List of butterflies of Italy

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

Hesperiidae – skippers

Subfamily Hesperiinae

• Dingy swift, Gegenes nostrodamus(Fabricius, 1793)
• Dark Hottentot, Gegenes pumilio(Hoffmannsegg, 1804)
• Silver-spotted skipper, Hesperia comma(Linnaeus, 1758)
• Large skipper, Ochlodes sylvanuss(Esper 1777)

Subfamily Pyrginae

• Mallow skipper, Carcharodus alceae(Esper, 1780)
• Southern marbled skipper, Carcharodus baeticus(Rambur, 1839)
• Tufted skipper, Carcharodus floccifera(Zeller, 1847)
• Marbled skipper, Carcharodus lavatherae(Esper, 1783)
• Dingy skipper, Erynnis tages(Linnaeus, 1758)
• Sage skipper, Muschampia proto(Ochsenheimer 1808)
• Large grizzled skipper, Pyrgus alveus(Hübner 1803)
• Alpine grizzled skipper, Pyrgus andromedae(Wallengren 1853)
• Oberthür's grizzled skipper, Pyrgus armoricanus(Oberthur 1910)
• Foulquier's grizzled skipper, Pyrgus bellieri bellieri(Oberthur 1910)
  • Pyrgus bellieri picenus(Verity 1920)
• Dusky grizzled skipper, Pyrgus cacaliae(Rambur 1839)
• Carline skipper, Pyrgus carlinae(Rambur 1839)
• Safflower skipper, Pyrgus carthami(Hübner 1813)
• Cinquefoil skipper, Pyrgus cirsii(Rambur 1839)
• Southern grizzled skipper, Pyrgus malvoides(Elwes & Edwards 1897)
• Grizzled skipper, Pyrgus malvae(Linnaeus 1758)
• Rosy grizzled skipper, Pyrgus onopordi(Rambur 1839)
• Olive skipper, Pyrgus serratulae(Rambur 1839)
• Yellow-banded skipper, Pyrgus sidae(Esper 1784)
• Warren's skipper, Pyrgus warrenensis(Verity 1928)
• Lulworth skipper, Thymelicus acteon(Rottemburg 1775)
• Essex skipper, Thymelicus lineola(Ochsenheimer 1808)
• Red-underwing skipper, Thymelicus sylvestris(Poda 1761)

Subfamily Heteropterinae

• Arctic skipper, Carterocephalus palaemon(Pallas, 1771)
• Large chequered skipper, Heteropterus morpheus(Pallas 1771)

Papilionidae - swallowtails

• Scarce swallowtail, Iphiclides podalirius(Linnaeus, 1758)
• Alexanor, Papilio alexanorEsper 1800
• Old World swallowtail, Papilio machaonLinnaeus 1758
• Corsican swallowtail, Papilio hospitonGéné, 1839
• Mountain Apollo, Parnassius apollo(Linnaeus 1758)
• Clouded Apollo, Parnassius mnemosyne(Linnaeus 1758)
• Phoebus Apollo, Parnassius phoebus phoebus (Fabricius 1793)
  • Parnassius phoebus sacerdosStichel 1906
• Southern festoon, Zerynthia polyxena(Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775)

Pieridae – whites

Subfamily Dismorphiinae

• Wood white, Leptidea sinapis(Linnaeus, 1758)
• Réal's wood white, Leptidea realiReissinger, 1989

Subfamily Coliadinae

• Berger's clouded yellow, Colias alfacariensisRibbe, 1805
• Clouded yellow, Colias croceus(Fourcroy, 1785)
• Pale clouded yellow, Colias hyale(Linnaeus, 1758)
• Pale Arctic clouded yellow, Colias palaeno(Linnaeus, 1761)
• Mountain clouded yellow, Colias phicomone(Esper, 1780)

