All North American butterflies have been given
English names, as have the butterflies of Australia. In the 19th
century, butterfly collecting was a favourite pastime of British
Army officers, who gave English names to many of the butterflies
found in the countries where they served, e.g. Malaya, Ceylon, India
and East Africa. Consequently many butterflies in these countries
have names connected with the armed forces - examples include the
Commodores, Commander, Soldiers, and Lancers. The majority of names
however are purely descriptive, hence Desert White, Orange-spotted
Skipper etc.
The table below lists a few of the more
fascinating or amusing names given to butterflies from around the
world, some of which have obvious derivations, while others, such as
the Foolish Swift, seen totally baffling :
|
Country |
English name |
sub-family |
Scientific name |
|
Kenya |
Foolish Swift |
Hesperiinae |
Borbo fatuellus |
|
USA |
Lost-Egg Skipper |
Hesperiinae |
Hesperia lindseyi |
|
Ghana |
Morose Sailor |
Limenitidinae |
Neptis morosa |
|
USA |
Prairie Cobweb Skipper |
Hesperiinae |
Yvretta rhesus |
|
Kenya |
Dive-bomber |
Charaxinae |
Charaxes bohemani |
|
Kenya |
Blue Heart Playboy |
Lycaenidae |
Pilodeudorix caerulea |
|
Argentina |
Drop with Glasses |
Biblidinae |
Dynamine aerata |
|
Kenya |
Fashion Commodore |
Nymphalinae |
Precis pelarga |
|
USA |
Sad Green Hairstreak |
Theclinae |
Callophrys miserabilis |
|
Kenya |
Peculiar Giant Cupid |
Polyommatinae |
Lepidochrysops peculiaris |
|
Tanzania |
Garden Inspector |
Nymphalinae |
Precis archesia |
|
USA |
Question Mark |
Nymphalinae |
Polygonia
interrogationis |
|
Trinidad |
Tiger with tails |
Charaxinae |
Consul fabius |
|
USA |
Poodle-face Sulphur |
Coliadinae |
Eurema boisduvaliana |
|
Argentina |
Zigzag Sleepy-head |
Pyrginae |
Sarnientoia haywardi |
|
Argentina |
Lying butterfly |
Pierinae |
Pereute swainsoni |
|
Colombia |
Charismatic Metalmark |
Riodininae |
Charis
matic |
|
Costa Rica |
The New Species |
Pyrginae |
Cephise nuspesez
( "new species" ) |
|
Mexico |
Mediocre Skipper |
Hesperiinae |
Inglorius mediocris |
|
Kenya |
Flip Flop |
Pierinae |
Leptosia alcesta |
|
Trinidad |
Snow-flake |
Pierinae |
Leucidia brephos |
|
Trinidad |
Blue Doctor |
Riodininae |
Rhetus periander |
|
Kenya |
d'Urban's Woolly Legs |
Miletinae |
Lachnocnema durbani |
|
Trinidad |
Shower of Gold |
Riodininae |
Argyrogrammana holosticta |
|
Sri Lanka |
Glad-eye Bush Brown |
Satyrinae |
Nissanga patnia |
|
Trinidad |
Lady Slipper |
Satyrinae |
Pierella
hyalinus |
|
Kenya |
Noble Night-fighter |
Hesperiinae |
Zophopetes nobilior |
|
USA |
Noseburn Wanderer |
Nymphalinae |
Mestra amymone |
|
Kenya |
One Pip Policeman |
Coeliadinae |
Coeliades anchises |
|
Trinidad |
Queen of the Night |
Morphinae |
Antirrhea philoctetes |
|
Kenya |
Wandering Donkey |
Heliconiinae |
Acraea neobule |
