Butterflies of Spain, Picos de Europa
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Female Spotted Fritillary - Melitaea didyma © Teresa FarinoFemale Spotted Fritillary
Melitaea didyma
© Teresa Farino

Butterflies of the Picos de Europa, Spain

This list of the butterflies of northern Spain's Picos de Europa and immediate environs is compiled from more than 20 published and unpublished sources, as well as from field observations by Teresa Farino since 1985. Nomenclature, taxonomic order and English names follow Lafranchis, T. (2004) Butterflies of Europe: new field guide and key. Diatheo, Paris. Taxa in [square brackets] are not identified in Lafranchis. Spanish vernacular names follow Tolman, T. & Lewington, R. (2002) Guía de las Mariposas de España y Europa. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Species marked with an asterisk have not been seen personally by Teresa in the Picos de Europa.



Common Name: English Scientific Name Common Name: Spanish
 
Hesperiidae 22 species  
Dingy Skipper Erynnis tages Cervantes
Mallow Skipper Carcharodus alceae Piquitos Castaña
Marbled Skipper Carcharodus lavatherae Piquitos Clara
Southern Marbled Skipper Carcharodus boeticus Piquitos
Tufted Marbled Skipper Carcharodus flocciferus Piquitos Serrana
Red-underwing Skipper Spialia sertorius Sertorio
Sage Skipper * Syrichtus proto Polvillo Dorado
Grizzled Skipper Pyrgus malvae malvoides Ajedrezada Menor
Oberthür's Grizzled Skipper Pyrgus armoricanus Ajedrezada Yunque
Large Grizzled Skipper Pyrgus alveus Ajedrezada Serrana
Foulquier's Grizzled Skipper * Pyrgus foulquieri Ajedrezada Viril
Olive Skipper Pyrgus serratulae Ajedrezada Verdosa
Cinquefoil Skipper Pyrgus cirsii Ajedrezada Alpina
Rosy Grizzled Skipper Pyrgus onorpordi Ajedrezada Bigornia
Safflower Skipper Pyrgus carthami Ajedrezada
Chequered Skipper Carterocephalus palaemon Fronteriza
Large Chequered Skipper Heteropterus morpheus Espejitos
Small Skipper Thymelicus sylvestris Dorada Línea Larga
Essex Skipper Thymelicus lineolus Dorada Línea Corta
Lulworth Skipper Thymelicus acteon Dorada Oscura
Silver-spotted Skipper Hesperia comma Dorada Manchas Blancas
Large Skipper Ochlodes sylvanus Dorada Orla Ancha
 
Papilionidae 4 species  
Apollo Parnassius apollo Apolo
Spanish Festoon Zerynthia rumina Arlequín
Spanish Swallowtail Iphiclides feisthamelii Chupa Leche
Swallowtail Papilio machaon Macaón
 
Pieridae 15 species  
Wood White Leptidea sinapis Blanca Esbelta
Black-veined White Aporia crataegi Blanca del Majuelo
Large White Pieris brassicae Blanca de la Col
Small White Pieris rapae Blanquita de la Col
Green-veined White Pieris napi Blanca Verdinerviada
Bath White Pontia daplidice Blanquiverdosa
Orange Tip Anthocharis cardamines Musgosa
Provence Orange Tip Anthocharis euphenoides Bandera Española
Mountain Dappled White Euchloe simplonia none
Western Dappled White Euchloe crameri Blanquiverdosa Moteada
Mountain Clouded Yellow Colias phicomone Verdosa
Berger's Clouded Yellow Colias alfacariensis Colias de Berger
Clouded Yellow Colias crocea Amarilla
Cleopatra Gonepteryx cleopatra Cleopatra
Brimstone Gonepteryx rhamni Limonera
 