Subfamily Pierinae

• Orange tip, Anthocharis cardamines(Linnaeus 1758)
• Eastern orange tip, Anthocharis damoneBoisduval, 1836
• Provence orange tip, Anthocharis euphenoidesStaudinger, 1869
• Black-veined white, Aporia crataegi(Linnaeus, 1758)
• Eastern dappled white, Euchloe ausonia(Hübner, 1804)
• Western dappled white, Euchloe crameriButler, 1869
• Portuguese dappled white, Euchloe tagis(Hübner, 1804)
• Cleopatra, Gonepteryx cleopatra(Linnaeus, 1767)
• Common brimstone, Gonepteryx rhamni(Linnaeus, 1758)
• Large white, Pieris brassicae(Linnaeus, 1758)
• Dark-veined white, Pieris bryoniae(Hübner, 1806)
• Mountain small white, Pieris ergane(Geyer, 1828)
• Southern small white, Pieris mannii(Mayer, 1851)
• Green-veined white, Pieris napi(Linnaeus, 1758)
• Small white, Pieris rapae(Linnaeus, 1758)
• Lofty Bath white, Pontia callidice(Hübner, 1806)
• Bath white, Pontia daplidice(Linnaeus, 1758)
• Eastern Bath white, Pontia edusa(Fabricius, 1777)

Riodinidae

• Duke of Burgundy, Hamearis lucina(Linnaeus, 1758)

Lycaenidae – blues, coppers and hairstreaks

Subfamily Theclinae

• Brown hairstreak, Thecla betulae(Linnaeus, 1758)
• Green hairstreak, Callophrys rubi(Linnaeus 1758)
• Purple hairstreak, Neozephyrus quercus(Linnaeus 1758)
• Sloe hairstreak, Satyrium acaciae(Fabricius, 1787)
• False ilex hairstreak, Satyrium esculi(Hübner, 1804)
• Ilex hairstreak, Satyrium ilicis(Esper, 1779)
• Satyrium pruni, Satyrium pruni(Linnaeus, 1758)
• Blue spot hairstreak, Satyrium spini([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
• White-letter hairstreak, Satyrium w-album(Knoch, 1782)

Subfamily Lycaeninae

• Purple-shot copper, Lycaena alciphron(Rottemburg 1775)
• Large copper, Lycaena dispar(Haworth 1802)
• Purple-edged copper, Lycaena hippothoe(Linnaeus 1761)
• Small copper, Lycaena phlaeas(Linnaeus 1761)
• Lesser fiery copper, Lycaena thersamon(Esper 1784)
• Sooty copper, Lycaena tityrus(Poda 1761)
• Lycaena subalpina Speyer, 1851
• Scarce copper, Lycaena virgaureae(Linnaeus 1758)

