanicus)
- Barker’s Smoky Blue (Euchrysops barkeri)
- Bate’s Liptena (Liptena batesana)
- Bethune-Baker’s Epitola (Cephetola nigra)
- Black Ciliate Blue (Anthene hades)
- Black Fairy Hairstreak (Hypolycaena nigra)
- Black-bordered Zebra Blue (Leptotes marginalis)
- Black-edged Ciliate Blue (Anthene afra)
- Black-edged Fairy Playboy (Paradeudorix marginata)
- Black-patch Hairstreak (Hypolycaena liara)
- Blotched Sapphire (Iolaus creta)
- Blue-edged Playboy (Pilodeudorix zela)
- Bush Scarlet (Axiocerses amanga)
- Capronnier’s Cupid (Euchrysops albistriata)
- Cercene Epitola (Stempfferia cercene)
- Checkered Gem (Zeritis neriene)
- Cobalt Fairy Playboy (Paradeudorix cobaltina)
- Cobalt Playboy (Pilodeudorix ula)
- Common Epitola (Stempfferia cercenoides)
- Common Fig-tree Blue (Myrina silenus)
- Common Ginger White (Oboronia punctatus)
- Common Hairtail (Anthene definita)
- Common Woolly Legs (Lachnocnema bibulus)
- Common Woolly Legs (Lachnocnema emperamus)
- Cream Pierid Blue (Larinopoda lircaea)
- Dark Brown Playboy (Deudorix caliginosa)
- Dark Line Blue (Pseudonacaduba aethiops)
- Desert Blue (Euchrysops nilotica)
- Disparate Sylph (Epitolina dispar)
- Divergent Woolly Legs (Lachnocnema divergens)
- Druce’s Large Woolly Legs (Lachnocnema luna)
- Dubious Fairy Hairstreak (Hypolycaena dubia)
- Dusky Purple (Aslauga marshalli)
- Eastern Bath White (Tarucus theophrastus)
- Eastern Bush Blue (Cacyreus virilis)
- Eastern Isabella (Teratoneura congoensis)
- Eltringham’s Sapphire Gem (Iridana hypocala)
- False Coffee Playboy (Deudorix kayonza)
- False Hairtail (Anthene nigeriae)
- Farquharson’s Sapphire (Iolaus farquharsoni)
- Fine Silverline (Cigaritis avriko)
- Fontaine’s Eresina (Eresina fontainei)
- Fontaine’s Sapphire (Iolaus fontainei)
- Gabriel’s Orange Playboy (Hypomyrina fournierae)
- Gerda’s Buff (Toxochitona gerda)
- Gerina Epitola (Geritola gerina)
- Golden Ciliate Blue (Anthene scintillula)
- Good’s Epitola (Geritola goodii)
- Greasy Epitola (Cephetola sublustris)
- Güssfeldt’s Blue (Oboronia guessfeldti)
- Homeyer’s Bar (Cigaritis homeyeri)
- Hugo’s Diopetes (Pilodeudorix hugoi)
- Hulstaert’s Fairy Playboy (Pilodeudorix anetia)
- Immaculate Cream Pentila (Pentila glagoessa)
- Inconspicuous Ciliate Blue (Anthene inconspicua)
- Inconspicuous Pentila (Pentila inconspicua)
- Incredible Sapphire Gem (Iridana incredibilis)
- Indigo Playboy (Deudorix odana)
- Intense Sapphire (Iolaus poecilaon)
- Irumu Ciliate Blue (Anthene irumu)
- Iulus Sapphire (Iolaus iulus)
- Jackson’s Cupid (Euchrysops reducta)
- Jackson’s Eresina (Eresina jacksoni)
- Jeffrey’s Silver Spot (Aphnaeus jefferyi)
- Jewelled Ciliate Blue (Anthene gemmifera)
- Kampala Ciliate Blue (Anthene kampala)
- Lamborn’s Aslauga (Aslauga lamborni)
- Large Glasswing (Ornipholidotos peucetia)
- Large Red-spot Ciliate Blue (Anthene lusones)
- Large Woolly Legs (Lachnocnema magna)
- Le Gras’ Pierrot (Tarucus legrasi)
- Leonine Ciliate Blue (Cupidesthes leonina)
