Butterflies in 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.