Butterflies in Ukraine
Ukraine is home to several butterfly species including the Green-veined White, the Meadow Brown, and the Scarce Swallowtail.
Butterflies in Ukraine
List of Different Butterfly Species of Ukraine
Brush-Footed (Nymphalidae)
- Arran Brown (Erebia ligea)
- Assmann’s Fritillary (Melitaea britomartis)
- Cardinal (Argynnis pandora)
- Chestnut Heath (Coenonympha glycerion)
- Comma (Polygonia c-album)
- Compton Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis vaualbum)
- Cranberry Fritillary (Boloria aquilonaris)
- Dark Brown (Chazara persephone)
- Dark Green Fritillary (Speyeria aglaja)
- Dark Rock Brown (Chazara briseis)
- Dryad (Minois dryas)
- Dusky Meadow Brown (Hyponephele lycaon)
- Eastern Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea telona)
- Esper’s Marbled White (Melanargia russiae)
- European Nettle-tree Butterfly (Libythea celtis)
- False Grayling (Arethusana arethusa)
- False Heath Fritillary (Melitaea diamina)
- False Ringlet (Coenonympha oedippus)
- Freyer’s Fritillary (Melitaea arduinna)
- Freyer’s Purple Emperor (Apatura metis)
- Glanville Fritillary (Melitaea cinxia)
- Grayling (Hipparchia semele)
- Great Banded Grayling (Brintesia circe)
- Great Sooty Satyr (Satyrus ferula)
- Heath Fritillary (Melitaea athalia)
- Hedge Brown (Pyronia tithonus)
- High Brown Fritillary (Fabriciana adippe)
- Hungarian Glider (Neptis rivularis)
- Iranian Argus (Kirinia climene)
- Large Ringlet (Erebia euryale)
- Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychloros)
- Large Wall Brown (Lasiommata maera)
- Lesser Marbled Fritillary (Brenthis ino)
- Lesser Purple Emperor (Apatura ilia)
- Lesser Spotted Frillitary (Melitaea trivia)
- Map (Araschnia levana)
- Marbled Fritillary (Brenthis daphne)
- Marbled White (Melanargia galathea)
- Marsh Fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia)
- Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina)
- Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa)
- Nickerl’s Fritillary (Melitaea aurelia)
- Niobe Fritillary (Fabriciana niobe)
- Ocellate Bog Fritillary (Boloria eunomia)
- Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)
- Pallas’ Fritillary (Argynnis laodice)
- Pallas’ Sailer (Neptis sappho)
- Peacock Butterfly (Aglais io)
- Pearl-bordered Fritillary (Boloria euphrosyne)
- Pearly Heath (Coenonympha arcania)
- Phoebe Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe)
- Plain Tiger (Danaus chrysippus)
- Poplar Admiral (Limenitis populi)
- Purple Emperor (Apatura iris)
- Queen of Spain Fritillary (Issoria lathonia)
- Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
- Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus)
- Rock Grayling (Hipparchia hermione)
- Russian Heath (Coenonympha leander)
- Scarce Fritillary (Euphydryas maturna)
- Scarce Heath (Coenonympha hero)
- Scotch Argus (Erebia aethiops)
- Shepherd’s Fritillary (Erebia pronoe)
- Siberian Brown (Triphysa phryne)
- Silver-washed Fritillary (Argynnis paphia)
- Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus)
- Small Pearl-Bordered Fritillary (Boloria selene)
- Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae)
- Southern Marbled Skipper (Hyponephele lupinus)
- Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria)
- Spotted Fritillary (Melitaea didyma)
- Titania’s Fritillary (Boloria titania)
- Tree Grayling (Hipparchia statilinus)
- Tullia’s Ringlet (Coenonympha tullia)
- Twin-spot Fritillary (Brenthis hecate)
- 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-legged Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis xanthomelas)
- Yellow-spotted Ringlet (Erebia manto)
- Hipparchia pellucida
- Oeneis tarpeia
- Proterebia afra
- Pseudochazara euxina
- Satyrus virbius
Gossamer-Winged (Lycaenidae)
- Adonis Blue (Lysandra bellargus)
- Alcon Blue (Phengaris alcon)
- Amanda’s Blue (Polyommatus amandus)
- Balkan Blue (Agriades dardanus)
- Bavius Blue (Pseudophilotes bavius)
- Black Hairstreak (Satyrium pruni)
- Blue Argus (Aricia anteros)
- Blue-spot Hairstreak (Satyrium spini)
- Brown Argus (Aricia agestis)
- Brown Hairstreak (Thecla betulae)
- Caucasian Vernal Copper (Tomares callimachus)
- 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)
- Eastern Baton Blue (Pseudophilotes vicrama)
- Eastern Short-tailed Blue (Cupido decolorata)
- Eros Blue (Polyommatus eros)
- European Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus)
- False Chalkhill Blue (Lysandra corydonius)
- Geranium Argus (Eumedonia eumedon)
- 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)
- Lesser Fiery Copper (Lycaena thersamon)
- 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)
- Ripart’s Anomalous Blue (Polyommatus ripartii)
- Scarce Copper (Lycaena virgaureae)
- Scarce Large Blue (Phengaris teleius)
- Short-tailed Blue (Cupido argiades)
- Silver-studded Blue (Plebejus argus)
- 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)
- Zephyr Blue (Kretania pylaon)
- Neolycaena rhymnus
- Polyommatus damocles
- Polyommatus damone
