Butterflies of Magyarlukafa

Spotted fritillary (Melitaea didyma)All nature pictures were taken by us in or near Magyarlukafa, unless stated otherwise.
Many parts of Hungary are renowned for their rich butterfly fauna.
Magyarlukafa and the surrounding Zselic also can be considered a very interesting butterfly area, mainly for three reasons.

The number of species present in the area is very high. In the list below you'll find 78 species of butterflies. These are only the species we were able to take good pictures of. The list probably will continue to grow.

Some of the species are rare, even by Hungarian standards : clouded Apollo, scarce fritillary... It's safe to say that much of the species of the list are scarce or even have disappeared from many European regions, while they are readily seen in Magyarlukafa. (large copper, heath fritillary, lesser purple emperor, silver-studded blue, duke of Burgundy...).

There are not only many different species, on a good day the sheer number of butterflies flying around can be impressive too.

Swallowtails Papilionidae
Scarce swallowtail Iphiclides podalirius
Swallowtail Papilio machaon
Clouded Apollo Parnassius mnemosyne
Fritillaries, nymphalids and browns Nymphalidae
Lesser purple emperor Apatura ilia
Small pearl-bordered fritillary Boloria selene
Weaver's fritillary Boloria dia
Queen of Spain fritillary Issoria lathonia
High brown fritillary Argynnis adippe
Silver-washed fritillary Argynnis paphia
Cardinal Argynnis pandora
Marbled fritillary Brenthis daphne
Scarce fritillary Euphydryas maturna
Heath fritillary Melitaea athalia
Nickerl's fritillary Melitaea aurelia
Assmann's fritillary Melitaea britomartis
False heath fritillary Melitaea diamina
Knapweed fritillary Melitaea phoebe
Lesser spotted fritillary Melitaea trivia
Spotted fritillary Melitaea didyma
Glanville fritillary Melitaea cinxia
Map (spring generation) Araschnia levana f. levana
Map (summer generation) Araschnia levana f. prorsa
Comma Polygonia c-album
Peacock butterfly Aglais io
Small tortoiseshell Aglais urticae
Large tortoiseshell Nymphalis polychloros
Red admiral Vanessa atalanta
Painted lady Vanessa cardui
European beak Libythea celtis
Hungarian glider (Mecsek, not in Magyarlukafa) Neptis rivularis
Common glider Neptis sappho
Pearly heath Coenonympha arcania
Chestnut heath Coenonympha glycerion
Small heath Coenonympha pamphilus
Marbled white Melanargia galathea
Speckled wood Pararge aegeria tircis
Meadow brown Maniola jurtina
Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus
Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus
Dryad Minois dryas
Great banded grayling Brintesia circe
Wall brown Lasiommata megera
False grayling Arethusana arethusa
Blues, coppers and hairstreaks Lycaenidae
Provençal short-tailed blue Cupido alcetas
Short-tailed blue Cupido argiades
Holly blue Celastrina argiolus
Green-underside blue Glaucopsyche alexis
Brown argus Aricia agestis
Silver-studded blue Plebejus argus
Reverdin's blue Plebejus argyrognomon
Common blue Polyommatus icarus
Mazarine blue Polyommatus semiargus
Adonis blue Polyommatus bellargus
Large copper Lycaena dispar rutilus
Small copper Lycaena phlaeas
Sooty copper Lycaena tityrus
Lesser fiery copper Lycaena thersamon
Sloe hairstreak Satyrium acaciae
Black hairstreak Satyrium pruni
White-letter hairstreak Satyrium w-album
Brown hairstreak Thecla betulae
Duke of Burgundy Hamearis lucina
Whites and yellows Pieridae
Berger's clouded yellow Colias alfacariensis
Pale clouded yellow Colias hyale
Clouded yellow Colias croceus
Brimstone Gonepteryx rhamni
Orange tip Anthocharis cardamines
Eastern Bath white Pontia edusa
Green-veined white Pieris napi
Large white Pieris brassicae
Small white Pieris rapae
Wood white Leptidea sinapis
Skippers Hesperiidae
Mallow skipper Carcharodus alceae
Large chequered skipper Heteropterus morpheus
Chequered skipper Carterocephalus palaemon
Dingy skipper Erynnis tages
Silver-spotted skipper Hesperia comma
Large skipper Ochlodes sylvanus
Essex skipper Thymelicus lineola
Small skipper Thymelicus sylvestris
Grizzled skipper Pyrgus malvae