About Butterflies
Butterflies are probably the most loved insect group. Their vibrant colours and habit of visiting well planted gardens have prompted the careers of many passionate Lepidopterists. While Australia's butterfly fauna is not as diverse as on other continents, there are interesting endemic groups.
Tropical North Queensland is renowned for its rich diversity, the Wet Tropics, Tablelands and Cape York Peninsula supports 271 species or 68 per cent of the total fauna. New species are still being described. Many species such as the spectacular Ulysses Swallowtail and Cairns Birdwing are associated with rainforest. Diversity decreases markedly in drier habitats.
Careful garden plantings with both food and host plants will attract many colourful species. Sixty per cent of the photographs in this gallery are from gardens in Kuranda and Mossman.
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| Orchard Swallowtail (Papilio aegeus) Male |
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| Orchard Swallowtail (Papilo aegeus) Male |
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| Orchard Swallowtail (Papilio aegeus) Female |
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| Orchard Swallowtail (Papilio aegeus) Female |
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| Orchard Swallowtail (Papilio aegeus) Larva |
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| Orchard Swallowtail (Papilio aegeus) Pupa
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| Ulysses Swallowtail (Papilio ulysses) |
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| Ulysses Swallowtail (Papilio ulysses) Larva |
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| Cairns Birdwing (Ornithoptera euphorion) Female |
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| Cairns Birdwing (Ornithoptera euphorion) Female |
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| Cairns Birdwing (Ornithoptera euphorion) Male |
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| Cairns Birdwing (Ornithoptera euphorion) Male in flight |
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| Cairns Birdwing (Ornithoptera euphorion) Male |
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| Cairns Birdwing (Ornithoptera euphorion) Male |
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| Red Bodied Swallowtail (Pachliopta polydorus) |
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| Red Bodied Swallowtail (Pachliopta polydorus) |
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| Ambrax Swallowtail (Papillo ambrax) |
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| Clearwing Swallowtail (Cressida cressida) Female |
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| Clearwing Swallowtail (Cressida cressida) Male |
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| Macleay's Swallowtail (Graphium macleayanus) |
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| Chequered Swallowtail (Papilio demoleus) (Male) |
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| Chequered Swallowtail (Papilio demoleus) (Male) |
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| Blue Triangle (Graphium sarpedon) Female |
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| Blue Triangle (Graphium sarpedon) Male |
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| Green Triangle (Graphium macfarlanei) |
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| Green Triangle (Graphium macfarlanei) in flight |
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| Meadow Argus (Junonia villida) Wet season form |
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| Blue Argus (Junonia orithya) |
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| Orange Bush Brown (Mycalesis terminus) Wet season form |
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| Painted Lady (Vanessa kershawi) Vagrant in south of region |
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| Chocolate Argus (Junonia hedonia) Wet season form |
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| Common Grass Blue (Zizina labradus) |
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| Scalloped Grass Yellow (Eurema alitha) |
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| Large Green Banded Blue (Danis danis) |
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| Two-spotted Line-blue (Nacaduba biocellata) |
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| Lemon Migrant (Catopsilia pomona) Male |
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| Lemon Migrant (Catopsilia pomona) Female pale form |
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| Blue Banded Egg-fly (Hypolimnas alimena) Male |
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| Blue Banded Egg-fly (Hypolimnas alimena) Female |
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| Varied Egg-fly (Hypolimnas bolina) Female |
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| Varied Egg-fly (Hypolimnas bolina) Male |
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| Varied Egg-fly (Hypolimnas bolina) Male |
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| Common Crow (Euploea core) |
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| Common Crow (Euploea core) |
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| Leafwing (Doleschallia bisaltide) |
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| Monarch (Danaus plexippus) |
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| Cruiser (Vindula arsinoe) Female |
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| Cruiser (Vindula arsinoe) Male |
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| Cruiser (Vindula arsinoe) Female emerging. |
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| Red Lacewing (Cethosia cydippe) emerging. |
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| Red Lacewing (Cethosia cydippe) |
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| Helana Brown (Tisiphone helana) |
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| Helana Brown (Tisiphone helana) |
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| Tailed Rustic (Vagrans egista) |
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| Tailed Rustic (Vagrans egista) |
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| Bordered Rustic (Cupha prosope) Wet season form |
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| Lurcher (Yoma sabina) |
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| Orange Plane (Pantoporia consimilis) |
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| White Banded Plane (Phaedyma sheperdi) |
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| White Banded Plane (Phaedyma sheperdi) |
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| Blue Tiger (Tirumala hamata) |
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| Swamp Tiger (Danaus affinis) |
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| Swamp Tiger (Danaus affinis) |
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| Black Jezabel (Delias nigrina) |
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| Yellow-banded Jezabel (Delias ennia) |
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| Red-banded Jezabel (Delias mysis) |
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| Caper White (Belenois java) Male |
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| Common Albatross (Appias paulina) |
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Orange Albatross (Appias ada)
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| Yellow Palm Dart (Cephrenes trichopepla) |
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| Northern Sedge-darter (Telicota eurotas) |
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| Splendid Ochre (Trapezites sombra) |
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| Regent Skipper (Euschemon raffesia) |
