The Butterflies

Cyprus Butterflies by Eddie John F. L. S., F. R. E. S.

A Guide to the Butterflies of Cyprus,

Cyprus Butterfly Recording Scheme and

Cyprus Butterfly Study Group

Butterflies of Cyprus -

CHECKLIST OF FAMILIES AND SPECIES

References:
(1) John, E., Coutsis, J. G. & Makris, C. 2006. A review of records for Colias erate (Esper, [1805]) (Lep.: Papilionoidea Pieridae) in Cyprus: were they all yellow forms of Colias croceus (Geoffroy, 1785)? Entomologist’s Gaz. 57: 3-12. (see Bibliography Page 5)

(2) Olivier, A. 1993. The Butterflies of the Greek Island of Rodos. Antwerpen Vlaamse Vereniging voor Entomologie.

(see Bibliography (Cont) Page 5.1)

(3) John, E., Haines, D. H. & Haines, H. M. 2011. Chazara persephone (Hübner, 1803) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae, Satyrinae) - has the species retained a secretive presence in Cyprus for one hundred years? Entomologist's Gazette 62: 79-82. (see Bibliography Page 5)

(4)John, E. & Makris, C. 2022. Butterflies of Cyprus: A Field Guide and Distribution Atlas. CABI, Wallingford, Oxfordshire. In press. (see Bibliography Page 5)

(5)John, E., Baglar, H., Basbay, O., Konstantinou, G., Salimeh, M. & Wiemers, M. 2022. Confirmation of nominotypical subspecies Papilio demoleus demoleus Linnaeus, 1758 (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) in Cyprus and of potential establishment. Entomologist’s Gazette 73, in press. (see Bibliography Page 5)

Recording Scheme

With the removal of Colias erate from the Cyprus list in 2006(1) and the addition of Chazara persephone(3) , Issoria lathonia(4) , Hypolimnus misippus(4) and Papilio demoleus(5), 56 species are confirmed for the island. Others are occasionally claimed, but none has been verified. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF YOU WISH TO HAVE OTHER SPECIES CONSIDERED FOR THIS LIST.

Swallowtail (Papilio machaon)

ssp. syriacus

Common

Lime Swallowtail (Papilio demoleus)

ssp. demoleus

Migrant, arrived autumn 2021

Eastern Festoon (Allancastria cerisyi)

Endemic ssp. cypria

Locally common

African Migrant (Catopsilia florella)

Very rare migrant

Large White (Pieris brassicae)

Common

Small White (Pieris rapae)

Common

Black-veined White (Aporia crataegi)

Generally uncommon

Bath White (Pontia daplidice)

Common

Small Bath White (Pontia chloridice)

Rare

Eastern Dappled White (Euchloe ausonia)

ssp. taurica

Common in spring

Orange Tip (Anthocharis cardamines)

ssp. phoenissa

Common, except in the southeast of the island

Caper White (Belenois aurota)

Single observation in 2023.

Clouded Yellow (Colias crocea)

Common

Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra)

ssp. taurica

Fairly common

Plain Tiger (Danaus chrysippus)

Rare migrant, usually arriving in autumn

Nettle-tree Butterfly (Libythea celtis)

Very rare. Libythea celtis is now
a protected species in Cyprus

Two-tailed Pasha (Charaxes jasius)

Uncommon

Southern White Admiral (Limenitis reducta)

ssp. herculeana

Locally fairly common

False Plain Tiger (Hypolimnas misippus)

Single observation in 2023.

Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychloros)

Probably extinct

Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)

Common

Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)

Occasionally common

Cardinal (Argynnis pandora)

Generally uncommon

Queen of Spain Fritillary (Issoria lathonia)

Observed in 2016 & 2023 only.

Cyprus Grayling (Hipparchia cypriensis)

Endemic species

Common

Eastern Rock Grayling (Hipparchia syriaca)

Endemic ssp. cypriaca

Common

The Hermit (Chazara briseis)

Endemic ssp. larnacana

Common

Dark Rockbrown / Great Steppe Grayling (Chazara persephone)(3)

Rediscovered in Cyprus, June 2010
by Daniel & Hilary Haines

White-banded Grayling (Pseudochazara anthelea)

Generally uncommon

Cyprus Meadow Brown (Maniola cypricola)

Endemic species

Common

Oriental Meadow Brown (Hyponephele lupina)

ssp. cypriaca

Fairly common

Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria)

Generally uncommon, although widespread in the west.

Large Wall Brown (Lasiommata maera)

Fairly common

Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera)

Fairly common

African Ringlet (Ypthima asterope)

Generally rare

Lattice Brown (Kirinia roxelana)

Generally uncommon

Levantine Leopard (Apharitis acamas)

ssp. cypriaca (invalid?)

Generally uncommon; local

Pomegranate Hairstreak (Deudorix livia)

Very rare migrant

Purple Hairstreak (Favonius quercus)

Uncommon

Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas)

Common

Lesser Fiery Copper (Lycaena thersamon)

Common

Long-tailed Blue (Lampides boeticus)

Common

Lang’s Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous)

Becoming more common

Little Tiger Blue (Tarucus balkanicus)

Locally very common

African Babul Blue (Azanus jesous)

Very rare migrant

Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus)

Locally common

Dark Grass Blue (Zizeeria karsandra)

Common

Paphos Blue (Glaucopsyche paphos)

Endemic species

Common

Eastern Baton Blue (Pseudophilotes vicrama)

ssp. clara?

Generally uncommon

Small Desert Blue (Chilades galba)

Locally common

Grass Jewel (Chilades trochylus)

Fairly common

Brown Argus (Aricia agestis)

Fairly common

Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus)

Common

Identifying the ‘Blues’ - a guide to the main characters differentiating this family.

Mallow Skipper (Carcharodus alceae)

Common

Lulworth Skipper (Thymelicus acteon)

Common

Pigmy Skipper (Gegenes pumilio)

Generally uncommon

Millet Skipper (Pelopidas thrax)

Uncommon

CHECKLIST OF THE BUTTERFLIES OF CYPRUS:

* Where relevant, nomenclature follows:
Wiemers, M., Balletto, E., Dincã, V., Fric, Z. F., Lamas, G. et al. (2018) An updated checklist of the European Butterflies (Lepidoptera, Papilionoidea). ZooKeys 811, 9–45.