Butterflies

A profusion of colour

Butterflies are strong fliers, enabling some of them to cross thousands of kilometres of ocean. This is how such a diverse array of butterflies, 24 to be exact, come to flutter on Lord Howe Island.

Family Hesperidae

Taractrocera papyria - White grass dart

Family Papilionidae

Papilio aegeus - Orchard swallowtail, Graphium macleayanum - Macleay's swallowtail, Papilio demoleus - Chequered swallowtail

Family Pieridae

Eurema smilax - Small grass yellow, Eurema brigitta - No brand grass yellow, Catopsilia pyranthe - Common migrant, Appiaas paulina - Common albatross, Anapheis java - Caper white

Family Nymphalidae

Danaus plexippus - Monarch or Wanderer, Danaus chrysippus - Lesser Wanderer, Danaus hamatus - Blue tiger, Polyura pyrrhus - Four tail, Euploea core - Common crow, Oleander butterfly, Melantis leda - Evening brown, Hypolimnas bolina - Common eggfly, Vanessa kershavi Junonia villida - Australian painted lady.

Family Lycaenidae

Boeticus - Pea blue, Long tailed blue, Everes lacturnus - Tailed cupid, Lucia limbaria - Small copper, Zizina labradus - Common grass blue, Candalides zanthospilos - Yellow spot blue.