Subfamily Polyommatinae

• Peablue, Lampides boeticus(Linnaeus 1767)
• Lang's short-tailed blue, Leptotes pirithous(Linnaeus 1767)
• Small blue, Cupido (Cupido) minimus(Fuessly 1775)
• Osiris blue, Cupido (Cupido) osiris(Meigen 1829)
• Provençal short-tailed blue, Cupido (Everes) alcetas(Hoffmannsegg 1804)
• Short-tailed blue, Cupido (Everes) argiades(Pallas 1771)
• Holly blue, Celastrina argiolus(Linnaeus 1758)
• Green-underside blue, Glaucopsyche (Glaucopsyche) alexis(Poda 1761)
• Black-eyed blue, Glaucopsyche (Glaucopsyche) melanops(Boisduval 1828)
• Iolas blue, Iolana iolas(Ochsenheimer 1816)
• Alcon blue, Phengaris alcon(Denis & Schiffermüller 1775)
• Large blue, Phengaris arion(Linnaeus 1758)
• Scarce large blue, Phengaris teleius(Bergstrasser 1779)
• Mountain Alcon blue, Phengaris rebeli(Hirsche, 1904)
• Baton blue, Pseudophilotes baton(Bergstrasser 1779)
• Chequered blue, Pseudophilotes vicrama schiffermuelleri(Hemming 1929)
• Pseudophilotes barbagiae De Prins & Poorten, 1982
• Chequered blue butterfly, Scolitantides orion(Pallas 1771)
• Brown argus, Aricia agestis, (Denis & Schiffermüller 1775)
• Northern brown argus, Aricia allous(Geyer, 1837)
• Southern brown argus, Aricia cramera(Eschscholtz, 1821)
• Silvery argus, Aricia niciasMeigen, 1830
• Geranium argus, Eumedonia eumedon(Esper 1780)
• Arctic blue, Agriades glandon(de Prunner 1798)
• Alpine argus, Agriades orbitulus(de Prunner 1798)
• Cranberry blue, Agriades optilete(Knoch 1781)
• Silver-studded blue, Plebejus argus(Linnaeus 1758)
• Reverdin's blue, Plebejus argyrognomon(Bergstrasser 1779)
• Idas blue, Plebejus idas(Linnaeus 1761)
• Alpine zephyr blue, Kretania trappi(Verity 1927)
• Mazarine blue, Cyaniris semiargus(Rottemburg 1775)
• Damon blue, Polyommatus damon(Denis & Schiffermüller 1775)
• Furry blue, Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) dolus dolus(Hübner 1823)
  • Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) dolus virgilia(Oberthur 1910)
• Piedmont anomalous blue, Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) humedasaeToso & Balletto 1976
• Ripart's anomalous blue, Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) ripartii ripartii(Freyer 1830)
• Meleager's blue, Polyommatus (Meleageria) daphnis(Denis & Schiffermüller 1775)
• Amanda's blue, Polyommatus (Polyommatus) amandus(Schneider 1792)
• Turquoise blue, Polyommatus (Polyommatus) dorylas(Denis & Schiffermüller 1775)
• Eros blue, Polyommatus (Polyommatus) eros eros(Ochsenheimer 1808)
• Escher's blue, Polyommatus (Polyommatus) escheri(Hübner 1823)
• Common blue, Polyommatus (Polyommatus) icarus(Rottemburg 1775)
• Polyommatus (Polyommatus) celina (Austaut, 1879)
• Chapman's blue, Polyommatus (Polyommatus) thersites(Cantener 1835)
• Adonis blue, Lysandra bellargus(Rottemburg 1775)
• Chalkhill blue, Lysandra coridon coridon(Poda 1761)
• Provence chalk hill blue, Lysandra hispana(Herrich-Schäffer 1852)

Nymphalidae – fritillaries and others

Subfamily Nymphalinae

• European peacock, Aglais io(Linnaeus 1758)
• Small tortoiseshell, Aglais urticae(Linnaeus 1758)
• Map butterfly, Araschnia levana(Linnaeus 1758)
• White petticoat, Nymphalis antiopa(Linnaeus 1758)
• Large tortoiseshell, Nymphalis polychloros(Linnaeus 1758)
• Comma, Polygonia c-album(Linnaeus 1758)
• Southern comma, Polygonia egea(Cramer 1775)
• Red admiral, Vanessa atalanta(Linnaeus 1758)
• Painted lady, Vanessa cardui(Linnaeus 1758)
• Cynthia's fritillary, Euphydryas cynthia(Denis & Schiffermüller 1775)
• Scarce fritillary, Euphydryas maturna(Linnaeus, 1758)
• Marsh fritillary, Euphydryas aurinia(Rottemburg, 1775)
• Asian fritillary, Euphydryas intermedia(Ménétriés, 1859)
• Aetherie fritillary, Melitaea aetherie(Hübner, 1826)
• Little fritillary, Melitaea asteria(Freyer, 1828)
• Heath fritillary, Melitaea athalia(Rottemburg, 1775)
• Nickerl's fritillary, Melitaea aureliaNickerl, 1850
• Assman's fritillary, Melitaea britomartis(Assmann, 1847)
• Glanville fritillary, Melitaea cinxia(Linnaeus, 1758)
• Provençal fritillary, Melitaea deione(Geyer, 1832)
• False heath fritillary, Melitaea diamina(Lang, 1789)
• Spotted fritillary, Melitaea didyma(Esper, 1778)
• Melitaea nevadensis Oberthür, 1904
• Meadow fritillary, Melitaea parthenoidesKeferstein 1851
• Knapweed fritillary, Melitaea phoebe(Denis & Schiffermüller 1775)
• Jerusalem fritillary, Melitaea telona(Fruhstorfer 1908)
• Lesser spotted fritillary, Melitaea trivia(Denis & Schiffermüller 1775)
• Grisons fritillary, Melitaea variaMeyer-Dur 1851

