Butterflies of the World - Lifecycle, Ecology, Taxonomy, Conservation, Photography, Butterfly Holidays, Photo Galleries, Book Reviews and more.........
Text and photographs protected by Copyright © Adrian Hoskins 2007, and must not be published in part or in whole elsewhere without prior written permission from the author.
The 10 most beautiful butterflies ?
 
I'm often asked -
"what is the most beautiful butterfly in the world ?"
"what is your favourite butterfly ?" or "which country has the most beautiful butterflies ?".
 
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so the species that I find particularly attractive or fascinating may be totally different from those liked by others. Many people's "top ten" might for example include the dazzling blue Morphos of South America, the Paradise Birdwings of Indonesia or the Ulysses Swallowtail of Australia. Others may prefer the more subtle beauty of European species such as the Red Admiral, Swallowtail, Apollo or Purple-edged Copper. There are so many truly beautiful species that it is almost impossible to narrow things down to a "top ten", let alone a single species.
 
The selection I have illustrated and described here represents just a few of my favourite species seen on trips to Africa, South America and Malaysia, and 2 particularly lovely species from Europe. I hope it goes some way towards answering the questions at the top of the page, but if you asked me the same question next week, next month or next year you'd probably get a completely different answer !
 
NEXT >> ( the runners up )
 
Click on thumbnails to see more photos, and detailed descriptions of the distribution, habitats, lifecycle and behaviour of each illustrated species......
 
Peacock
Inachis io ( England )
 
Many consider the Peacock to be the most beautiful butterfly in the world. It's beauty was noted as early as 1634 when Sir Theodore de Mayerne, physician to King Charles 1, noted that the eyespots on the wings of the butterfly "shine curiously like stars and do cast about them sparks of the colours of the rainbow". The markings have a purpose - if a Peacock is disturbed by a bird, it flashes it's wings open, displaying the huge "false eyes". The bird will usually be startled for long enough to allow the butterfly to escape.
 
Dido Longwing
Philaethria dido ( Peru )
 
Philaethria dido is found from Mexico to the southern Amazon. It is amongst the most beautiful and graceful of neotropical butterflies, but is rarely seen, as it spends the majority of it's life high in the forest canopy. It breeds in wet tropical rainforests at altitudes from sea level to about 1200m. Novices sometimes confuse this species with the Malachite Siproeta stelenes, a much commoner butterfly found in open secondary forest, or around the edges of clearings in primary forest.
 
Brimstone
Gonepteryx rhamni ( England )
 
The word "butterfly" is thought to be a contraction of the phrase "butter-coloured fly", a term that may have been used by early naturalists to describe the Brimstone. It emerges in late June or early July, and can often be seen nectaring at thistles. In the autumn it settles under a bramble leaf, or amongst ivy, where it hibernates until reappearing in March or April of the following year. In the spring it nectars at sallow catkins, dandelions, primroses and bluebells. The caterpillars feed on buckthorn leaves.
 
Glittering Sapphire
Lasaia agesilas ( Venezuela )
 
Lasaia are found exclusively in the neotropics. They are all small species, averaging about 30mm in wingspan, with highly reflective metallic wing scales, the males being blue, green or grey, overlaid with a pattern of black spots. They are commonly seen in one's and two's when mud-puddling at sandbanks or sunlit forest tracks. They are highly active in sunny weather, with a very rapid flight close to the ground, and tend to flit constantly from spot to spot.
 
Rajah Brooke's Birdwing
Trogonoptera brookiana ( Malaysia )
 
In  common with most other butterflies in Malaysia and Borneo, the habitats of this species are severely endangered. Rainforest only remains on the steepest mountain-sides, or at a small number of nature reserves, many of which are themselves threatened with exploitation at the hands of major international companies. The vast rainforests which once covered the lowlands have now been almost entirely cleared and converted to oil palm plantations.
 
Dyson's Blue Doctor
Rhetus dysonii ( Peru )
 
The genus Rhetus includes 3 species, of which periander is the commonest and most widespread. The others are arcius - paler, with longer thinner tails; and dysonii - in which the outer margins of the forewings are convex, and which has distinct white bands, and white markings on the tail. This species is usually encountered singly, in association with narrow streams or ditches, at elevations between about 400-1600m. In cloudy weather the males bask for long periods while imbibing dissolved minerals from the mud.
 
Paradise Phantom
Cithaerias phantoma ( Peru )

The Paradise Phantom is found deep in primary rainforest in the lowlands of Ecuador, Brazil and Peru. The flight is low over the ground, skulking and phantom-like, but the butterfly is capable of moving rapidly if disturbed. It usually settles with the wings closed, and at such times is very difficult to locate. The butterfly tends to remain deep in the undergrowth, but emerges at dusk to feed at rotting palm fruits on the forest floor.

 
Purple Sapphire
Heliophorus epicles ( Malaysia )
 

This stunning butterfly is hairstreak-like in appearance, but is in fact a member of the tribe Lycaenini - the Coppers. The purple-flushed dark brown upperside is marked with orange subapical and submarginal hw bands. There are 10 species of Heliophorus, of which androcles is the most dramatic. It's underside is similar to epicles, but on the upperside of the male, the basal area of the forewings is brilliant metallic blue in the wet season form, and a shimmering metallic green in the dry season form.

Turquoise-spotted Swordtail
Graphium policenes ( Ghana )
 

There are about 90 species of Papilionidae in the continent of Africa, including 37 in the genus Graphium. Some species e.g. angolanus, almansor, philonoe and leonidas are without tails, but in others such as kirbyi and policenes these are long and sword-like. The Turquoise-spotted Swordtail is undoubtedly one of the most strikingly beautiful butterflies in the world, and in my humble opinion easily the most beautiful in Africa.

 

Oedipus Owl
Caligo oedipus ( Peru )
 

Owl butterflies are usually encountered as singletons, flying just before dusk along narrow trails. They are attracted to rotting plantains and other fruit on the forest floor, and if disturbed fly in a seemingly very ungainly fashion, with the flapping of their wings clearly audible. Normally they fly only a few metres at a time, and settle clumsily on foliage, often failing to maintain their grip, and being forced to resettle elsewhere. They continue flying through the night, and are sometimes attracted into buildings by artificial lighting. Just before dawn they seek out narrow tree trunks, on which they roost during daylight hours at a height of between 1-2 metres above ground level.
 
 
NEXT >> ( the runners up )
 

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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