Butterflies
Last Updated on 23 April 2025
Butterflies—nature’s living confetti—have been fluttering around Singapore long before skyscrapers took over the skyline. These winged wonders come in all shapes, sizes, and dazzling colors, turning any garden into a flashy runway show.
At first glance, they might seem elusive, vanishing the moment you try to snap a photo. But stand still long enough, and you’ll catch them sipping nectar, basking in the sun, or casually showing off their fabulous wings.
With over 300 species flitting around our little red dot, our butterfly-spotting adventures have barely just begun. Here are a few of these delicate divas we’ve managed to admire—before they promptly ghosted us.
Plain Tiger (Danaus chrysippus)
Sighted: Bidadari Park, Bishan Park
Blue Glassy Tiger (Ideopsis vulgaris)
Sighted: Upper Seletar Reservoir Park
Tawny Coster (Acraea terpsicore)
Sighted: Lorong Halus
Julia Heliconian (Dryas iulia)
Sighted: Botanic Gardens, Lorong Halus
Chocolate Pansy (Junonia hedonia)
Sighted: Bidadari Park, Dairy Farm Nature Park
Grey Pansy (Junonia atlites)
Sighted: Bishan Park, Upper Seletar Reservoir Park
Blue Pansy (Junonia orithya)
Sighted: Bay East Garden
Cycad Blue (Luthrodes pandava)
Sighted: Pulau Ubin
Ancyra Blue (Catopyrops ancyra)
Sighted: Bidadari Park
Common Line Blue (Prosotas nora)
Sighted: Rifle Range Link
Ciliate Blue (Anthene emolus)
Sighted: Lakeside Garden
Tiny Grass Blue (Zizula hylax)
Sighted: Botanic Gardens
Lesser Grass Blue (Zizina otis)
Sighted: Bishan Park
Fluffy Tit (Zeltus amasa)
Sighted: Dairy Farm Nature Park
Common Posy (Drupadia ravindra)
Sighted: Rifle Range Link
Common Grass Yellow (Terias hecabe)
Sighted: Bidadari Park, Bukit Timah Hill
Orange Emigrant (Catopsilia scylla)
Sighted: Pulau Ubin
Lemon Emigrant (Catopsilia pomona)
Sighted: Lakeside Garden, Pulau Ubin
Psyche (Leptosia nina)
Sighted: Pulau Ubin
Chocolate Albatross (Appias lyncida)
Sighted: Upper Seletar Reservoir Park
Striped Albatross (Appias libythea)
Sighted: Bishan Park
Malay Cruiser (Vindula dejone)
Sighted: Dairy Farm Nature Park
Common Mormon Swallowtail (Papilio polytes)
Sighted: Dairy Farm Nature Park, Hindhede Nature Park, Thomson Nature Park
Common Rose Swallowtail (Pachliopta aristolochiae)
Sighted: Botanic Gardens
Lime Butterfly (Papilio demoleus)
Sighted: Botanic Gardens
Tailed Jay (Graphium agamemnon)
Sighted: Dairy Farm Nature Park
Common Bluebottle (Graphium sarpedon)
Sighted: Bidadari Park
Malayan Jester (Symbrenthia hippoclus)
Sighted: Dairy Farm Nature Park
Rustic (Cupha erymanthis)
Sighted: Botanic Gardens, Pulau Ubin
Common Leopard (Phalanta phalantha)
Sighted: Botanic Gardens, Pulau Ubin
Smooth-eyed Bushbrown (Orsotriaena medus)
Sighted: Bidadari Park, Chestnut Nature Park
Burmese Bushbrown (Mycalesis perseoides)
Sighted: Hindhede Nature Park
Striped Blue Crow (Euploea mulciber)
Sighted: Upper Seletar Reservoir Park
Grey Sailer (Neptis leucoporos)
Sighted: Bukit Timah Hill, Jelutong Tower
Short Banded Sailer (Phaedyma columella)
Sighted: Dairy Farm Nature Park
Knight (Lebadea martha)
Sighted: Jelutong Tower, Rifle Range Link
Malay Viscount (Tanaecia pelea)
Sighted: Dairy Farm Nature Park
Malay Baron (Euthalia monina)
Sighted: Dairy Farm Nature Park
Green Baron (Euthalia adonia)
Sighted: Botanic Gardens
Common Baron (Euthalia aconthea)
Sighted: Pulau Ubin
Common Archduke (Lexias pardalis)
Sighted: Chestnut Nature Park, Rifle Range Link
Commander (Moduza procris)
Sighted: Pulau Ubin
Malay Staff Sergeant (Athyma reta)
Sighted: Jelutong Tower
Common Faun (Faunis canens)
Sighted: Dairy Farm Nature Park, Rifle Range Link
Common Snow Flat (Tagiades japetus)
Sighted: Dairy Farm Nature Park
Acacia Blue (Surendra vivarna)
Sighted: Rifle Range Link
Malayan Five-Ring (Ypthima horsfieldii)
Sighted: Thomson Nature Park
Malayan Eggfly (Hypolimnas anomala)
Sighted: Pulau Ubin
Palm Bob (Suastus gremius)
Sighted: Botanic Gardens
Small Branded Swift (Pelopidas mathias)
Sighted: Bishan Park
Brown Awl (Badamia exclamationis)
Sighted: Jelutong Tower
Banded Demon (Notocrypta paralysos)
Sighted: Dairy Farm Nature Park
Chocolate Demon (Ancistroides nigrita)
Sighted: Dairy Farm Nature Park
Lesser Dart (Potanthus omaha)
Sighted: Dairy Farm Nature Park, Lakeside Garden
Common Palmfly (Elymnias hypermnestra)
Sighted: Botanic Gardens, Labrador Nature Reserve, Sentosa
Malayan Plum Judy (Abisara saturata)
Sighted: Sentosa
Elbowed Pierrot (Caleta elna)
Sighted: Dairy Farm Nature Park
Tropical Swallowtail Moth (Lyssa zampa)
Sighted: Dairy Farm Nature Park
Urapteroides astheniata (Urapteroides astheniata)
Sighted: Dairy Farm Nature Park