- Lesser Indigo Ciliate Blue (Anthene ligures)
- Lesser Moth Butterfly (Euliphyra leucyania)
- Libert’s Orange Playboy (Hypomyrina mimetica)
- Light Ginger White (Oboronia pseudopunctatus)
- Lilac Giant Cupid (Lepidochrysops polydialecta)
- Liodes Hairtail (Anthene liodes)
- Lowland Branded Blue (Uranothauma falkensteini)
- Macular Epitola (Cephetola maculata)
- Margarita’s Pierrot (Tuxentius margaritaceus)
- Mediterranean Pierrot (Tarucus rosacea)
- Medium Red-spot Ciliate Blue (Anthene chryseostictus)
- Medium Yellow (Citrinophila tenera)
- Melissa Sylph (Epitolina melissa)
- Modest False Dots (Liptena modesta)
- Mylothrid Pentila (Pentila tachyroides)
- Nasisi Sapphire (Iolaus nasisii)
- Natal Babul Blue (Azanus natalensis)
- Orange-barred Playboy (Deudorix diocles)
- Orange-patch Ciliate Blue (Anthene rufoplagata)
- Orcas Hairtail (Aphnaeus orcas)
- Osiris Smoky Blue (Euchrysops osiris)
- Pomegranate Playboy (Deudorix livia)
- Purple Giant Epitola (Epitola urania)
- Rare Silver Spot (Aphnaeus argyrocyclus)
- Red Silver Spot (Aphnaeus gilloni)
- Red-clover Blue (Actizera stellata)
- Red-line Sapphire (Iolaus sidus)
- Rougeot’s Eresina (Eresina rougeoti)
- Saharan Silverline (Cigaritis nilus)
- Scalloped Epitola (Stempfferia marginata)
- Scarce Hairstreak (Hypolycaena kadiskos)
- Schouteden’s Hairtail (Anthene schoutedeni)
- Scintillating Sapphire (Iolaus scintillans)
- Semibrown Epitola (Cerautola semibrunnea)
- Silvery Epitola (Cerautola ceraunia)
- Small Black Liptena (Liptena despecta)
- Small Diopetes (Pilodeudorix deritas)
- Small Green-streaked Playboy (Pilodeudorix virgata)
- Small Jewel Sapphire (Iolaus maesa)
- Smoky Chalk Blue (Thermoniphas fumosa)
- Sombre Diopetes (Pilodeudorix pseudoderitas)
- Spotted Hairtail (Anthene larydas)
- Staudinger’s Ciliate Blue (Anthene staudingeri)
- Suffert’s Liptena (Liptena augusta)
- Toothed White Woolly Legs (Lachnocnema disrupta)
- Unexpected Tiger Blue (Hewitsonia inexpectata)
- Ungemach’s Pierrot (Tarucus ungemachi)
- Violet Diopetes (Pilodeudorix violetta)
- Violet Silverline (Cigaritis crustaria)
- Volta Ciliate Blue (Cupidesthes lithas)
- Water Bronze (Cacyreus tespis)
- West African Fig-tree Blue (Myrina subornata)
- Western Kakumia (Kakumia otlauga)
- Western Woolly Legs (Lachnocnema vuattouxi)
- White Pierid Blue (Larinopoda lagyra)
- White Sapphire (Iolaus ismenias)
- White Woolly Legs (Lachnocnema exiguus)
- White-banded Babul Blue (Azanus isis)
- Wilson’s Hairtail (Anthene wilsoni)
- Aslauga karamoja [endemic]
- Telipna kayonza [endemic]
- Telipna sheffieldi [endemic]
- Ornipholidotos josianae [endemic]
- Toxochitona ankole [endemic]
- Toxochitona vansomereni [endemic]
- Iridana bwamba [endemic]
- Iridana obscura [endemic]
- Stempfferia carilla [endemic]
- Cephetola bwamba [endemic]
- Aphnaeus nyanzae [endemic]
- Iolaus mongiro [endemic]
- Iolaus pseudofrater [endemic]
- Iolaus pseudopollux [endemic]
- Iolaus vansomereni [endemic]
- Iolaus kayonza [endemic]
- Pilodeudorix ankoleensis [endemic]
