39 Types of Butterflies in India: From Garden Visitors to Rare Himalayan Species
October 23, 2026
A single garden in Bengaluru or Kerala can host more butterfly species in an afternoon than many European countries record in a year. India’s mix of tropical forests, scrub grassland, and Himalayan slopes supports one of the richest butterfly faunas on Earth, and the variety on display ranges from inch-wide grass skippers to swallowtails with eight-inch wingspans.
This guide walks through 39 species that any butterfly watcher in India is likely to encounter, from the ubiquitous garden visitors that show up on marigolds and lantana to the rare, protected swallowtails found only in the Eastern Himalayas and Western Ghats. Along the way, you’ll see how toxic “tiger” butterflies have inspired a whole cast of mimics, why a few species feed on dung and rotting fruit instead of flowers, and which butterflies have been chosen to represent individual Indian states.
India’s diverse fauna reflects a country that hosts three of the world’s biodiversity hotspots — the Western Ghats, the Himalayas, and the hill ranges bordering Myanmar — each with its own endemic species. That geographic spread is part of why the same walk through a city park, a wildlife-rich landscape, or a Himalayan foothill trail can turn up such different butterflies depending on where you are. For a broader sense of how this fits into global butterfly diversity, it helps to first ask how many types of butterflies exist worldwide.
1. Common Jezebel
The Common Jezebel (Delias eucharis) is one of the easier butterflies to identify at a glance, thanks to the sharp contrast between its plain white upperwings and the fiery red-and-yellow pattern hidden on the underside. When it rests with wings closed, that underside flashes a warning that most predators learn to avoid.
Its caterpillars feed on mistletoe plants growing on host trees, which means the butterfly often turns up wherever parasitic mistletoe has taken hold in mango or neem trees. Gardens, temple groves, and forest edges across most of India and Sri Lanka support healthy populations of this species, and it flies slowly enough to photograph without much trouble.
2. Plain Tiger
Few butterflies are as widely recognized as the Plain Tiger (Danaus chrysippus), an orange-and-black species with a pattern of white-spotted borders that signals toxicity to anything that might try to eat it. The caterpillars absorb toxic compounds from milkweed plants, and that chemical defense carries through into the adult butterfly.
Because the Plain Tiger is so unpalatable, several unrelated butterflies in India have evolved to copy its coloring for protection, a phenomenon called Batesian mimicry. It’s found across nearly every habitat type in the country, from coastal scrub to high-altitude meadows, making it one of the first species most people learn to identify.
3. Blue Tiger
The Blue Tiger (Tirumala limniace) trades the Plain Tiger’s orange for a soft blue-black wing pattern with translucent streaks that catch the light in flight. Like other milkweed butterflies, it feeds as a caterpillar on toxic host plants and carries that protection into adulthood.
Blue Tigers are known for forming large seasonal migrations in parts of the Western Ghats, moving between lowland breeding grounds and cooler hill forests as conditions change through the year. Watching one of these mass movements, with hundreds of butterflies drifting along a single valley, is a highlight for many Indian butterfly enthusiasts.
4. Glassy Tiger
The Glassy Tiger (Parantica aglea) gets its name from the semi-transparent patches on its wings, which appear almost glass-like against sunlight. Black veins trace through the pale background, giving the wings a stained-glass quality that distinguishes it from the solid-colored Plain Tiger.
This species shares the slow, floating flight style typical of milkweed butterflies, a trait that works because predators have already learned to leave similarly patterned species alone. Glassy Tigers favor scrub forest and open woodland, often gathering at flowering shrubs alongside other tiger butterflies and their mimics.
5. Common Crow
The Common Crow (Euploea core) is a dark brown-black butterfly marked with rows of small white spots near the wing margins, giving it a subdued but distinctive look compared to its orange and blue tiger relatives. It belongs to the same toxic milkweed-feeding group, and its unpalatability has made it a model for several mimic species across South and Southeast Asia.
Common Crows are known to form dense overnight roosts, sometimes with hundreds of individuals clustering on a single tree during seasonal movements. This gregarious roosting behavior, paired with its chemical defenses against predators that might otherwise target butterflies, makes the species one of the more resilient fliers in Indian gardens and forest edges alike.
