Butterflies are some of the most beautiful and fascinating creatures on Earth. They come in all shapes and sizes, from the largest ones that can fit in a human hand to the tiniest ones that can fit on the tip of a finger.
In this article, we will explore the top 10 smallest butterflies in the world. These butterflies have evolved to be able to pollinate the smallest flowers or fill some other niche that can’t be filled by the bigger butterflies.
You are reading: Top 10 Smallest Butterflies In The World
From the largest of the smallest to the tiniest, we will list these butterflies and provide some interesting facts about them.
Top 10 Smallest Butterflies In The World
Western Pygmy Blue
The Western Pygmy Blue (Brephidium exilis) is one of the smallest butterflies in the world and the smallest in North America. It has a wingspan of only about 0.5 to 0.75 inches (1.2 to 2 cm).
The butterfly is copper brown in color with dull blue at the bases of both wings on the upper side. The underside of the hindwing is copper brown with white at the base, and there is a row of black spots with metallic glints at the outer margin. Females are slightly larger and browner than males.
The Western Pygmy Blue can be found in alkaline areas such as deserts, salt marshes, and barren areas. It is common across its natural range, which includes the Southwestern United States from California eastwards to west Texas, and from Mexico to Venezuela.
The butterfly may migrate to Arkansas, Nebraska, and Oregon. Its introduced range includes the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and eastern Saudi Arabia. The Western Pygmy Blue feeds on flower nectar and its caterpillars eat all parts of the plant, including Chenopodium album, saltbush species (Atriplex), and others in the goosefoot family (Chenopodiaceae) .
White-Spotted Tadpole
The White-Spotted Tadpole (Ixias pandarus) is a small butterfly of the family Pieridae, which is found in Central and South America. It has a wingspan of about 0.625 inches (1.6 cm).
The butterfly has a white ground color with black spots on the upper side of the wings. The underside of the wings is yellowish-white with black spots. Males and females are similar in appearance. The White-Spotted Tadpole butterfly can be found in a variety of habitats, including forests, fields, and gardens.
The caterpillars of this species feed on plants in the mustard family (Brassicaceae). The White-Spotted Tadpole butterfly is not as well-known as some other small butterflies, but it is still a fascinating and beautiful species to observe in the wild.
Grizzled Skipper
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The Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus malvae) is a small butterfly species from the family Hesperiidae. It is found throughout Europe and is common in southern chalk downland and other sparsely vegetated habitats. Here are some key characteristics of the Grizzled Skipper:
Appearance:
– The Grizzled Skipper has a chequered pattern on its wings that appears to be black and white.
– It has dark brown wings with an intricate, white chequerboard pattern.
– The wings have white fringes, with dark lines running through them.
– The upperside of the wings is gray-black with squarish white checks.
– The underside of the wings is grayish-brown with white spots.
Size:
– The Grizzled Skipper is small, with an average forewing diameter of 12 millimeters.
– It closely resembles moths in appearance.
Habitat:
– Grizzled skippers occupy three major forms of habitats, but they tend to settle in environments with spring nectar plants, larval food plants (agrimony, creeping cinquefoil, wild strawberry, tormentil), ranker vegetation, and edges with scrub or woodland.
– Host plants are from the family Rosaceae with a focus on Agrimonia eupatoria as well as Potentilla.
– Woodland: This mainly consists of sparsely distributed vegetation and can have regions of bare ground that result from cutting or windblow.
Behavior:
– The Grizzled Skipper has a rapid, buzzing flight.
– It produces one brood per year.
The Grizzled Skipper is a fascinating butterfly species that is well-adapted to its environment.
Cramer’s Mesene
Cramer’s Mesene (Mesene phareus) is a species of butterfly from the family Riodinidae, which is present in the Neotropical realm. Here are some key characteristics of Cramer’s Mesene:
Appearance:
– The males have triangular, pointed, brightly colored forewings and small ellipsoidal hindwings.
– The species exhibit many color variations and combinations and vary by geographic region.
– The wing veins of Cramer’s Mesene exhibit great conformity, with the second subcostal vein, the upper median vein in the forewing, as well as in the hindwing rising before the cell-end.
Habitat:
– Cramer’s Mesene can be found in a variety of habitats, including forests and roadsides.