- Thermoniphas albocaerulea [endemic]
- Thermoniphas caerulea [endemic]
- Thermoniphas kigezi [endemic]
- Lepidochrysops budama [endemic]
- Lepidochrysops jacksoni [endemic]
- Lepidochrysops labwor [endemic]
Whites and Sulphurs (Pieridae)
- African Albatross (Appias epaphia)
- African Golden Arab (Colotis aurigineus)
- Black-edged Spirit (Leptosia marginea)
- Central Caper White (Belenois theuszi)
- Common Dotted Border (Mylothris rhodope)
- Eastern Swamp Dotted Border (Mylothris rubricosta)
- Forest Grass Yellow (Eurema senegalensis)
- Golden Arab-tip (Colotis chrysonome)
- Jackson’s Dotted Border (Mylothris jacksoni)
- Lilac Tip (Colotis celimene)
- Mandarin Grass Yellow (Eurema mandarinula)
- Marsh Grass Yellow (Eurema hapale)
- No-brand Grass-yellow (Eurema brigitta)
- Pale Grass Blue (Catopsilia florella)
- Pioneer White (Belenois aurota)
- Queen Purple Tip (Colotis regina)
- Sabine Albatross (Appias sabina)
- Sulphur Orange Tip (Colotis auxo)
- Vine-leaf Vagrant (Eronia cleodora)
- Yellow Splendour Tip (Colotis protomedia)
Metalmark (Riodinidae)
- Neave’s Judy (Abisara neavei)
Swallowtail (Papilionidae)
- Acraea Swordtail (Graphium ridleyanus)
- Black Swordtail (Graphium colonna)
- Citrus Swallowtail (Papilio demodocus)
- Common Swordtail (Graphium policenes)
- Cream-banded swallowtail (Papilio leucotaenia)
- Emperor Swallowtail (Papilio hesperus)
- Giant Blue Swallowtail (Papilio zalmoxis)
- Honrath’s White Lady (Graphium almansor uganda)
- Junod’s Swordtail (Graphium junodi)
- Kigezi Swordtail (Graphium gudenusi)
- Larger Striped Swallowtail (Graphium antheus)
- Mackinnon’s Swallowtail (Papilio mackinnoni)
- Mimetic Swallowtail (Papilio cynorta)
- Mountain Mimetic Swallowtail (Papilio plagiatus)
- Northern Angolan White Lady (Graphium angolanus baronis)
- Veined Swordtail (Graphium leonidas)
- Zenobia Swallowtail (Papilio zenobia)
Skipper (Hesperiidae)
- Adonia White-spots (Osmodes adonia)
- Arabian Grizzled Skipper (Spialia mangana)
- Arela Dart (Semalea arela)
- Banded Hopper (Platylesches picanini)
- Betton’s Sprite (Celaenorrhinus bettoni)
- Bina Leaf Sitter (Gorgyra bina)
- Black Flat (Eagris tetrastigma)
- Black Grass Skipper (Monza alberti)
- Black-veined White-spots (Osmodes costatus)
- Blotched Leaf Sitter (Gorgyra aretina)
- Bouvier’s Grass Skipper (Sarangesa bouvieri)
- Branded Dwarf Skipper (Prosopalpus saga)
- Branded Large Fox (Rhabdomantis galatia)
- Bronze Policeman (Coeliades chalybe)
- Brown Forest Swift (Melphina noctula)
- Buff-tipped Skipper (Netrobalane canopus)
- Capronnier’s Red-eye (Pteroteinon capronnieri)
- Clouded Skipper (Tagiades flesus)
- Common Acraea Skipper (Fresna netopha)
- Common Crepuscular Skipper (Gretna waga)
- Common Dart (Andronymus neander)
- Common Forest Swift (Melphina unistriga)
- Common Recluse (Caenides dacela)
- Common White-spots (Osmodes thora)
- Dark Leaf Sitter (Gorgyra diversata)
- Dark Skipper (Semalea sextilis)
- Delagoa Sandman (Spialia delagoae)
