butterfly identification guide

BUTTERFLY IDENTIFICATION GUIDE
The Tropical Butterfly House features butterflies from
around the world. As many as 100 species sometimes live
here. Use this guide to identify some of our favorite residents.
Please look with your eyes and do not touch. Even a gentle touch can harm a butterfly.
FAMILY: PAPILIONIDAE — SWALLOWTAILS
These butterflies have a distinctive flight. Though their front wings flap quickly, their hind wings barely move.
(female)
Papilio polytes
(male)
Common Swallowtail
Southeast Asia
Look for these fast-flying butterflies
drinking nectar in sunny spots.
Graphium agamemnon
Papilio cresphontes
Southeast Asia.
These butterflies like sunny areas
where they sip nectar while hovering
with wings in constant motion.
Southern Canada to Colombia
The caterpillars of this species eat
citrus leaves and can be a crop
pest in some areas.
Tailed Jay
Battus polydamus
Giant Swallowtail
Polydamus Swallowtail
Southern United States through
Central America
Parides erostratus
Dusky Swallowtail
Mexico and south to Belize
Exhibits both sexual dimorphism
and mimicry. Male Papilio erostratus
mimic the unpalatable Battus
philenor. Females resemble the
poisonous Parides photinus.
(both sexes - underside)
(male-top)
Papilio rumanzovia
Scarlet Swallowtail
Southeast Asia.
These butterflies often roost
together in the ficus trees in the
southeast corner of the Tropical
Butterfly House.
(female-top)
FAMILY: BRASSOLIDAE —
OWL BUTTERFLIES
Pachliopta kotzebuea
Pink Rose
Southeast Asia
Can be distinguished from similar
species in the Tropical Butterfly
House by its red abdomen. Look for
its reddish brown, fungus-shaped
chrysalis in the emerging window.
Parides iphidamas
Pink Heart
Central America
FAMILY: MORPHIDAE — MORPHOS
FAMILY: PIERIDAE —
WHITES & SULFURS
Phoebis philea
Orange Barred Sulfur
Morpho peleides
Common Blue Morpho
Mexico through northern South America
This large butterfly drinks juices from
rotting fruits. Look for its jade green
chrysalis in the emerging window.
(underside)
Southern United States to Argentina
This butterfly flies fast, and for good
reason. Some butterflies don’t taste
good to predators, but this one
is a tasty treat.
Caligo memnon
(underside)
Owl Butterfly
Central America
Like all insects, the owl butterfly has six
legs. However, the two tiny front legs are
usually hidden. There are several species
of owl butterfly in the Tropical Butterfly
House — all love rotting fruit.
PLEASE LEAVE THIS GUIDE IN THE
TROPICAL BUTTERFLY HOUSE.
Located under the arches, near the Space Needle
©2010 Pacific Science Center
pacificsciencecenter.org
FAMILY: HELICONIIDAE — THE LONGWINGS
These butterflies taste terrible to birds, who are warned not to eat the butterflies by their coloration. One exceptional
characteristic of longwings is that they can eat pollen. Because of this they are long- lived —for butterflies!
Heliconius melpomene
H. cydno
H. eleuchia
H. doris Red
Heliconius doris Blue
Heliconius charitonius
Dryas julia
Dryadula phaetusa
Southern United States
into South America
Southern United States
through Central America
and the Caribbean
Mexico to Brazil
Zebra Longwing
Julia
Heliconius hecale
(underside)
Golden Helicon
Oak Tiger or
Banded Orange
FAMILY: DANAIDAE — MONARCHS or MILKWEED BUTTERFLIES
Mexico to Peru
Several other species in this exhibit
resemble this one. When several
bad-tasting butterflies mimic
each other, it is called the
Müllerian mimicry.
Danaus plexippus
Idea leuconoe
Lycorea cleobaea
Monarch
Rice Paper or
Paper Kite Butterfly
Large Tiger
The Americas and Southeast Asia
The monarchs in this exhibit are not
the population famous for migrating
to Mexico. Ours are from tropical
environments where they are usually
sedentary throughout their life cycle.
Southeast Asia
Its large, yellow-and-black
chrysalis is very noticeable in
the emerging window.
Heliconius sara
Central America
Compare this butterfly with
Heliconius hecale. They mimic
eachother. Even the butterflies
themselves become confused
when looking for mates.
FAMILY: NYMPHALIDAE — BRUSH-FOOTED BUTTERFLIES
This and related families (Morphidae, Brassolidae, Danaidae and Heliconiidae) have only two pairs of walking legs. The front
pair is reduced and sometimes brushy and feathery and is used to detect plant chemicals when choosing an egg-laying site.
Cethosia biblis
Central America
The blue on this small
butterfly’s wings is one of
the most intense colors in
the Tropical Butterfly House.
Central America through Brazil
With wings open, the male is one
of the most striking butterflies
in this exhibit. Males and females
have very different coloration.
This is called sexual dimorphism.
Royal Blue
(underside)
Parhenos sylvia
Siproeta stelenes
Southeast Asia
This butterfly is often seen
around the pond areas,
resting with open wings.
Southern United States
to the Amazon Basin
Although brightly colored, this
butterfly can successfully hide
among the green leaves in the
Tropical Butterfly House.
Clipper
PLEASE LEAVE THIS GUIDE IN THE
TROPICAL BUTTERFLY HOUSE.
©2010 Pacific Science Center
(female)
Catonephele numilia
Lacewing
Southeast Asia
Named for the lacy pattern
on its underside.
(male)
Myscelia ethusa
(underside)
Malachite
Numilia
Prepona omphale
Blue Belly-Button
Mexico & south to
the Amazon Basin.
Like many butterflies, this
species has two vastly different
appearances — a flashy color
on the top of the wings and
a camouflaged underside.
(underside)
Hypolimnas bolina
Great Egg Fly
Southeast Asia, Australia
& the south coast of Africa
This is another butterfly
whose folded wings hide
bright color inside.
All of our butterflies
are responsibly raised
on butterfly farms.
We do not purchase
wild-caught butterflies
During your visit, look
in the chrysalis window.
You might even see a
butterfly emerge. We
purchase our butterflies
in the chrysalis stage.
Butterflies are shown at
approximately half size.