6. Blue Mormon
The Blue Mormon (Papilio polymnestor) is a large swallowtail with velvety black wings brushed with iridescent powder-blue scales across the hindwings. It’s one of the biggest swallowtails regularly seen in Indian gardens and forest margins, with a strong, gliding flight that makes it easy to spot from a distance.
This species holds an official distinction: according to a government affairs summary on state butterflies, the Blue Mormon has been designated the state butterfly of Maharashtra. Its caterpillars feed on citrus and curry leaf plants, so home gardens with these host trees often attract egg-laying females.
7. Common Mormon
The Common Mormon (Papilio polytes) is famous among entomologists for its females, which come in multiple color forms, some mimicking the toxic Common Rose and Crimson Rose for protection while others resemble the plain black-and-white male pattern. This mimicry polymorphism is one of the most studied examples of adaptive coloration in Indian butterflies.
Caterpillars feed on citrus family plants, which is why this swallowtail is a familiar sight around lemon, lime, and curry leaf plants in home gardens across southern and central India. Adults fly with a strong, direct wingbeat and are frequent visitors to flowering hedges and kitchen gardens.
8. Southern Birdwing
The Southern Birdwing (Troides minos) is a large and striking swallowtail species endemic to southern India, with a wingspan of 140 to 190 millimeters that made it India’s largest butterfly for decades. Males display bright yellow and black patterning, while females are larger overall but carry more muted tones.
The species lives primarily in the Western and Eastern Ghats, favoring areas close to rivers and streams, and it was first recorded near the Azhagar hills close to Madurai in 2014 by researchers from The American College. It feeds heavily on Bougainvillea nectar and is listed as the state butterfly of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
Pro Tip: Southern Birdwings are most active during early morning and late evening hours, so time forest walks in the Western Ghats accordingly for the best chance of a sighting.
9. Golden Birdwing
The Golden Birdwing (Troides aeacus) holds the current record as India’s largest butterfly, a title it took from the Southern Birdwing in 2020 after a female specimen was recorded from Didihat in Uttarakhand with a wingspan of 194 millimeters, marginally larger than the Southern Birdwing’s 190 millimeters. The record it replaced had stood for 88 years, set by a specimen measured by Brigadier William Harry Evans in 1932.
Interestingly, the Golden Birdwing shows striking size differences between the sexes: the record male measured just 106 millimeters, far smaller than the female. This Himalayan species lives mainly in Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya, with its range extending into China, Nepal, Thailand, and several other Southeast Asian countries, and it now ranks among the largest butterflies on the Asian continent.
| Species | Typical Wingspan | Distinguishing Feature |
|---|---|---|
| Golden Birdwing | Up to 194 mm (female) | Black forewing, yellow hindwing |
| Southern Birdwing | 140–190 mm | Yellow and black, endemic to south India |
| Common Mormon | 90–100 mm | Variable female mimicry forms |
| Plain Tiger | 70–80 mm | Orange with white-spotted black border |
10. Common Rose
The Common Rose (Pachliopta aristolochiae) is a swallowtail with a crimson body and red spots scattered across otherwise black wings, a color combination that advertises the toxins it absorbs from Aristolochia host plants as a caterpillar. That red body is a key field mark separating it from its all-black mimics.
Because it’s genuinely toxic, the Common Rose serves as a model for the female Common Mormon and other butterflies that copy its pattern without carrying the same chemical defense. It flies with a slow, deliberate flutter typical of unpalatable species and is a frequent visitor to garden flowers across most of India.
11. Crimson Rose
The Crimson Rose (Pachliopta hector) is a close relative of the Common Rose, sharing the same red body and black wings but typically appearing larger with bolder crimson patches on the hindwing. Like its relative, it feeds on Aristolochia vines as a larva and carries toxins that make it unappetizing to birds.
This species is common across peninsular India and favors forest edges, scrubland, and gardens where its host vine grows wild or is cultivated. Its slow, floating flight pattern, shared with other toxic swallowtails, makes it relatively easy to observe and photograph compared to faster-flying species.