– The butterfly rests well hidden on the underside of leaves but flies when disturbed, somewhat like geometrids, for about 10 to 20 meters, always keeping in the middle of the forest roads, in order to drop again into another bush.
Behavior:
– The larvae of Cramer’s Mesene are lycaenid-like, somewhat like woodlice, fluffily haired.
– The caterpillar of M. phareus lives on the extremely poisonous plants of the family Euphorbiaceae.
Distribution:
– Cramer’s Mesene is found from southern Mexico to Brazil and Peru.
– The butterfly is not found in North America.
Cramer’s Mesene is a fascinating butterfly species that is well-adapted to its environment.
Woolly Legs
Woolly Legs is a common name for a group of small butterflies from the genus Lachnocnema, which is part of the family Lycaenidae. Here are some key characteristics of Woolly Legs:
Appearance:
– The Woolly Legs butterflies are small, with a maximum wingspan of only 38mm.
– They are dark brown in color.
– The males have uni-color undersides, while females resemble bird droppings.
– Their small ‘woolly’ legs are covered with hair-like scales.
Habitat:
– Woolly Legs butterflies are found in Sub-Saharan Africa.
– They inhabit a variety of habitats, including forests, fields, and gardens.
Behavior:
– The Woolly Legs butterfly feeds on the honeydew secreted by plant lice, such as aphids.
– To get this honeydew, it strokes the aphid with its woolly legs.
The Woolly Legs butterflies are a fascinating group of small butterflies that are well-adapted to their environment.
Small Copper
The Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) is a butterfly species from the family Lycaenidae. Here are some key characteristics of the Small Copper:
Appearance:
– The Small Copper is one of the smallest coppers, with a wingspan ranging from 30 to 35mm.
– The butterfly has bright copper-colored forewings with black spots.
– The hindwings are gray with an orange-red outer margin.
– The underside of the wings is gray with a submarginal row of orange-red zigzags.
Habitat:
– The Small Copper butterfly is found in a variety of habitats, including grasslands, heathlands, and woodland clearings.
– The butterfly is widespread and common across its range, which includes Europe, Asia, and North America.
Behavior:
– The Small Copper butterfly has one brood per year, with adults flying from May to October.
– The caterpillars of this species feed on plants in the buckwheat family (Polygonaceae), including sheep sorrel (Rumex acetosella) and curled dock (Rumex crispus).
The Small Copper is a fascinating butterfly species that is well-adapted to its environment.
Eastern Tailed Blue
The Eastern Tailed Blue (Cupido comyntas) is a small butterfly species that is common in eastern North America. Here are some key characteristics of the Eastern Tailed Blue:
Appearance:
– The Eastern Tailed Blue is a small butterfly, with a wingspan of only 0.75 to 1 inch (2.2 to 2.9 cm).
– The males have iridescent pale blue wings with brownish-gray along the outer margin.
– The forewings of males have a short oblique black bar near the middle, while the hindwings have a row of submarginal black spots and a small orange spot at the base of each projecting tail.
– The females have larger wings with longer tails and are gray above on the body and wings.
– The underside of the wings of both sexes is silvery gray with small dark spots and a few orange spots near the margin of the hindwings.
Habitat:
– The Eastern Tailed Blue butterfly is found in a variety of habitats, including grasslands, heathlands, and woodland clearings.
– The butterfly is common across its range, which includes eastern North America.
Behavior:
– The Eastern Tailed Blue butterfly has a low flight and a short proboscis, which means it is found at flowers close to the ground that are open or short-tubed.
– The butterfly has one narrow tail on the hindwing.
The Eastern Tailed Blue is a fascinating butterfly species that is well-adapted to its environment.
Coral Hairstreak
The Coral Hairstreak (Satyrium titus) is a small butterfly species native to North America, belonging to the family Lycaenidae. Here are some key characteristics of the Coral Hairstreak:
Appearance:
– The Coral Hairstreak has a wingspan of 1 to 1¼ inches (2.2 to 3.2 cm).
– The upper side of the wings is dark brown, while the underside of the hindwing is light brown with a distinct row of coral-colored spots along the outer margin.
– Unlike most hairstreaks, the Coral Hairstreak lacks a blue spot on the underside of its hindwing.
Habitat:
– This butterfly species is commonly found in brushy areas, thickets, overgrown fields, open woodlands, and streamsides.