Subfamily Heliconiinae

• Silver-washed fritillary, Argynnis paphia(Linnaeus 1758)
• Cardinal, Argynnis pandora(Denis & Schiffermüller 1775)
• High brown fritillary, Fabriciana adippe(Denis & Schiffermüller 1775)
• Niobe fritillary, Fabriciana niobe(Linnaeus 1758)
• Dark green fritillary, Speyeria aglaja(Linnaeus 1758)
• Balkan fritillary, Boloria (Boloria) graeca(Staudinger 1870)
• Mountain fritillary, Boloria (Boloria) napaea(Hoffmannsegg 1804)
• Shepherd's fritillary, Boloria (Boloria) pales(Denis & Schiffermüller 1775)
• Violet fritillary, Boloria (Clossiana) dia(Linnaeus 1767)
• Pearl-bordered fritillary, Boloria (Clossiana) euphrosyne(Linnaeus 1758)
• Small pearl-bordered fritillary, Boloria (Clossiana) selene(Denis & Schiffermüller 1775)
• Thor's fritillary, Boloria (Clossiana) thore(Hübner 1803)
• Purple bog fritillary, Boloria (Clossiana) titania(Esper 1793)
• Ocellate bog fritillary, Boloria (Proclossiana) eunomia(Esper 1799)
• Marbled fritillary, Brenthis daphne(Bergstrasser 1780)
• Twin-spot fritillary, Brenthis hecate(Denis & Schiffermüller 1775)
• Lesser marbled fritillary, Brenthis ino(Rottemburg 1775)
• Queen of Spain, Issoria lathonia(Linnaeus 1758)

Subfamily Charaxinae

• Two-tailed pasha, Charaxes jasius(Linnaeus 1767)

Subfamily Danainae

• Plain tiger, Danaus (Anosia) chrysippus(Linnaeus 1758)

Subfamily Apaturinae

• Lesser purple emperor, Apatura ilia(Denis & Schiffermüller 1775)
• Purple emperor, Apatura iris(Linnaeus, 1758)

Subfamily Libytheinae

• Nettle-tree butterfly, Libythea celtis(Laicharting 1782)

Subfamily Limenitidinae

• (Eurasian) white admiral, Limenitis camilla(Linnaeus 1764)
• Poplar admiral, Limenitis populi (Linnaeus 1758)
• Southern white admiral, Limenitis reductaStaudinger 1901
• Hungarian glider, Neptis rivularis(Scopoli 1763)
• Pallas' sailer, Neptis sappho(Pallas 1771)