12. Lime Butterfly
The Lime Butterfly (Papilio demoleus) is one of the most familiar swallowtails in Indian gardens, instantly recognizable by its pale yellow wings covered in irregular black-bordered spots. Unlike many of its relatives, it lacks the signature swallowtail “tails,” giving it a rounder wing silhouette.
Its caterpillars are a common sight on citrus trees, where they’re sometimes considered a minor garden pest despite the adult butterfly’s popularity with photographers. The Lime Butterfly flies with a fast, erratic pattern that makes it harder to track than the slower tiger and rose species, and it’s found throughout nearly all of India except the highest Himalayan elevations.
13. Red Helen
The Red Helen (Papilio helenus) is a large forest swallowtail identified by a prominent white patch on each hindwing set against otherwise black wings with red crescent markings near the tail. It’s noticeably bulkier in flight than garden swallowtails like the Lime Butterfly, with a powerful, gliding wingbeat.
This species favors denser forest habitat in the Western Ghats and parts of the Himalayan foothills rather than open gardens, and it’s often spotted puddling at damp patches of forest soil alongside other large swallowtails. Its caterpillars feed on citrus family plants growing within forest understories.
14. Tailed Jay
The Tailed Jay (Graphium agamemnon) stands out with a pattern of pale green spots scattered across black wings, plus short tails on the hindwings that give the species its name. It’s a restless flier, rarely pausing for long at any single flower.
Caterpillars feed on plants in the custard apple family, which has helped the species adapt well to both forest edges and gardens planted with ornamental and fruiting trees across most of India. The Tailed Jay’s quick, darting flight and habit of visiting flowers only briefly make it a challenging subject for photographers.
15. Common Bluebottle
The Common Bluebottle (Graphium sarpedon) is named for the band of pale blue-green spots that cuts diagonally across its black wings, a pattern visible even in fast flight. It’s a strong, swift flier often seen gliding along forest paths and riversides.
This species is well known for gathering in large numbers at damp mud or sand along streambanks, a behavior called mud-puddling that helps males absorb minerals needed for reproduction. Its caterpillars feed on plants in the laurel family, and the species ranges across most of India into Southeast Asia and parts of Australia.
16. Malabar Banded Swallowtail
The Malabar Banded Swallowtail (Papilio liomedon) is a swallowtail largely restricted to the Western Ghats, where a broad white band crosses its otherwise black wings. This limited range makes it a notable target for butterfly watchers specifically visiting southern India’s hill forests.
It favors moist, evergreen forest habitat at moderate elevations, and its caterpillars rely on citrus family host plants found within these forest ecosystems. Because its range doesn’t extend far beyond the Western Ghats, sightings are concentrated in states like Kerala, Karnataka, and parts of Tamil Nadu.
17. Kaiser-i-Hind
The Kaiser-i-Hind (Teinopalpus imperialis) is widely regarded as one of India’s most spectacular swallowtails, and its name literally translates to “Emperor of India.” With shimmering green, bright yellow, and delicate black patterning, it is described by WWF-India as a visual delight found along the Eastern Himalayas in West Bengal, Meghalaya, Assam, Sikkim, and Manipur.
This species occurs at elevations between 6,000 and 10,000 feet in well-wooded terrain, flies with a strong and fast wingbeat usually near treetop level, and is on the wing mainly between April and July. Its eggs are pale purplish-red and laid on the underside of leaves, with Magnolia trees serving as the primary host plant.
Because of its rarity and beauty, the Kaiser-i-Hind has long been targeted by collectors despite legal protection. The species is now protected under Schedule I of India’s Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act, 2022, having previously been listed under the weaker Schedule II, and it has since been named the state butterfly of Arunachal Pradesh.
Important Note: Several sources describe the Kaiser-i-Hind’s elevation range slightly differently depending on survey location, but all agree it is confined to mid- to high-elevation forest in the Eastern Himalayas and remains one of India’s rarest butterflies to photograph in the wild.