– The Coral Hairstreak is known to frequent various nectar plants, including butterfly weed, New Jersey tea, dogbane, and sulphur flower.
Behavior:
– The caterpillars of the Coral Hairstreak have been observed feeding on the fruits of various plants.
– This species is often seen in montane meadows within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
The Coral Hairstreak is a fascinating butterfly species that can be identified by its small size, distinct coral-colored spots, and unique habitat preferences.
Common Sootywing
The Common Sootywing (Pholisora catullus) is a butterfly species from the family Hesperiidae. Here are some key characteristics of the Common Sootywing:
Appearance:
– The Common Sootywing is a small butterfly, with a wingspan ranging from 1 to 1.25 inches (2.5 to 3.3 cm).
– The butterfly is dark brown or black in color with small white spots on the wings.
– The wings are glossy black on the upper side.
– The underside of the wings is brownish-gray.
Habitat:
– The Common Sootywing butterfly is found in a variety of habitats, including gardens, old fields, roadsides, and other disturbed areas.
– The butterfly is common across its range, which includes the central parts of the United States, south to central Mexico.
Behavior:
– The Common Sootywing butterfly has two generations per year, with adults on wing from May to August in the northern part of its range and from March to November in Texas.
– The caterpillars of this species feed on plants in the goosefoot family (Chenopodiaceae), including lamb’s quarters (Chenopodium album), amaranth (Amaranthus), and celosia (Celosia species).
– Adults feed on flower nectar from various flowers, including dogbane, marjoram, oxalis, white clover, common milkweed, peppermint, and cucumber.
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The Common Sootywing is a fascinating butterfly species that is well-adapted to its environment.
Small Heaths
The Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus) is a butterfly species belonging to the family Nymphalidae, classified within the subfamily Satyrinae. Here are some key characteristics of the Small Heath:
Appearance:
– The Small Heath is the smallest butterfly in the subfamily Satyrinae.
– The butterfly is small and inconspicuous, with a wingspan of only 1 to 1.25 inches (2.5 to 3.2 cm).
– The wings are brown with orange spots near the margins.
– The underside of the wings is pale brown with small black spots.
Habitat:
– The Small Heath butterfly is found in a variety of habitats, including grasslands, heathlands, mountains, and alongside railways.
– The butterfly prefers open habitats with shorter grass compared to other related species.
Behavior:
– The Small Heath butterfly is diurnal and flies with a noticeable fluttering flight pattern near the ground.
– It rests with closed wings when not in flight.
– The butterfly is on the wing from April to September in the UK.
The Small Heath is a fascinating butterfly species that is well-adapted to its environment.
FAQS
1. What is the smallest butterfly in the world?
The Western Pygmy Blue is the smallest butterfly in North America and possibly the world, with a wingspan of approximately 0.5 to 0.78 inches.
2. What is the smallest butterfly in the subfamily Satyrinae?
The Small Heath is the smallest butterfly in the subfamily Satyrinae, with a wingspan of only 1 to 1.25 inches.
3. What is the habitat of the Common Sootywing butterfly?
The Common Sootywing butterfly is found in a variety of habitats, including gardens, old fields, roadsides, and other disturbed areas.
4. What do the caterpillars of the Coral Hairstreak feed on?
The caterpillars of the Coral Hairstreak have been observed feeding on the fruits of various plants.
5. What is the wingspan of the Eastern Tailed Blue butterfly?
The Eastern Tailed Blue butterfly has a wingspan of only 0.75 to 1 inch (2.2 to 2.9 cm) .
6. What do Woolly Legs butterflies feed on?
Woolly Legs butterflies feed on the honeydew secreted by plant lice, such as aphids.
7. What is the range of the Grizzled Skipper butterfly?
The Grizzled Skipper butterfly is found throughout Europe and is common in southern chalk downland and other sparsely vegetated habitats.
8. What is the family of the Coral Hairstreak butterfly?
The Coral Hairstreak butterfly belongs to the family Lycaenidae.
9. What is the behavior of the Small Copper butterfly?
The Small Copper butterfly has one brood per year, with adults flying from May to October.
10. What is the range of the Small Heath butterfly?
The Small Heath butterfly is found in a variety of habitats, including grasslands, heathlands, mountains, and alongside railways.
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