Butterflies are nearly worldwide in their distribution. There are about 17,500 species of butterflies in the world, and around 750 species in the United States. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. Research has shown that color reflection from butterfly wings are caused by not from pigment, but from tiny scaffolding within scales of wings.
Like the moth, which has a number of symbolic meanings – many of which are rather dark, the butterfly holds a special place in the occult, in folklore, and in esoteric philosophy. In this article get understand the different types of red butterflies and their characteristics.
- Cramer’s 88 (Diaethria clymena)
- Double-banded Postman (Heliconius melpomene)
- Great Mormon (Papilio memnon)
- Scarlet Mormon (Papilio rumanzovia)
- Atlas Moth (Attacus atlas)
- Bat Wing (Atrophaneura semperi)
- Malay Lacewing (Cethosia hypsea)
- Red Lacewing (Cethosia biblis)
- Noble Leafwing (Fountainea nobilis)
- Red Postman (Heliconius erato)
- Red-striped Leafwing (Siderone galanthis)
- Doris Longwing (Heliconius doris)
- Mexican Longwing (Heliconius hortense)
- Scarlet Peacock (Anartia amathea)
- Crescent Swallowtail (Mimoides thymbraeus)
- Red-bodied Swallowtail (Pachliopta polydorus)
- Two-eyed 88 (Diaethria anna)
Cramer’s eighty-eight
Diaethria clymena, known as Cramer’s Eighty Eight or simply 88 Butterfly, is a small species which features a pattern of black and white spots. The underside is red and white with black stripes that look like an outlined number “89” or “98”.
Double-banded Postman
The postman butterfly is predominately black, with distinct red/orange, yellow or white bands on the forewings, and sometimes on the hindwings. There can be a single red vertical band on each forewing, while some subspecies may have red blotches instead of a band. The hindwings may be entirely black or may have a white band running vertically.
Great Mormon
Great Mormon is a large butterfly with a wing span. It has four male and many female forms, the females being highly polymorphic and many of them being mimics of unpalatable butterflies. When the wings are closed, both wing bases show a red coloration with the hind wings having a red tornal patch, each.
Atlas Moth
Atlas Moth is one of the largest lepidopterans with a large wingspan. The body is disproportionately small compared to the wings. The upperside of the wings are reddish brown with a pattern of black, white, pink, and purple lines and triangular, scale-less windows bordered in black. The undersides of the wings are paler. Both forewings have a prominent extension at the tip, with markings that resemble the head of a snake.
Bat Wing butterfly
Bat Wing butterfly also referred to as Atrophaneura semperi has a wingspan of 12–15 cm. The wings are black. The body has red hairs. The underside of the hindwings contain some red markings. Females are dark brown with light pink markings on the upside of the wings.
Malay Lacewing
Malay Lacewing also referred to as Cethosia hypsea has a wingspan of about 80 mm. Adults are bright orange red above with broad black borders, warning predators of their toxicity. The underside is orange red with white fasciae and is spotted with black. The wings are scalloped.
Red Lacewing
Cethosia biblis is medium-sized butterfly, with a wingspan of about 8–9 cm. In males the dorsal sides of the wings are bright orange red, framed by a black outline with white spots. The undersides range from bright red to pale brown, interlaced by black and white. The dorsal sides of the wings of the females are greyish-brownish with black spots and white bands and spots on the black margins.
Noble Leafwing
Noble Leafwing also referred to as Fountainea nobilis is a quite rare “leaf butterfly”. The dorsal sides of the upperwings are reddish with dark brown edges. In the females the dorsal sides are usually brown, with clearer edges. On the hindwings there are a few small white and black eyespots. The undersides mimic dead leaves, ranging from pale brown to grey.
Red postman
Red postman is also commonly known as the small postman, the red passion flower butterfly, or the crimson-patched longwing. It is a unique butterfly with large, long wings having red patches or markings.
Red-striped Leafwing
Siderone galanthis, the scarlet leafwing or red-striped leafwing is commonly found in deciduous and evergreen forests. The Red-striped name comes from, the upper wing surface, in profound contrast to the lower surface, is very boldly blotched with red and black.
Doris longwing
Heliconius doris, the Doris longwing is known for being a polymorphic species which participates in various Müllerian mimicry rings throughout Central America and the Amazon rainforest. Its two secondary wings are commonly display a bright orange color patch shaped like finger digits, but can also be blue, red, or bright cream.
Mexican Longwing
Mexican Longwing also referred to as Heliconius hortense is a visibly a beautiful butterfly to behold. The basic color of the uppersides of the wings is black, with a vertical white band on the forewings and an horizontal red band on the hindwings. The undersides are dark brown, with a white band on the forewings and a few red spots at the base of the hindwings. The adults feed on pollens and live up to six months.
Scarlett Peacock Butterfly
Perhaps the commonest of butterflies. Scarlett Peacock butterfly can be seen in a wide variety of habitats ranging from open wasteland to forest edges and is mostly active in sunshine. Scarlett Peacock Butterfly is easily identified by its bold red making and white spots.
Crescent Swallowtail
Crescent Swallowtail has small spots on head and breast grey-yellow, often slightly reddish. Upperside of the wings slightly but yet distinctly metallic blue or green; forewing without markings, but with white fringes; hindwing with a slender tail and 1 or 2 rows of spots between cell and margin. Under surface with red costal basal spot on the forewing and 4 basal spots on the hindwing.
Two-eyed 88 butterfly
Diaethria anna, also known as Anna’s eighty-eight or two-eyed 88 butterfly is one among the most amazing butterflies. Its upperside is dark brown with a metallic bluish-green band on the forewings. The underside of the forewings are red, which is followed by a wide, black band and then white tips; the underside of the hindwings is white, with lines that approximate a black-outlined “88”, giving the species its common name. Its markings occasionally appear more like of “98” or “89”.
Red-bodied swallowtail
The forked appearance of the swallowtails’ hindwings, which can be seen when the butterfly is resting with its wings spread, gave rise to the common name swallowtail. The red-bodied swallowtail forewings are black, with white internervular shading. The hindwings have scalloped edges, are black and have no tails. The hindwing has a line of dark-red postdiscal spots. In the middle of wing there is a big white discal patch. The underside of both wings are the same as the above side, but the underside has brighter red spots. The body is black with a red abdomen.