- Detached White-spots (Osmodes lux)
- Drab Three-spot Missile (Meza cybeutes)
- Evan’s Orange Sprite (Celaenorrhinus ovalis)
- Evan’s Recluse (Leona halma)
- Evan’s Red-eye (Pteroteinon pruna)
- Evans’ Acraea Skipper (Fresna carlo)
- False Pathfinder Skipper (Xanthodisca astrape)
- False Swift (Borbo fallax)
- Fiery Small Fox (Teniorhinus ignita)
- Forest Grizzled Skipper (Spialia ploetzi)
- Forest Policeman (Coeliades forestan)
- Giant Crepuscular Skipper (Gretna balenge)
- Golden Sylph (Metisella midas)
- Grand Skipper (Gamia buchholzi)
- Hanno’s Policeman (Coeliades hanno)
- Holland’s White-spots (Osmodes hollandi)
- Homeyer’s Grass Skipper (Celaenorrhinus homeyeri)
- Honey Hopper (Platylesches moritili)
- Kalizu Leaf Sitter (Gorgyra kalinzu)
- Large Acraea Skipper (Fresna cojo)
- Large Leaf Sitter (Gorgyra afikpo)
- Large Orange Sprite (Celaenorrhinus meditrina)
- Large White-spots (Osmodes laronia)
- Lesser Crepuscular Skipper (Gretna cylinda)
- Lesser Grand Skipper (Gamia shelleyi)
- Lesser Horned Swift (Borbo lugens)
- Lesser Ochreous Dart (Andronymus helles)
- Melanic Grass Skipper (Eretis melania)
- Milky Scarce Flat (Calleagris lacteus)
- Minimal Leaf Sitter (Gorgyra minima)
- Mocquery’s leaf sitter (Gorgyra mocquerysii)
- Morant’s Skipper (Parosmodes morantii)
- Narrow-banded Red-eye (Pteroteinon concaenira)
- Netted Sylph (Metisella willemi)
- Noble Nightfighter (Zophopetes nobilior)
- Northern Netted Sylph (Metisella tsadicus)
- Obsolete White-spots (Osmodes omar)
- Ochreous Dart (Andronymus fenestrella)
- One-pip Policeman (Coeliades anchises)
- Pale Leaf Sitter (Gorgyra pali)
- Pale White-banded Red-eye (Pteroteinon ceucaenira)
- Paradise Skipper (Abantis paradisea)
- Powdered Dusky Skipper (Acleros nigrapex)
- Rare Elf (Procampta rara)
- Savanna Elf (Eretis lugens)
- Small Hopper (Platylesches tina)
- Small Palm Nightfighter (Zophopetes ganda)
- Small Swift (Borbo perobscura)
- Snow-horned Nightfighter (Chondrolepis niveicornis)
- Snowy Missile (Meza indusiata)
- Toro Sprite (Celaenorrhinus toro) [endemic]
- Tufted Forest Sylph (Ceratrichia semilutea)
- Two-pip Policeman (Coeliades pisistratus)
- Unbranded Recluse (Caenides xychus)
- Violet Crepuscular Skipper (Gretna carmen)
- Wallengren’s Ranger (Kedestes wallengrenii)
- Wandering Sandman (Spialia depauperata)
- Western Ragged Skipper (Caprona adelica)
- White-banded Red-eye (Pteroteinon caenira)
- White-bodied Grass Skipper (Monza cretacea)
- White-fringed Recluse (Caenides dacena)
- White-spotted Recluse (Leona leonora)
- White-tail Hopper (Platylesches galesa)
- Widespread Dwarf Skipper (Prosopalpus styla)
- Wreford’s Grizzled Skipper (Spialia wrefordi)
- Yellow Forest Swift (Melphina flavina)
- Yellow-spotted Recluse (Caenides kangvensis)
- Osmodes minchini [endemic]
- Parosmodes onza [endemic]
- Gretna bugoma [endemic]
The best way to experience Uganda’s butterfly diversity is through safaris to national parks like the Bwindi Impenetrable and Kibale National Parks.