List of butterflies of Italy explained

This is a list of butterflies in the country of Italy.

Hesperiidae – skippers

Subfamily Hesperiinae

• Dingy swift, Gegenes nostrodamus
• Dark Hottentot, Gegenes pumilio
• Silver-spotted skipper, Hesperia comma
• Large skipper, Ochlodes sylvanuss

Subfamily Pyrginae

• Mallow skipper, Carcharodus alceae
• Southern marbled skipper, Carcharodus baeticus
• Tufted skipper, Carcharodus floccifera
• Marbled skipper, Carcharodus lavatherae
• Dingy skipper, Erynnis tages
• Sage skipper, Muschampia proto
• Large grizzled skipper, Pyrgus alveus
• Alpine grizzled skipper, Pyrgus andromedae
• Oberthür's grizzled skipper, Pyrgus armoricanus
• Foulquier's grizzled skipper, Pyrgus bellieri bellieri
  • Pyrgus bellieri picenus
• Dusky grizzled skipper, Pyrgus cacaliae
• Carline skipper, Pyrgus carlinae
• Safflower skipper, Pyrgus carthami
• Cinquefoil skipper, Pyrgus cirsii
• Southern grizzled skipper, Pyrgus malvoides
• Grizzled skipper, Pyrgus malvae
• Rosy grizzled skipper, Pyrgus onopordi
• Olive skipper, Pyrgus serratulae
• Yellow-banded skipper, Pyrgus sidae
• Warren's skipper, Pyrgus warrenensis
• Lulworth skipper, Thymelicus acteon
• Essex skipper, Thymelicus lineola
• Red-underwing skipper, Thymelicus sylvestris

Subfamily Heteropterinae

• Arctic skipper, Carterocephalus palaemon
• Large chequered skipper, Heteropterus morpheus

Papilionidae - swallowtails

• Scarce swallowtail, Iphiclides podalirius
• Alexanor, Papilio alexanor
• Old World swallowtail, Papilio machaon
• Corsican swallowtail, Papilio hospiton
• Mountain Apollo, Parnassius apollo
• Clouded Apollo, Parnassius mnemosyne
• Phoebus Apollo, Parnassius phoebus phoebus
  • Parnassius phoebus sacerdos
• Southern festoon, Zerynthia polyxena

Pieridae – whites

Subfamily Dismorphiinae

• Wood white, Leptidea sinapis
• Réal's wood white, Leptidea reali

Subfamily Coliadinae

• Berger's clouded yellow, Colias alfacariensis
• Clouded yellow, Colias croceus
• Pale clouded yellow, Colias hyale
• Pale Arctic clouded yellow, Colias palaeno
• Mountain clouded yellow, Colias phicomone

Subfamily Pierinae

• Orange tip, Anthocharis cardamines
• Eastern orange tip, Anthocharis damone
• Provence orange tip, Anthocharis euphenoides
• Black-veined white, Aporia crataegi
• Eastern dappled white, Euchloe ausonia
• Western dappled white, Euchloe crameri
• Portuguese dappled white, Euchloe tagis
• Cleopatra, Gonepteryx cleopatra
• Common brimstone, Gonepteryx rhamni
• Large white, Pieris brassicae
• Dark-veined white, Pieris bryoniae
• Mountain small white, Pieris ergane
• Southern small white, Pieris mannii
• Green-veined white, Pieris napi
• Small white, Pieris rapae
• Lofty Bath white, Pontia callidice
• Bath white, Pontia daplidice
• Eastern Bath white, Pontia edusa

Riodinidae

• Duke of Burgundy, Hamearis lucina

Lycaenidae – blues, coppers and hairstreaks

Subfamily Theclinae

• Brown hairstreak, Thecla betulae
• Green hairstreak, Callophrys rubi
• Purple hairstreak, Neozephyrus quercus
• Sloe hairstreak, Satyrium acaciae
• False ilex hairstreak, Satyrium esculi
• Ilex hairstreak, Satyrium ilicis
• Satyrium pruni, Satyrium pruni
• Blue spot hairstreak, Satyrium spini
• White-letter hairstreak, Satyrium w-album

Subfamily Lycaeninae

• Purple-shot copper, Lycaena alciphron
• Large copper, Lycaena dispar
• Purple-edged copper, Lycaena hippothoe
• Small copper, Lycaena phlaeas
• Lesser fiery copper, Lycaena thersamon
• Sooty copper, Lycaena tityrus
• Lycaena subalpina
• Scarce copper, Lycaena virgaureae

