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Butterfly identification & natural history

Types of Butterflies: Identification, Species, Habitat and Life Cycle

Types of Butterflies is a simple and beginner-friendly place to learn about butterfly species, how to identify them, where they live, what they eat, and how their life cycle works. Whether you are just curious, trying to recognize a butterfly from your garden, or looking for easy-to-follow guides, you can start with our species pages, identification tips, and butterfly facts.

How to Identify a Butterfly

Browse Butterflies by Color

Start with the colours you noticed, then confirm with wing pattern, size, place and season.

Butterfly Identification Guides

Step-by-step guides for recognising butterflies from the field marks a beginner can actually see.

Browse all identification guides

Explore Butterfly Species

Species profiles covering identification, range, habitat, host plants and life cycle.

Butterfly Life Cycle

How a butterfly develops from egg to caterpillar, chrysalis and adult, and how long each stage lasts.

Butterflies by Region

Regional guides to the butterflies most often seen in a particular place.

Featured Educational Guides

Habitat, adult food, nectar flowers and caterpillar host plants.

Browse habitat and diet guides

About This Encyclopedia

Types of Butterflies is for anyone who wants to learn about butterflies in a clear and enjoyable way: beginners learning basic facts, readers trying to identify a butterfly they have seen, gardeners who want to attract butterflies, students, and wildlife enthusiasts looking for simple reference guides.