List of Butterflies and Moths Available or Previously Available in the UK Butterfly House Trade
Ongoing, feel free to contact me with omitted species and evidence of their availability past or present in the UK. Thanks, Viv.
Common Jay
Graphium doson, the common jay, is a black, tropical papilionid (swallowtail) butterfly with pale blue semi-transparent central wing bands that are formed by large spots. There is a marginal series of smaller spots. The underside of wings is brown with markings similar to upperside but whitish in colour. The sexes look alike. The species was first described by father and ...more ↓
Thick-tipped Greta
Greta morgane, the thick-tipped greta, is a day active ithomiine butterfly from the subfamily Ithomiinae. The length of the wings of this clearwing butterfly range from 56 to 58 mm. It is a common butterfly in Mexico, Middle-America, and the Caribbean. It has been recorded in 2004 as a stray in south Texas.
Coastal Swordtail
Graphium porthaon, the coastal swordtail, cream-striped swordtail or dark swordtail, is a species of butterfly in the family Papilionidae, found in tropical western Africa.
Black Swordtail
Graphium colonna, the black swordtail or mamba swordtail, is a species of butterfly in the family Papilionidae (swallowtails). It is found in Africa.
Speckled Emperor
Gynanisa maja (speckled emperor or chipumi) is a moth of the family Saturniidae. It is known from South Africa to eastern Africa (up to Angola and Zambia). Gynanisa nigra is just a darker form and not a distinct species.
Red Cracker
Hamadryas amphinome, the red cracker, is a species of cracker butterfly in the family Nymphalidae, native to regions of North and South America.
Great Orange Tip
Hebomoia glaucippe, the great orange tip, is a butterfly belonging to the family Pieridae, that is the yellows and whites. It is found in the Indomalaya ecozone and Wallacea.
Variable Cracker
Hamadryas feronia, the variable cracker, is a species of cracker butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in the southern parts of the United States and south to Brazil.
Starry Night Cracker
Hamadryas laodamia, the starry night cracker or starry cracker, is a species of cracker butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It can be found from Mexico to the Amazon basin.
Gray Cracker
Hamadryas februa, the gray (or grey) cracker, is a species of cracker butterfly in the Nymphalidae family. It is found from Argentina north through tropical America to Mexico. Rare strays can be found up to the lower Rio Grande Valley in southern Texas. The habitat consists of subtropical forests, forest edges and cultivated areas with trees.
Zebra Longwing
Heliconius charithonia, the zebra longwing or zebra heliconian, is a species of butterfly belonging to the subfamily Heliconiinae of the family Nymphalidae. The boldly striped black and white wing pattern is aposematic, warning off predators.
Tiger Longwing
Heliconius hecale, the tiger longwing, Hecale longwing, golden longwing or golden heliconian, is a heliconiid butterfly that occurs from Mexico to the Peruvian Amazon.
False zebra longwing
Heliconius atthis, the false zebra longwing or Atthis longwing, is a species of Heliconius butterfly. It is endemic to western Ecuador.
Red Postman
Heliconius erato, or the red postman, is one of about 40 neotropical species of butterfly belonging to the genus Heliconius. It is also commonly known as the small postman, the red passion flower butterfly, or the crimson-patched longwing. It was described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae.
Cydno Longwing
Heliconius cydno, the cydno longwing, is a nymphalid butterfly that ranges from Mexico to northern South America. It is typically found in forest understorey and deposits its eggs on Passiflora plants.
Doris Longwing
Laparus doris, the Doris longwing or Doris, is a butterfly of the Nymphalidae family and only member (i.e., monotypic) of the Laparus genus. It is found from Central America to the Amazon. There is considerable colour and pattern variation, even at sub-species level.
postman
Heliconius melpomene, the postman butterfly, common postman or simply postman, is a brightly colored butterfly found throughout Mexico and Central America. It was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae. Its coloration coevolved with a sister species H. erato as a warning to predators of its inedibility; ...more ↓
Ismenius tiger
Heliconius ismenius, the Ismenius tiger or tiger heliconian, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae found in Central America and northern South America. They are abundant as far south as Ecuador and Venezuela and as far north as southern Mexico, Guatemala and Belize. H. ismenius are more commonly called the tiger-striped long wing butterfly. H. ...more ↓
Numata longwing
Heliconius numata, the Numata longwing, is a brush-footed butterfly species belonging to the family Nymphalidae, subfamily Heliconiinae.
