List of butterflies of Victoria facts for kids

Over 140 different kinds of butterflies live in Victoria, a state in south-eastern Australia. This amazing list includes both butterflies that naturally live here and some that have been introduced. Let's explore some of these beautiful insects!

Swallowtail Butterflies (Papilionidae)

Orchard swallowtail butterfly

The Papilionidae family is known as the swallowtail butterflies. They often have tail-like extensions on their hindwings, which look a bit like a bird's tail. There are four different species of swallowtails found in Victoria.

Meet Some Victorian Swallowtails

• Macleay's swallowtail (Graphium macleayanus) is a striking butterfly.
• The Orchard swallowtail (Papilio aegeus) is one of the largest butterflies in Australia.
• The Dainty swallowtail (Papilio anactus) is smaller but still very pretty.
• The Chequered swallowtail (Papilio demoleus) has a lovely pattern on its wings.

Whites and Yellows (Pieridae)

Lemon migrant butterfly

Small white butterfly

The Pieridae family includes the whites and yellows. As their name suggests, these butterflies are usually white, yellow, or orange. You can find 12 native species and one introduced species from this family in Victoria.

Common Pieridae Butterflies

• The Lemon migrant (Catopsilia pomona) is a common yellow butterfly.
• The White migrant (Catopsilia pyranthe) is another migrant species.
• The Imperial Jezebel (Delias harpalyce) is a beautiful butterfly with bright colours.
• The Small white (Pieris rapae) is an introduced species. It is often seen in gardens.

Blues and Coppers (Lycaenidae)

Varied dusky-blue butterfly

Long-tailed pea-blue butterfly

Silky hairstreak butterfly

Bright copper butterfly

Common grass-blue butterfly

The Lycaenidae family is very large and includes the gossamer-winged blues and coppers. These butterflies are often small and have shiny blue or copper colours on their wings. Victoria is home to 39 species from this family.

Interesting Lycaenidae Species

• The Bronze ant-blue (Acrodipsas brisbanensis) is a special type of butterfly. Its caterpillars live with ants!
• The Varied dusky-blue (Candalides hyacinthina) shows different shades of blue.
• The Fiery jewel (Hypochrysops ignita) has bright, jewel-like colours.
• The Imperial hairstreak (Jalmenus evagoras) is known for its tiny tails.
• The Long-tailed pea-blue (Lampides boeticus) has long tails on its wings.
• The Bright copper (Paralucia aurifer) is a striking copper-coloured butterfly.
• The Silky hairstreak (Pseudalmenus chlorinda) has a unique silky texture.
• The Common grass-blue (Zizina labradus) is one of the most common blue butterflies you might see.

Brush-footed Butterflies (Nymphalidae)

Plain tiger butterfly

Meadow argus butterfly

Australian painted lady butterfly

The Nymphalidae family is often called the brush-footed butterflies. This is because their front legs are smaller and look like brushes. There are 28 different species of these butterflies in Victoria.

Popular Nymphalidae Butterflies

• The Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is famous for its long migrations.
• The Common crow (Euploea core) is a dark-coloured butterfly.
• The Marbled xenica (Geitoneura klugii) has beautiful marbled patterns.
• The Common brown (Heteronympha merope) is a very common sight in Victoria.
• The Meadow argus (Junonia villida) has eye-like spots on its wings.
• The Tailed emperor (Polyura sempronius) is a large and impressive butterfly.
• The Australian painted lady (Vanessa kershawi) is a well-known butterfly found across Australia.
• The Yellow admiral (Vanessa itea) is another beautiful species.

Skippers (Hesperiidae)

Brown awl butterfly

Green grass-dart butterfly

Dingy skipper butterfly

The Hesperiidae family are known as skippers. They get their name because of their fast, darting flight. Skippers have thicker bodies and antennae that are hooked at the end, making them look a bit like moths. There are 40 species of skippers in Victoria.

Some Skippers You Might See

• The Mottled grass-skipper (Anisynta cynone) is a small, quick flyer.
• The Narrow-winged awl (Badamia exclamationis) has long, narrow wings.
• The Orange palm dart (Cephrenes augiades) is often found near palm trees.
• The Barred skipper (Dispar compacta) has distinct bars on its wings.
• The Green grass-dart (Ocybadistes walkeri) is a common green-tinged skipper.
• The Orange ochre (Trapezites eliena) is one of the many ochre-coloured skippers.
• The Splendid ochre (Trapezites symmomus) is a particularly beautiful skipper.

See also

• List of butterflies of Australia
• List of butterflies of Tasmania