18. Bhutan Glory
The Bhutan Glory (Bhutanitis lidderdalii) is a spectacular swallowtail found in Bhutan, parts of northeastern India, and Southeast Asia, prized by collectors for its elaborate tailed wings and intricate patterning. The species was first described in 1873 from a specimen in Dr. R. Lidderdale’s collection, whose name it still carries.
A closely related species, Ludlow’s Bhutan Glory (Bhutanitis ludlowi), is also found in the region and has become the focus of India’s first dedicated single-species butterfly conservation project. According to a 2023 initiative, the first structured effort to generate baseline data on the species’ population and distribution in India was launched by Nature Mates, a conservation group working in the region. Both Glory species rely on Aristolochia vines as caterpillar host plants and are legally protected under Schedule I of India’s wildlife laws.
19. Painted Lady
The Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) is one of the most widely distributed butterflies on the planet, found on every continent except Antarctica and South America. Its orange-and-black wings with white-spotted tips make it instantly recognizable across the many countries where it occurs.
In India, Painted Ladies are most commonly observed during the cooler winter months and at higher altitudes, where they migrate seasonally much like their counterparts across North America and Europe. This same species is a familiar garden visitor far beyond India, including in regions as different as the American Southwest and Pacific island habitats, a reflection of just how adaptable this migratory species has become.
20. Common Emigrant
The Common Emigrant (Catopsilia pomona) is a large pale yellow or white pierid known for its mass seasonal migrations, during which hundreds of individuals can be seen moving together along a consistent flight path. This mobility is where the species gets its common name.
Its caterpillars feed almost exclusively on Cassia and Senna plants, both common in Indian hedgerows and wastelands, which helps explain why the species turns up reliably across nearly the entire country. Adults show noticeable seasonal variation in wing color, ranging from nearly pure white to a richer lemon yellow depending on the time of year they emerge.
21. Peacock Pansy
The Peacock Pansy (Junonia almana) carries large, eye-like markings on both wings that resemble the display feathers of a peacock, a pattern believed to startle or distract potential predators. The orange-brown base color shifts slightly between wet- and dry-season forms.
This species favors open grassy areas, agricultural land, and garden margins, where it basks with wings spread to show off its eyespots. It’s one of several closely related Pansy butterflies found throughout India, each distinguished by subtle differences in color and eyespot arrangement.
22. Yellow Pansy
The Yellow Pansy (Junonia hierta) is easily told apart from its relatives by its bright yellow-orange wings marked with a bold blue-black eyespot patch near the center of the forewing. It prefers drier, scrubbier habitat than some of the other Pansy species.
Caterpillars feed on low-growing herbaceous plants common in open country, and adults are frequent visitors to roadside flowers and garden beds across much of peninsular India. Its fast, low flight close to the ground makes it a familiar sight in dry grassland and farmland.
23. Lemon Pansy
The Lemon Pansy (Junonia lemonias) shows a more muted brownish-orange coloration compared to its brighter relatives, with rows of small eyespots running along both wings. It’s one of the most commonly encountered Pansy butterflies in urban gardens.
This adaptable species tolerates disturbed habitat well, which is why it’s just as likely to appear in a city park as in open farmland or forest clearings. Like other Pansies, it basks frequently with wings open, making it one of the easier species to photograph in detail.
24. Great Eggfly
The Great Eggfly (Hypolimnas bolina) shows one of the most dramatic examples of sexual dimorphism among Indian butterflies: males are glossy blue-black with bold white spots, while females vary widely in pattern, often mimicking the toxic Plain Tiger for protection from predators.
This mimicry gives females a survival advantage despite the species itself lacking the chemical defenses of its models. Great Eggflies favor open, sunny habitat including gardens and forest clearings, and males are notably territorial, often returning to the same perch repeatedly to chase off rivals.
25. Danaid Eggfly
The Danaid Eggfly (Hypolimnas misippus) takes mimicry even further than its close relative, with females closely replicating the exact orange, black, and white pattern of the toxic Plain Tiger. Males, by contrast, remain glossy black with large white spots, showing no resemblance to the Tiger pattern at all.
This species is frequently cited in textbooks as a classic example of Batesian mimicry, where a harmless species gains protection by resembling a toxic one. Danaid Eggflies are found across open country, gardens, and scrubland throughout most of India, often flying alongside the very Plain Tigers the females imitate.
