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Text and photographs protected by Copyright © Adrian Hoskins 2007, and must not be published in part or in whole elsewhere without prior written permission from the author.
Strangely named butterflies !

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

Hesperiine

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

Militenae

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

 
 
Text and photographs protected by Copyright © Adrian Hoskins 2007-2008, and must not be reproduced or published in part or in whole elsewhere in any form without written permission from Adrian Hoskins. Breach of copyright will be pursued by litigation.
 
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