Subfamily Polyommatinae

• Peablue, Lampides boeticus
• Lang's short-tailed blue, Leptotes pirithous
• Small blue, Cupido (Cupido) minimus
• Osiris blue, Cupido (Cupido) osiris
• Provençal short-tailed blue, Cupido (Everes) alcetas
• Short-tailed blue, Cupido (Everes) argiades
• Holly blue, Celastrina argiolus
• Green-underside blue, Glaucopsyche (Glaucopsyche) alexis
• Black-eyed blue, Glaucopsyche (Glaucopsyche) melanops
• Iolas blue, Iolana iolas
• Alcon blue, Phengaris alcon
• Large blue, Phengaris arion
• Scarce large blue, Phengaris teleius
• Mountain Alcon blue, Phengaris rebeli
• Baton blue, Pseudophilotes baton
• Chequered blue, Pseudophilotes vicrama schiffermuelleri
• Pseudophilotes barbagiae
• Chequered blue butterfly, Scolitantides orion
• Brown argus, Aricia agestis,
• Northern brown argus, Aricia allous
• Southern brown argus, Aricia cramera
• Silvery argus, Aricia nicias
• Geranium argus, Eumedonia eumedon
• Arctic blue, Agriades glandon
• Alpine argus, Agriades orbitulus
• Cranberry blue, Agriades optilete
• Silver-studded blue, Plebejus argus
• Reverdin's blue, Plebejus argyrognomon
• Idas blue, Plebejus idas
• Alpine zephyr blue, Kretania trappi
• Mazarine blue, Cyaniris semiargus
• Damon blue, Polyommatus damon
• Furry blue, Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) dolus dolus
  • Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) dolus virgilia
• Piedmont anomalous blue, Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) humedasae
• Ripart's anomalous blue, Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) ripartii ripartii
• Meleager's blue, Polyommatus (Meleageria) daphnis
• Amanda's blue, Polyommatus (Polyommatus) amandus
• Turquoise blue, Polyommatus (Polyommatus) dorylas
• Eros blue, Polyommatus (Polyommatus) eros eros
• Escher's blue, Polyommatus (Polyommatus) escheri
• Common blue, Polyommatus (Polyommatus) icarus
  • Polyommatus (Polyommatus) celina Chapman's blue, Polyommatus (Polyommatus) thersites
• Adonis blue, Lysandra bellargus
• Chalkhill blue, Lysandra coridon coridon
• Provence chalk hill blue, Lysandra hispana

Nymphalidae – fritillaries and others

Subfamily Nymphalinae

• European peacock, Aglais io
• Small tortoiseshell, Aglais urticae
• Map butterfly, Araschnia levana
• White petticoat, Nymphalis antiopa
• Large tortoiseshell, Nymphalis polychloros
• Comma, Polygonia c-album
• Southern comma, Polygonia egea
• Red admiral, Vanessa atalanta
• Painted lady, Vanessa cardui
• Cynthia's fritillary, Euphydryas cynthia
• Scarce fritillary, Euphydryas maturna
• Marsh fritillary, Euphydryas aurinia
• Asian fritillary, Euphydryas intermedia
• Aetherie fritillary, Melitaea aetherie
• Little fritillary, Melitaea asteria
• Heath fritillary, Melitaea athalia
• Nickerl's fritillary, Melitaea aurelia
• Assman's fritillary, Melitaea britomartis
• Glanville fritillary, Melitaea cinxia
• Provençal fritillary, Melitaea deione
• False heath fritillary, Melitaea diamina
• Spotted fritillary, Melitaea didyma
• Melitaea nevadensis
• Meadow fritillary, Melitaea parthenoides
• Knapweed fritillary, Melitaea phoebe
• Jerusalem fritillary, Melitaea telona
• Lesser spotted fritillary, Melitaea trivia
• Grisons fritillary, Melitaea varia

Subfamily Heliconiinae

• Silver-washed fritillary, Argynnis paphia
• Cardinal, Argynnis pandora
• High brown fritillary, Fabriciana adippe
• Niobe fritillary, Fabriciana niobe
• Dark green fritillary, Speyeria aglaja
• Balkan fritillary, Boloria (Boloria) graeca
• Mountain fritillary, Boloria (Boloria) napaea
• Shepherd's fritillary, Boloria (Boloria) pales
• Violet fritillary, Boloria (Clossiana) dia
• Pearl-bordered fritillary, Boloria (Clossiana) euphrosyne
• Small pearl-bordered fritillary, Boloria (Clossiana) selene
• Thor's fritillary, Boloria (Clossiana) thore
• Purple bog fritillary, Boloria (Clossiana) titania
• Ocellate bog fritillary, Boloria (Proclossiana) eunomia
• Marbled fritillary, Brenthis daphne
• Twin-spot fritillary, Brenthis hecate
• Lesser marbled fritillary, Brenthis ino
• Queen of Spain, Issoria lathonia