Subfamily Satyrinae

• Woodland grayling, Hipparchia (Hipparchia) fagi(Scopoli 1763)
• Rock grayling, Hipparchia (Hipparchia) hermione hermione(Linnaeus 1764)
• Hipparchia (Hipparchia) neomiris (Godart 1822)
• Tree grayling, Hipparchia (Neohipparchia) statilinus(Hufnagel 1766)
• Hipparchia (Parahipparchia) neapolitana (Stauder 1921)
• Hipparchia (Parahipparchia) sbordonii Kudrna 1984
• Grayling, Hipparchia (Parahipparchia) semele(Linnaeus 1758)
• Striped grayling, Hipparchia (Pseudotergumia) fidia(Linnaeus 1767)
• Oriental meadow brown, Hyponephele lupinus(O. Costa 1836)
• Dusky meadow brown, Hyponephele lycaon(Rottemburg 1775)
• Large wall, Lasiommata maera(Linnaeus 1758)
• Wall, Lasiommata megera(Linnaeus 1767)
• Northern wall brown, Lasiommata petropolitana(Fabricius 1787)
• Woodland brown, Lopinga achine(Scopoli 1763)
• Meadow brown, Maniola jurtina(Linnaeus 1758)
• Marbled white, Melanargia galathea(Linnaeus 1758)
• Western marbled white, Melanargia occitanica(Esper 1793)
• Esper's marbled white, Melanargia russiae(Esper 1783)
• Italian marbled white, Melanargia arge(Sulzer 1776)
• Dryad, Minois dryas(Scopoli 1763)
• Ringlet, Aphantopus hyperantus(Linnaeus 1758)
• False grayling, Arethusana arethusa(Denis & Schiffermüller 1775)
• Great banded grayling, Brintesia circe(Fabricius 1775)
• Alpine grayling, Oeneis (Oeneis) glacialis(Moll 1783)
• Hermit, Chazara briseis(Linnaeus 1764)
• Pearly heath, Coenonympha arcania(Linnaeus 1761)
• Corsican heath, Coenonympha corinna(Hübner 1804)
  • Coenonympha corinna elbanaStaudinger 1901
• Dusky heath, Coenonympha dorus(Esper 1782)
• Alpine heath, Coenonympha gardetta gardetta(de Prunner 1798)
  • Coenonympha gardetta darwinianaStaudinger 1871
• Chestnut heath, Coenonympha glycerionBorkhausen 1788)
• False ringlet, Coenonympha oedippus(Fabricius 1787)
• Small heath, Coenonympha pamphilus(Linnaeus 1758)
• Eastern large heath, Coenonympha rhodopensisElwes 1900
• Large heath, Coenonympha tullia(Muller 1764)
• False Mnestra ringlet, Erebia aethiopellus(Hoffmannsegg 1806)
• Scotch argus, Erebia aethiops(Esper 1777)
• Almond-eyed ringlet, Erebia alberganus(de Prunner 1798)
• Lorkovic's brassy ringlet, Erebia calcariaLorkovic 1953
• Common brassy ringlet, Erebia cassioides cassioides(Reiner & Hochenwarth 1792)
• Raetzer's ringlet, Erebia christiRatzer 1890
• Small mountain ringlet, Erebia epiphron(Knoch 1783)
• Eriphyle ringlet, Erebia eriphyle(Freyer 1836)
• Large ringlet, Erebia euryale(Esper 1805)
• Yellow-banded ringlet, Erebia flavofasciataHeyne 1895
• Silky ringlet, Erebia gorge(Hübner 1804)
• Arran brown, Erebia ligea(Linnaeus 1758)
• Yellow-spotted ringlet, Erebia manto(Denis & Schiffermüller 1775)
• Woodland ringlet, Erebia medusa(Denis & Schiffermüller 1775)
• Lesser mountain ringlet, Erebia melampus(Fuessly 1775)
• Piedmont ringlet, Erebia meolans(Prunner 1798)
• Mnestra's ringlet, Erebia mnestra(Hübner 1804)
• Marbled ringlet, Erebia montanus(de Prunner 1798)
• Autumn ringlet, Erebia neoridas(Boisduval 1828)
• de Lesse's brassy ringlet, Erebia nivalisLorkovic & De Lesse 1954
• Bright eyed ringlet, Erebia oeme(Hübner 1804)
• Ottoman brassy ringlet, Erebia ottomanaHerrich-Schäffer 1847
• Dewy ringlet, Erebia pandrose(Borkhausen 1788)
• Blind ringlet, Erebia pharte(Hübner 1804)
• Sooty ringlet, Erebia pluto(de Prunner 1798)
• Water ringlet, Erebia pronoe(Esper 1780)
• Larche ringlet, Erebia scipioBoisduval 1832
• Styrian ringlet, Erebia stirius(Godart 1824)
• Stygian ringlet, Erebia styx(Freyer 1834)
• de Prunner's ringlet, Erebia triarius(de Prunner 1798)
• Swiss brassy ringlet, Erebia tyndarus(Esper 1781)
• Speckled wood, Pararge aegeria(Linnaeus 1758)
• Southern gatekeeper, Pyronia (Idata) cecilia(Vallantin 1894)
• Gatekeeper, Pyronia (Pyronia) tithonus(Linnaeus 1767)
• Black satyr, Satyrus actaea(Esper 1781)
• Great sooty satyr, Satyrus ferula(Fabricius 1793)

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