26. Common Gull
The Common Gull (Cepora nerissa) is a white pierid marked with dark veining along the wing edges, giving it a slightly more patterned look than many of its plain white relatives. It’s a modest, unassuming butterfly often overlooked in favor of showier species.
This butterfly favors open scrub and dry grassland habitats, where its host plants in the caper family grow readily. Seasonal forms show some variation in the intensity of the dark wing markings, with drier-season individuals typically showing bolder patterning than those emerging during the monsoon.
27. Great Orange Tip
The Great Orange Tip (Hebomoia glaucippe) is a large, fast-flying pierid easily identified by the vivid orange patches covering much of its otherwise white forewings. It’s considerably larger than most other white butterflies found in Indian gardens and forests.
This species prefers forest edges and semi-evergreen habitat rather than open gardens, and its powerful, direct flight makes it difficult to approach closely. Caterpillars feed on caper family plants, and adults are known to patrol fixed territories along forest paths in search of mates.
28. Common Sailer
The Common Sailer (Neptis hylas) has a distinctive black-and-white banded wing pattern that resembles a sailboat’s rigging when the butterfly glides with wings held flat. That gliding flight style, interspersed with short bursts of flapping, is one of its most recognizable field traits.
It favors forest edges, gardens, and semi-shaded habitats where its host plants in several different families grow. The Common Sailer is widespread across India and is often mistaken for other black-and-white banded Nymphalids until its specific banding pattern is examined closely.
29. Common Castor
The Common Castor (Ariadne merione) is a medium-sized orange-brown butterfly marked with dark, wavy striations that run across both wings, giving it a subtly textured appearance compared to more boldly patterned species. Its wing margins are slightly scalloped rather than smooth.
As its name suggests, this butterfly’s caterpillars feed specifically on the castor oil plant, a common agricultural and wasteland species across India. This close relationship with a widespread host plant makes the Common Castor one of the more reliably found butterflies in both rural and semi-urban settings.
30. Tawny Coster
The Tawny Coster (Acraea terpsicore) is a small, slow-flying orange butterfly with scattered black spots, a pattern that advertises the toxins its caterpillars accumulate from passionflower vines. Its unhurried flight reflects the confidence of a genuinely unpalatable species.
This butterfly has expanded its range considerably across South and Southeast Asia in recent decades, becoming a common sight in gardens, wastelands, and farmland throughout nearly all of India. Caterpillars often feed in groups, and their bright coloring warns predators away just as effectively as the adult’s pattern does.
31. Common Leopard
The Common Leopard (Phalanta phalantha) is named for the bold black spots scattered across its orange wings, a pattern reminiscent of the big cat’s rosettes. It’s a fast, erratic flier that rarely stays still for long, making close observation a challenge.
This species favors open, sunny habitat including gardens, scrubland, and forest clearings across most of India. Its caterpillars feed on a range of plants including willow and flacourtia species, and adults are frequently seen basking on bare ground or low vegetation with wings spread flat.
32. Indian Nawab
The Indian Nawab (Charaxes bharata), also referred to in older literature under the synonym Polyura athamas bharata, is documented in taxonomic catalogues of Indian butterflies as a strong, powerful flier typically found in forest canopies rather than open gardens. Its angular wings and swift, darting flight set it apart from slower garden species.
Unlike most garden butterflies that feed on nectar, the Indian Nawab is often drawn to rotting fruit, tree sap, and even animal dung, a feeding strategy shared by several of its Charaxes relatives. This habit makes it more likely to be spotted near fruiting trees in forest interiors than at flowerbeds.
33. Commander
The Commander (Moduza procris) is an orange-brown butterfly crossed by a broad white band, a pattern that makes it relatively easy to identify once its field marks are learned. It’s commonly cited alongside other widespread Indian species as one of the butterflies most frequently spotted by casual observers.
This species favors forest streams and shaded understory habitat, where its host plants in the Mussaenda genus grow. The Commander’s gliding flight and preference for dappled light make it a species best looked for along quiet forest trails rather than open, sunny gardens.