- Tomares nogelii
Whites and Sulphurs (Pieridae)
- Berger’s Clouded Yellow (Colias alfacariensis)
- Black-veined White (Aporia crataegi)
- Cabbage White (Pieris brassicae)
- Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus)
- Common Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni)
- Danube Clouded Yellow (Colias myrmidone)
- Dark-veined White (Pieris bryoniae)
- Eastern Bath White (Pontia edusa)
- Eastern Dappled White (Euchloe ausonia)
- Eastern Pale Clouded Yellow (Colias erate)
- Eastern Wood White (Leptidea duponcheli)
- Fenton’s Wood White (Leptidea morsei)
- Green-veined White (Pieris napi)
- Lesser Bath White (Pontia chloridice)
- Lesser Clouded Yellow (Colias chrysotheme)
- Moorland Clouded Yellow (Colias palaeno)
- Orange Tip (Anthocharis cardamines)
- Pale Clouded Yellow (Colias hyale)
- Small White (Pieris rapae)
- Sooty Orange Tip (Zegris eupheme)
- Wood White (Leptidea sinapis)
Metalmark (Riodinidae)
- Duke of Burgundy (Hamearis lucina)
Swallowtail (Papilionidae)
- Apollo (Parnassius apollo)
- Clouded Apollo (Parnassius mnemosyne)
- Old World Swallowtail (Papilio machaon)
- Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides podalirius)
- Southern Festoon (Zerynthia polyxena)
Skipper (Hesperiidae)
- Alpine Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus andromedae)
- Chequered Skipper (Carterocephalus palaemon)
- Dingy Skipper (Erynnis tages)
- European Skipper (Thymelicus lineola)
- Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus malvae)
- Hungaria Skipper (Spialia orbifer)
- 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)
- Northern Chequered Skipper (Carterocephalus silvicola)
- Oberthür’s Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus armoricanus)
- Olive Skipper (Pyrgus serratulae)
- Oriental Skipper (Carcharodus orientalis)
- Safflower Skipper (Pyrgus carthami)
- Sage Skipper (Muschampia proto)
- Sandy-grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus cinarae)
- Silver-spotted Skipper (Hesperia comma)
- Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris)
- Spinose Skipper (Favria cribrellum)
- Tessellated Skipper (Muschampia tessellum)
- Tufted Skipper (Carcharodus floccifera)
- Yellow-banded Skipper (Pyrgus sidae)
- Syrichtus proteides
One of the best places to see butterflies in Ukraine is Holosiivskyi National Nature Park, a large forest surrounding the capital city Kiev.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most prominent butterfly family found in Ukraine?
The most prominent butterfly family in Ukraine is Nymphalidae, commonly known as the Brush-Footed butterflies. This diverse group includes a vast number of species documented in the country, such as various Fritillaries, Browns, Emperors, and well-known butterflies like the Painted Lady and Mourning Cloak.
Are Painted Lady butterflies native to Ukraine?
Yes, the Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) is a butterfly species found in Ukraine. It is part of the extensive Brush-Footed (Nymphalidae) family present in the country. This species is famous for its long-distance migrations and is one of many diverse butterflies inhabiting Ukraine’s various ecosystems.
What types of Fritillary butterflies live in Ukraine?
Ukraine is home to a wide variety of Fritillary butterflies, which are part of the Nymphalidae family. Documented species include the Dark Green Fritillary, Heath Fritillary, Marsh Fritillary, Lesser Marbled Fritillary, and Niobe Fritillary, among others, each with distinct patterns and habitat preferences.
Can you find Mourning Cloak butterflies in Ukraine?
Yes, the Mourning Cloak butterfly (Nymphalis antiopa) is a species that resides in Ukraine. It is a member of the Nymphalidae, or Brush-Footed butterfly family. This butterfly is recognized by its distinct dark, purplish-black wings that are edged with a bright yellowish border.
How diverse is the Brush-Footed butterfly population in Ukraine?
The Brush-Footed (Nymphalidae) butterfly population in Ukraine is exceptionally diverse, encompassing a wide range of genera. The country’s fauna includes numerous species of Browns, Fritillaries, Emperors, Tortoiseshells, and Admirals, highlighting the richness of this particular butterfly family within the region’s ecosystems.
Is the Meadow Brown a common butterfly in Ukraine?
Yes, the Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina) is a common butterfly species found in Ukraine. It is frequently mentioned as part of the country’s lepidopteran fauna and belongs to the large Nymphalidae family. This species is often observed in grassy habitats and open woodlands across the region.
What are some examples of Brown butterflies in Ukraine?
Ukraine hosts several species of Brown butterflies, primarily from the Nymphalidae family. Examples from the country’s fauna list include the Meadow Brown, Large Wall Brown, Chestnut Heath, and the Arran Brown. These species are typically characterized by their varying shades of brown and subtle wing patterns.