Sara Longwing
The Sara longwing (Heliconius sara) is a species of neotropical heliconiid butterfly found from Mexico to the Amazon Basin and southern Brazil. It is a colourful species: the dorsal wing surface is black with a large medial patch of metallic blue that is framed by two bands of white on the forewings. (This coloration is similar to that of Wallace's longwing, H. wallacei, ...more ↓
telesiphe longwing
Heliconius telesiphe, the telesiphe longwing, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It was described by Edward Doubleday in 1847. It is found at mid-elevations in the Andes. Its habitat is cloud forests.
Heliconius sapho
Heliconius sapho, the Sapho longwing, is a butterfly of the Nymphalidae family. It was described by Dru Drury in 1782. It is found from Mexico southward to Ecuador.
Great Eggfly
Hypolimnas bolina, the great eggfly, common eggfly or in New Zealand the blue moon butterfly is a species of nymphalid butterfly.
Silver-studded Leafwing
Hypna is a butterfly genus of the family Nymphalidae. It is monotypic, containing only Hypna clytemnestra, the jazzy leafwing, marbled leafwing or silver-studded leafwing.
Thoas Swallowtail
Papilio thoas, the king swallowtail or Thoas swallowtail, is a butterfly of the family Papilionidae. It is found in the southernmost United States, Mexico, Central America and South America (as far south as Argentina and Uruguay). The species is easily confused with the giant swallowtail, which it closely resembles in both larval and adult stages. The caterpillars ...more ↓
Rice Paper Butterfly
Idea leuconoe, the paper kite, rice paper or large tree nymph, is known especially for its presence in butterfly houses and live butterfly expositions. It has a wingspan of 12 to 14 cm. The paper kite is of Southeast Asian origin, but can also be found in Northern Australia and Southern Taiwan.
Tanzanian Diadem
Hypolimnas antevorta is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in north-eastern Tanzania. The habitat consists of sub-montane forests at altitudes of about 1,000 m (3,300 ft).
Mimic
Hypolimnas misippus, the Danaid eggfly, mimic, or diadem, is a widespread species of nymphalid butterfly. It is well known for polymorphism and mimicry. Males are blackish with distinctive white spots that are fringed in blue. Females are in multiple forms that include male-like forms while others closely resemble the toxic butterflies Danaus ...more ↓
Scarce Blue Diadem
Hypolimnas monteironis, the black-tipped diadem or scarce blue diadem, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. The habitat consists of forests.
Variable Diadem
Hypolimnas anthedon, the variable eggfly or variable diadem, is a species of Hypolimnas butterfly found in southern Africa. There are four known subspecies, but it is very variable species with many morphs.
Red Spot Diadem
Hypolimnas usambara, the red spot diadem or Usambara diadem, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found along the coast of Kenya and in Tanzania, from the coast inland to the Usambara Mountains. The habitat consists of primary coastal forests.
Grey Glassy Tiger
Ideopsis juventa, the wood nymph, gray glassy tiger or grey glassy tiger, is a species of nymphalid butterfly in the Danainae subfamily. It is found in Southeast Asia.
Ceylon Blue Glassy Tiger
Ideopsis similis, the Ceylon blue glassy tiger, is a butterfly found in Asia, including India and Taiwan, that belongs to the subfamily Danainae (crows and tigers), in the family Nymphalidae (brush-footed butterflies).
Peacock Pansy
Junonia almana, the peacock pansy, is a species of nymphalid butterfly found in South Asia. It exists in two distinct adult forms, which differ chiefly in the patterns on the underside of the wings; the dry-season form has few markings, while the wet-season form has additional eyespots and lines.
