Butterfly identification
Use this photo gallery to search for your butterfly.
All these butterflies were seen and photographed by us on our property or nearby unless otherwise stated. For each species we show both it's scientific and common name.
Whilst we initially used the common names found in The Butterflies of Australia by Albert Orr and Roger Kitching when we realised increasingly butterfly enthusiasts were tending to use Michael F. Braby's 'The Complete Field Guide To Butterflies of Australia' for reference purposes we too began using Michael F. Braby's common names which often differ from those used by Kitchen & Orr. We have endeavoured to show all commonly used 'common names' to assist everyone who is new to this interest. Australian butterflies are divided into families - Skippers (Hesperiidae), Swallowtails (Papilionidae) and Whites & Yellows (Pieridae) Nymphs (Nymphalidae) and Blues (Lycaenidae). This is the order of families we have used to display our photographs in this website.
There is a link from the image to the information page for that butterfly. Alternatively, hover over "Butterflies" on the top menu bar. A list of the families will drop down. Hover over the family name and a list of the butterflies in that family will drop down. Click on the butterfly you want to look at.
For those who want to know more there are some excellent reference books that cover all Australian species. The main ones we use are:
The Butterflies of Australia by Albert Orr & Roger Kitching Published 2010
Butterflies of Australia field guide by Michael Braby Edition #1 Published 2004; Edition #2 Published 2016
Butterflies of Australia Volumes One and Two by Michael Braby Published 2000
All About Butterflies of Australia by Garry Sankowsky Published 2015
Create More Butterflies by Frank Jordan and Helen Schwencke Published 2005
The Alternatives Bookshop in Bellingen, 2/105 Hyde Street (Phone: 6655 2249) stocks natural history books and John will be happy to advise you.
For those wanting to learn more about the early stages of a butterfly's life cycle in particular the above book written by Garry Sankowsky provides excellent caterpillar images and some early life cycle information. Having caterpillars live in your garden increases the possibility of more butterflies visiting you too.
All these butterflies were seen and photographed by us on our property or nearby unless otherwise stated. For each species we show both it's scientific and common name.
Whilst we initially used the common names found in The Butterflies of Australia by Albert Orr and Roger Kitching when we realised increasingly butterfly enthusiasts were tending to use Michael F. Braby's 'The Complete Field Guide To Butterflies of Australia' for reference purposes we too began using Michael F. Braby's common names which often differ from those used by Kitchen & Orr. We have endeavoured to show all commonly used 'common names' to assist everyone who is new to this interest. Australian butterflies are divided into families - Skippers (Hesperiidae), Swallowtails (Papilionidae) and Whites & Yellows (Pieridae) Nymphs (Nymphalidae) and Blues (Lycaenidae). This is the order of families we have used to display our photographs in this website.
There is a link from the image to the information page for that butterfly. Alternatively, hover over "Butterflies" on the top menu bar. A list of the families will drop down. Hover over the family name and a list of the butterflies in that family will drop down. Click on the butterfly you want to look at.
For those who want to know more there are some excellent reference books that cover all Australian species. The main ones we use are:
The Butterflies of Australia by Albert Orr & Roger Kitching Published 2010
Butterflies of Australia field guide by Michael Braby Edition #1 Published 2004; Edition #2 Published 2016
Butterflies of Australia Volumes One and Two by Michael Braby Published 2000
All About Butterflies of Australia by Garry Sankowsky Published 2015
Create More Butterflies by Frank Jordan and Helen Schwencke Published 2005
The Alternatives Bookshop in Bellingen, 2/105 Hyde Street (Phone: 6655 2249) stocks natural history books and John will be happy to advise you.
For those wanting to learn more about the early stages of a butterfly's life cycle in particular the above book written by Garry Sankowsky provides excellent caterpillar images and some early life cycle information. Having caterpillars live in your garden increases the possibility of more butterflies visiting you too.
Swallowtails PAPILIONIDAE
Skippers HESPERIIDAE
Whites and Yellows PIERIDAE
Nymphs NYMPHALIDAE
Blues LYCAENIDAE