Lycaenidae 40 species  
Duke of Burgundy Fritillary Hamearis lucina Perico
Brown Hairstreak Thecla betulae Topacio
Purple Hairstreak Neozephrus quercus Nazarena
Spanish Purple Hairstreak Laeosopis evippus Moradilla del Fresno
Sloe Hairstreak Satyrium acaciae Sin Perfume
False Ilex Hairstreak Satyrium esculi Qüerquera
Ilex Hairstreak Satyrium ilicis Qüerquera Serrana
White-letter Hairstreak Satyrium w-album W-blanca
Blue-spot Hairstreak Satyrium spini Mancha Azul
Green Hairstreak Callophrys rubi Cejialba
Scarce Copper Lycaena virgaureae Manto de Oro
Sooty Copper Lycaena tityrus Manto Oscuro
Purple-shot Copper Lycaena alciphron Manto de Púrpura
Small Copper Lycaena phlaeas Manto Bicolor
Purple-edged Copper Lycaena hippothoe Manto de Cobre
Lang's Short-tailed Blue Leptotes pirithous Gris estriada
Long-tailed Blue Lampides boeticus Canela Estriada
Geranium Bronze Cacyreus marshalli none
Short-tailed Blue Everes argiades Naranjitas Rabicorta
Little Blue Cupido minimus Duende Oscuro
Osiris Blue * Cupido osiris Duende Mayor
Holly Blue Celastrina argiolus Náyade
Green-underside Blue Glaucopsyche alexis Manchas Verdes
Black-eyed Blue Glaucopsyche melanops Escamas Azules
Alcon Blue * Maculinea alcon Hormiguera
Large Blue Maculinea arion Hormiguera de Lunares
Dusky Large Blue Maculinea nausithous Hormiguera Oscura
Baton Blue Pseudophilotes baton Falso Abencerraje
Mazarine Blue Cyaniris semiargus Falsa Limbada
Turquoise Blue Polyommatus dorylas Niña Turquesa
Escher's Blue Polyommatus escheri Fabiola
Common Blue Polyommatus icarus Dos Puntos
Adonis Blue Lysandra bellargus Niña Celeste
Chalk-hill Blue Lysandra coridon Niña Coridón
Gavarnie Blue Agriades pyrenaicus [asturiensis] Niña Gris
Spanish Argus Aricia morronensis Morena Española
Brown Argus Aricia agestis [agestis] Morena Serrana
Spanish Brown Argus Aricia agestis cramera  
Mountain Argus Aricia artaxerxes  
Geranium Argus Eumedonia eumedon Raya Corta
Silver-studded Blue Plebejus argus Niña
Idas Blue Plebejus idas Niña Esmaltada
 
Nymphalidae 34 species  
White Admiral Limenitis camilla Ninfa del Bosque
Southern White Admiral Limenitis reducta Ninfa de Arroyos
Purple Emperor Apatura iris Tornasolada
Lesser Purple Emperor Apatura ilia Tornasolada Chica
Camberwell Beauty Nymphalis antiopa Antíopa
Large Tortoiseshell Nymphalis polychloros Olmera
Small Tortoiseshell Aglais urticae Ortiguera
Peacock Inachis io Pavo Real
Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta Numerada
Painted Lady Vanessa cardui Cardera
Comma Butterfly Polygonia c-album C-blanca
Glanville Fritillary Melitaea cinxia Doncella Punteada
False Heath Fritillary Melitaea diamina Doncella Oscura
Knapweed Fritillary Melitaea phoebe Doncella Mayor
Spotted Fritillary Melitaea didyma Doncella Tímida
Lesser Spotted Fritillary Melitaea trivia Doncella Modesta
Heath Fritillary Mellicta athalia Atalía
Provençal Fritillary Mellicta dejone Deione
Meadow Fritillary Mellicta parthenoides Minerva
Marsh Fritillary Euphydryas aurinia beckeri Ondas Rojas
Silver-washed Fritillary Argynnis paphia Nacarada
Cardinal Argynnis pandora Pandora
Dark Green Fritillary Argynnis aglaja Lunares de Plata
High Brown Fritillary Argynnis adippe Adipe
Niobe Fritillary Argynnis niobe Niobe
Queen of Spain Fritillary Issoria lathonia Sofía
Marbled Fritillary Brenthis daphne Laurel
Lesser Marbled Fritillary Brenthis ino Laurel Menor
Shepherd's Fritillary Boloria pales [pyrenemiscens] Perlada Alpina
Mountain Fritillary * Boloria napaea Perlada de Montaña
Bog Fritillary Boloria eunomia Perlada de los Pantanos
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary Boloria selene Perlada Castaña
Pearl-bordered Fritillary Boloria euphrosyne Perlada Rojiza
Weaver's Fritillary Boloria dia Perlada Violeta
 
Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria Maculada
Wall Brown Lasiommata megera Saltacercas
Large Wall Brown Lasiommata maera Pedregosa
Woodland Brown Lopinga achine Bacante
Spanish Heath Coenonympha iphioides Castaño Morena
Pearly Heath Coenonympha arcania Mancha Leonada
Dusky Heath Coenonympha dorus Velada de Negro
Small Heath Coenonympha pamphilus Níspola
Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus Lobito Agreste
Spanish Gatekeeper * Pyronia bathseba Lobito Listado
Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus Sortijitas
Dusky Meadow Brown Hyponephele lycaon Lobito
Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina La Loba
Large Ringlet Erebia euryale Montañesa Ribeteada
Yellow Spotted Ringlet Erebia manto Montañesa Uniforme
Mountain Ringlet Erebia epiphron Montañesa Ojitos
De Prunner's Ringlet Erebia triaria Montañesa Vacilante
Almond-eyed Ringlet Erebia alberganus Erebia de Manchas Anaranjadas
Silky Ringlet Erebia gorge Montañesa Sublime
Western Brassy Ringlet Erebia arvernensis Montañesa Concéntrica
Swiss Brassy Ringlet * Erebia tyndarus Erebia Metálica Suiza
Water Ringlet * Erebia pronoe Montañesa Dentada
Lefèbvre's Ringlet Erebia lefebvrei [astur] Montañesa Azabache
Autumn Ringlet * Erebia neoridas Montañesa Convexa
Piedmont Ringlet Erebia meolans Montañesa de Banda Larga
Chapman's Ringlet Erebia palarica Montañesa Gigante
Marbled White Melanargia galathea Medioluto Norteña
Iberian Marbled White Melanargia lachesis Medioluto Ibérica
Esper's Marbled White Melanargia russiae [cleanthe] Medioluto Montañera
Great Banded Grayling Brintesia circe Rey Moro
Dryad * Minois dryas Ocelos Azules
False Grayling Arethusana arethusa Pintas Ocres
The Hermit * Chazara briseis Banda Oblicua
Black Satyr * Satyrus actaea Negra
Tree Grayling Hipparchia statilinus Sátiro Moreno
Grayling Hipparchia semele Pardo-rubia
Rock Grayling Hipparchia alcyone Banda Acodada
Woodland Grayling * Hipparchia fagi Banda Curva
 
Total: 154 species
 

Natural history tours in the Picos de Europa:

Butterflies and Moths of the Southern Valleys of the Picos de Europa
Natural History of the Picos de Europa and Páramos of Northern Castile
A Family Wildlife Holiday in the Picos de Europa
A Feast of Flowers - botanical trips to the Picos de Europa
Daily wildlife excursions in the Picos de Europa

Reports from past trips to the Picos de Europa:

Butterflies & moths of the Picos de Europa - 2008 trip report
Butterflies & moths of the Picos de Europa - 2006 trip report
Butterflies & moths of the Picos de Europa - 2005 trip report
A Feast of Flowers in the Picos de Europa - 2009 trip report
BSBI Botanical Tour of the Picos de Europa - 2004 trip report

Related information:

Picos de Europa - a naturalist's paradise
Complete list of orchids for the Picos de Europa
Read about Teresa Farino
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Searching for Butterflies in Northern Spain
Excellent 2-DVD set about the butterflies of the Picos de Europa and environs.
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