Subfamily Charaxinae

• Two-tailed pasha, Charaxes jasius

Subfamily Danainae

• Plain tiger, Danaus (Anosia) chrysippus

Subfamily Apaturinae

• Lesser purple emperor, Apatura ilia
• Purple emperor, Apatura iris

Subfamily Libytheinae

• Nettle-tree butterfly, Libythea celtis

Subfamily Limenitidinae

• (Eurasian) white admiral, Limenitis camilla
• Poplar admiral, Limenitis populi
• Southern white admiral, Limenitis reducta
• Hungarian glider, Neptis rivularis
• Pallas' sailer, Neptis sappho

Subfamily Satyrinae

• Woodland grayling, Hipparchia (Hipparchia) fagi
• Rock grayling, Hipparchia (Hipparchia) hermione hermione
  • Hipparchia (Hipparchia) neomiris Tree grayling, Hipparchia (Neohipparchia) statilinus
    • Hipparchia (Parahipparchia) neapolitana Hipparchia (Parahipparchia) sbordonii Grayling, Hipparchia (Parahipparchia) semele
• Striped grayling, Hipparchia (Pseudotergumia) fidia
• Oriental meadow brown, Hyponephele lupinus
• Dusky meadow brown, Hyponephele lycaon
• Large wall, Lasiommata maera
• Wall, Lasiommata megera
• Northern wall brown, Lasiommata petropolitana
• Woodland brown, Lopinga achine
• Meadow brown, Maniola jurtina
• Marbled white, Melanargia galathea
• Western marbled white, Melanargia occitanica
• Esper's marbled white, Melanargia russiae
• Italian marbled white, Melanargia arge
• Dryad, Minois dryas
• Ringlet, Aphantopus hyperantus
• False grayling, Arethusana arethusa
• Great banded grayling, Brintesia circe
• Alpine grayling, Oeneis (Oeneis) glacialis
• Hermit, Chazara briseis
• Pearly heath, Coenonympha arcania
• Corsican heath, Coenonympha corinna
  • Coenonympha corinna elbana
• Dusky heath, Coenonympha dorus
• Alpine heath, Coenonympha gardetta gardetta
  • Coenonympha gardetta darwiniana
• Chestnut heath, Coenonympha glycerion
• False ringlet, Coenonympha oedippus
• Small heath, Coenonympha pamphilus
• Eastern large heath, Coenonympha rhodopensis
• Large heath, Coenonympha tullia
• False Mnestra ringlet, Erebia aethiopellus
• Scotch argus, Erebia aethiops
• Almond-eyed ringlet, Erebia alberganus
• Lorkovic's brassy ringlet, Erebia calcaria
• Common brassy ringlet, Erebia cassioides cassioides
• Raetzer's ringlet, Erebia christi
• Small mountain ringlet, Erebia epiphron
• Eriphyle ringlet, Erebia eriphyle
• Large ringlet, Erebia euryale
• Yellow-banded ringlet, Erebia flavofasciata
• Silky ringlet, Erebia gorge
• Arran brown, Erebia ligea
• Yellow-spotted ringlet, Erebia manto
• Woodland ringlet, Erebia medusa
• Lesser mountain ringlet, Erebia melampus
• Piedmont ringlet, Erebia meolans
• Mnestra's ringlet, Erebia mnestra
• Marbled ringlet, Erebia montanus
• Autumn ringlet, Erebia neoridas
• de Lesse's brassy ringlet, Erebia nivalis
• Bright eyed ringlet, Erebia oeme
• Ottoman brassy ringlet, Erebia ottomana
• Dewy ringlet, Erebia pandrose
• Blind ringlet, Erebia pharte
• Sooty ringlet, Erebia pluto
• Water ringlet, Erebia pronoe
• Larche ringlet, Erebia scipio
• Styrian ringlet, Erebia stirius
• Stygian ringlet, Erebia styx
• de Prunner's ringlet, Erebia triarius
• Swiss brassy ringlet, Erebia tyndarus
• Speckled wood, Pararge aegeria
• Southern gatekeeper, Pyronia (Idata) cecilia
• Gatekeeper, Pyronia (Pyronia) tithonus
• Black satyr, Satyrus actaea
• Great sooty satyr, Satyrus ferula

References

• Dapporto and Cini - Faunal patterns in Tuscan archipelago butterflies: The dominant influence is recent geography not paleogeography
• Boriani, Burgio, Marini and Genghini Faunistic study on butterflies collected in Northern Italy rural landscape