Orange Oakleaf
Kallima inachus, the orange oakleaf, Indian oakleaf or dead leaf, is a nymphalid butterfly found in tropical Asia from India to Japan. With wings closed, it closely resembles a dry leaf with dark veins and is a spectacular and commonly cited example of camouflage.
Chocolate Pansy
Junonia iphita, the chocolate pansy or chocolate soldier, is a butterfly found in Asia.
Lemon Pansy
Junonia lemonias, the lemon pansy, is a common nymphalid butterfly found in South Asia. It is found in gardens, fallow land, and open wooded areas.
Grey Pansy
Junonia atlites, the gray pansy or grey pansy, is a species of nymphalid butterfly found in South Asia.
Confusa Tigerwing
Methona confusa (giant glasswing) is a species of butterfly of the Nymphalidae family.
Common Morpho
Morpho helenor, the Helenor morpho or common blue morpho, is a Neotropical butterfly found in Panama, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Mexico, Suriname, French Guiana, Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, Honduras, Guatemala, Paraguay, Brazil, Argentina, and in Trinidad and Tobago. It is a species group that may or may not be several species. Many ...more ↓
Dark blue pansy
Junonia oenone, the blue pansy or dark blue pansy, is a Nymphalid butterfly native to Africa. "Blue pansy" is also used in India to describe Junonia orithya.
Black-tipped Archduke
Lexias dirtea, the archduke, is a species of butterfly of the family Nymphalidae.
Whitened Bluewing
Myscelia cyaniris, the blue wave, blue-banded purplewing, tropical blue wave, whitened bluewing, or royal blue, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae.
Blue Admiral
Kaniska canace, the blue admiral, is a nymphalid butterfly, the only species of the genus Kaniska.
Polymnia Tigerwing
Mechanitis polymnia, the orange-spotted tiger clearwing or disturbed tigerwing, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found from Mexico to the Amazon rainforest. The wingspan is 65–75 mm (2.6–3.0 in). The larvae feed on Solanum species.
Achilles morpho
Morpho achilles, the Achilles morpho, blue-banded morpho or banded blue morpho, is a Neotropical butterfly.
Common Rose Swallowtail
Pachliopta aristolochiae, the common rose, is a swallowtail butterfly belonging to the Pachliopta genus, the roses, or red-bodied swallowtails. It is a common butterfly which is extensively distributed across South and Southeast Asia.
Mexican Bluewing
Myscelia ethusa, the Mexican bluewing or blue wing, is a species of butterfly of the Nymphalidae family. It is found from Colombia north through Central America to Mexico. Strays can be found up to the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas in the United States.
Common Sailer
Neptis hylas, the common sailor, is a species of nymphalid butterfly found in the Indian subcontinent and South-East Asia. It has a characteristic stiff gliding flight achieved by short and shallow wingbeats just above the horizontal. For the other butterfly called the common sailor, see Neptis laeta.
Black Rose
Pachliopta antiphus is a species of butterfly from the family Papilionidae (swallowtails) that is found in Sumatra, Borneo and the Philippines.
Red Flasher
Panacea prola, the prola beauty or red flasher, is a species of butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found from Costa Rica to southern Brazil, but is most common in the foothills of the eastern Peruvian Andes.
Pink Rose
Pachliopta kotzebuea, the pink rose, is a butterfly of the family Papilionidae (the swallowtails). It is found in the Philippines.
Ruby-spotted Swallowtail
Papilio anchisiades, the ruby-spotted swallowtail or red-spotted swallowtail, is a butterfly of the family Papilionidae. It is found from southern Texas south to Argentina. Rare strays can be found up to Kansas, southeastern Arizona, and western Texas.
Citrus Swallowtail
Papilio demodocus, the citrus swallowtail or Christmas butterfly, is a large swallowtail butterfly common to Sub-Saharan Africa. After hatching from their egg, the caterpillar feeds on a few leaves on citrus trees before pupation.