34. Common Baron
The Common Baron (Euthalia aconthea) is a stocky, muscular-looking butterfly in muted olive-brown tones, built for powerful, direct flight rather than delicate fluttering. Males are notably territorial, often perching on elevated leaves to watch for intruders or potential mates.
Its caterpillars feed on mango leaves, which occasionally makes the species a minor concern for mango growers, though populations rarely reach pest levels. The Common Baron is widespread across gardens, orchards, and forest edges throughout most of India, often overlooked due to its subdued coloring compared to flashier Nymphalids.
35. Indian Cabbage White
The Indian Cabbage White (Pieris canidia) is a small, delicate white butterfly with light gray-black wingtip markings, closely resembling cabbage white butterflies found in gardens worldwide. It’s most common in the cooler foothills of the Himalayas rather than the hottest lowland plains.
As its name implies, caterpillars feed on brassica family plants including cabbage, mustard, and related crops, occasionally making it a minor agricultural concern in hill-station vegetable gardens. Adults fly with a weak, fluttering pattern low to the ground, typical of many small white pierids.
36. Common Evening Brown
The Common Evening Brown (Melanitis leda) is most active at dusk and dawn, a crepuscular habit that sets it apart from the daytime fliers that make up most of this list. Its underwings carry a dead-leaf pattern that provides excellent camouflage when the butterfly rests among leaf litter.
Seasonal forms vary considerably, with wet-season individuals showing prominent eyespots on the underwing and dry-season forms appearing almost entirely leaf-like. This species is found in shaded gardens, forest edges, and grassy clearings throughout nearly all of India, often flushed from hiding by footsteps rather than spotted in open flight.
37. Common Four-ring
The Common Four-ring (Ypthima huebneri) is a small brown satyrid named for the four eyespots typically visible on its hindwing, a pattern used to distinguish it from closely related Ypthima species with different eyespot counts. Its subdued coloring makes it easy to overlook among grass.
This butterfly favors grassy clearings, garden lawns, and open scrub, where its caterpillars feed on various grass species. Its low, bouncing flight close to vegetation is typical of satyrid butterflies generally, and it’s one of the most commonly encountered small brown butterflies across Indian gardens and parks.
38. Banded Peacock
The Banded Peacock (Papilio crino) is a swallowtail marked with an iridescent green band crossing otherwise black wings, smaller and somewhat less showy than its close relative the Paris Peacock. It favors drier forest types than the moister habitats preferred by its larger cousin.
Caterpillars feed on citrus family host plants, and adults are known for visiting mud patches to absorb minerals, a behavior shared with many swallowtail species. The Banded Peacock is found across much of peninsular India, typically in forest clearings and along forest-adjacent roadsides.
39. Paris Peacock
The Paris Peacock (Papilio paris) is widely considered one of India’s most beautiful swallowtails, with a large, shimmering blue-green patch dominating each hindwing against a backdrop of velvety black. Its size and iridescence make it stand out even among the colorful cast of Indian Papilio species.
This species depends on moist, well-forested habitat, particularly in the Western Ghats and parts of the Himalayan foothills, where its citrus family host plants grow in the understory. Males are frequently seen mud-puddling in small groups along forest streams, a behavior that offers one of the best chances to observe this striking butterfly up close.
Common Mistake: The Paris Peacock and Banded Peacock are often confused at a glance, but the Paris Peacock’s hindwing patch is noticeably larger and more strongly iridescent, and it tends to favor wetter forest habitat than its smaller relative.
India’s swallowtail diversity alone would justify a dedicated field trip, and comparing it against other tropical butterfly hotspots, such as the large swallowtails and birdwings documented in Madagascar’s butterfly fauna, shows just how much convergent evolution has shaped large, showy forest swallowtails across the tropics.
From the toxic tiger butterflies that anchor entire mimicry complexes to the record-breaking birdwings of the Himalayas and Western Ghats, these 39 species only scratch the surface of what India’s forests, gardens, and grasslands support. Anyone curious to keep building an identification list would do well to also look into India’s varied bird species that share the same habitats, since butterfly watching and birding often go hand in hand across the country’s national parks and reserve forests.