Constantine's Swallowtail
Papilio constantinus, the Constantine's swallowtail, is a butterfly of the family Papilionidae. It is found in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Eastern Giant Swallowtail
The giant swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes) is the largest butterfly in North America. It is abundant through many parts of North America and ranges south as far as Colombia and Venezuela. Though it is often valued in gardens for its striking appearance, its larval stage can be a serious pest to citrus farms, which has earned its caterpillars the names orange dog or ...more ↓
Mocker Swallowtail
Papilio dardanus, the African swallowtail, mocker swallowtail or flying handkerchief, is a species of butterfly in the family Papilionidae (the swallowtails). The species is broadly distributed throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. The British entomologist E. B. Poulton described it as "the most interesting butterfly in the world".
Lime Swallowtail
Papilio demoleus is a common and widespread swallowtail butterfly. The butterfly is also known as the common lime butterfly, lemon butterfly, lime swallowtail, small citrus butterfly, chequered swallowtail, dingy swallowtail and citrus swallowtail. These common names refer to their host plants, which are usually citrus species ...more ↓
Red Helen Swallowtail
Papilio helenus, the red Helen, is a large swallowtail butterfly found in forests of southern India and parts of Southeast Asia.
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus, the eastern tiger swallowtail, is a species of swallowtail butterfly native to eastern North America. It is one of the most familiar butterflies in the eastern United States, where it is common in many different habitats. It has also been found in Olüdeniz, Turkey. It flies from spring to fall, during which it produces two to three broods. Adults feed on ...more ↓
Great Mormon Swallowtail
Papilio memnon, the great Mormon, is a large butterfly native to southern Asia that belongs to the swallowtail family. It is widely distributed and has thirteen subspecies. The female is polymorphic and with mimetic forms.
Emerald Peacock Swallowtail
Papilio palinurus, the emerald swallowtail, emerald peacock or green-banded peacock, is a butterfly of the genus Papilio belonging to the Papilionidae family. It is native to Southeast Asia, but is regularly kept in butterfly houses around the world.
Hipponous swallowtail
Papilio hipponous is a butterfly of the family Papilionidae. It is found in the Philippines.
Great Yellow Mormon Swallowtail
Papilio lowi, the great yellow Mormon or Asian swallowtail, is a butterfly of the family Papilionidae. It is found in Borneo, Indonesia, and the Philippines (Palawan, Balabao).
Common Mormon Swallowtail
Papilio polytes, the common Mormon, is a common species of swallowtail butterfly widely distributed across Asia.
Black Swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes, the (eastern) black swallowtail, American swallowtail or parsnip swallowtail, is a butterfly found throughout much of North America. It is the state butterfly of Oklahoma and New Jersey. An extremely similar-appearing species, Papilio joanae, occurs in the Ozark Mountains region, but it appears to be closely related to ...more ↓
Black-and-white Helen Swallowtail
Papilio nephelus is a species of swallowtail butterfly belonging to the family Papilionidae. Subspecies include P. n. chaon, the yellow Helen, and P. n. sunatus, the black and white Helen.
Scarlet Mormon Swallowtail
Papilio rumanzovia, the scarlet Mormon or red Mormon, is a butterfly of the family Papilionidae. It is found in the Philippines but has been recorded as a vagrant to southern Taiwan.
Narrow Green-banded Swallowtail
Papilio nireus, the green-banded swallowtail, narrow-banded blue swallowtail, or African blue-banded swallowtail, is a butterfly of the family Papilionidae. It is found in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Thoas Swallowtail
Papilio thoas, the king swallowtail or Thoas swallowtail, is a butterfly of the family Papilionidae. It is found in the southernmost United States, Mexico, Central America and South America (as far south as Argentina and Uruguay). The species is easily confused with the giant swallowtail, which it closely resembles in both larval and adult stages. The caterpillars ...more ↓
True Cattleheart
Parides eurimedes is a species of butterfly in the family Papilionidae. It is commonly known as the mylotes cattleheart, Arcas cattleheart, pink-checked cattleheart, and true cattleheart. It is native to the Americas.
Emperor Swallowtail
Papilio ophidicephalus, the emperor swallowtail, is a butterfly of the family Papilionidae. It is found in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Paris Peacock Swallowtail
Papilio paris, the Paris peacock, is a species of swallowtail butterfly found in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia.
Clipper
Parthenos sylvia, the clipper, is a species of nymphalid butterfly found in South and South-East Asia, mostly in forested areas. The clipper is a fast-flying butterfly and has a habit of flying with its wings flapping stiffly between the horizontal position and a few degrees below the horizontal. It may glide between spurts of flapping.
Torquatus Swallowtail
Papilio torquatus, the torquatus swallowtail, is a swallowtail butterfly in the subfamily Papilioninae. It is found from northern Argentina to Mexico.
Wanderer
Pareronia valeria, the common wanderer or Malayan wanderer, is a medium-sized butterfly of the family Pieridae, that is, the yellows and whites, and is found in India and Southeast Asia. The butterfly found in India is sometimes considered as a separate species, Pareronia hippia.
Iphidamas Cattleheart
Parides iphidamas, the Iphidamas cattleheart or Transandean cattleheart, is a species of butterfly in the family Papilionidae.
Common Mother-of-Pearl
Protogoniomorpha parhassus, the forest mother-of-pearl or common mother-of-pearl, is a species of Nymphalidae butterfly found in forested areas of Africa.
Montezuma's Cattleheart
Parides montezuma, the Montezuma's cattleheart, is a butterfly in the family Papilionidae. It is native to the Americas.
Orange-barred Sulphur
Phoebis philea, the orange-barred sulphur, is a species of butterfly found in the Americas including the Caribbean.
Common Mother-of-Pearl
Protogoniomorpha parhassus, the forest mother-of-pearl or common mother-of-pearl, is a species of Nymphalidae butterfly found in forested areas of Africa.
Shaded-blue Leafwing
Prepona laertes, the shaded-blue leafwing or Laertes prepona, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in large parts of Central and South America.
Common Nawab
Polyura athamas, the common nawab, is a species of fast-flying canopy butterfly found in tropical Asia. It belongs to the Charaxinae (rajahs and nawabs) in the brush-footed butterfly family (Nymphalidae).
Gaudy Commodore
Precis octavia, the gaudy commodore, is a species of butterfly in the Nymphalidae family. It is native to Africa.
Ailanthus Silkmoth
Samia cynthia (ailanthus silkmoth) is a saturniid moth, used to produce silk fabric but not as domesticated as the silkworm, Bombyx mori. The moth has very large wings of 113–125 mm, with a quarter-moon shaped spot on both the upper and lower wings, whitish and yellow stripes and brown background. There are "eyespots" on the outer fore wings.
Rusty-tipped Page
Siproeta epaphus, the rusty-tipped page or brown siproeta, is a New World butterfly that lives all year in tropical habitats. It has large wings, averaging 7.0–7.5 cm (2.8–3.0 in), that are black in the inner portion of the top surface and brown throughout the underside. Both surfaces have a bold white transverse stripe continuing across both wings. The outer ...more ↓
Malachite
Siproeta stelenes (malachite) is a neotropical brush-footed butterfly (family Nymphalidae). The malachite has large wings that are black and brilliant green or yellow-green on the upperside and light brown and olive green on the underside. It is named for the mineral malachite, which is similar in color to the bright green on the butterfly's wings. Typically, the ...more ↓
Orizaba silkmoth
Rothschildia orizaba (orizaba silkmoth) is a species of moth in the family Saturniidae. It is found in Central and South America.
Clouded Mother-of-Pearl
Protogoniomorpha anacardii, the clouded mother-of-pearl, is a species of Nymphalidae butterfly found in tropical Africa.
