Some of My Favourite Butterflies and the Watercolour Paintings they Inspired
These are some of the butterflies I’ve painted, not all of them, but definitely some of my favourites! I’m drawn to butterflies for their powerful symbolism and their incredible variety of colour, pattern, and personality.
Below you’ll find quick facts about each one (like family, habitat, and standout features), alongside the watercolour butterfly paintings they inspired: a little mix of art and nature for fellow butterfly lovers and nature-inspired artists.
Blushing Phantom (Cithaerias pireta)
FAMILY: Nymphalidae
DISTRIBUTION + HABITAT: Humid, shaded rainforest understory; found across parts of Central and South America, including Mexico, Colombia, and Ecuador (often noted west of the Andes).
WINGSPAN: 4 - 5 centimetres
FEATURES: Crepuscular butterflies seen mostly at dusk. Transparent wings with soft blush tones and “false eye” markings that may serve as a deterrent for any predator.
Malachite (Siproeta stelenes)
FAMILY: Nymphalidae
DISTRIBUTION + HABITAT: Forest margins, clearings, and sunny edges of tropical forest. Found from Mexico through Central America and into northern South America.
WINGSPAN: 8 - 10 centimetres
FEATURES: Dark wings with striking green “mosaic” patches, named after the malachite mineral. The underside is primarily golden brown and olive green. Malachites are known to gather in groups at times, and they’re often seen feeding on fruit.
Blue Morpho (Morpho menelaus)
FAMILY: Nymphalidae
DISTRIBUTION + HABITAT: Neotropical rainforest and forest edges in northern South America; commonly noted from Venezuela to Brazil (and nearby regions).
WINGSPAN: 12-14 centimetres
FEATURES: Electric, iridescent blue upper wings, while the underside is brown for camouflage. The colour comes from the way light reflects off microscopic, diamond-shaped scales, not from pigment.
Esmeralda (Cithaerias esmeralda)
FAMILY: Nymphalidae
DISTRIBUTION + HABITAT: Dark, shaded rainforest areas; recorded in Brazil and Peru.
WINGSPAN: 5 centimetres
FEATURES: Mostly transparent wings with a vivid violet/purple patch on the hindwing, plus a small eyespot. Often described as a dusk-flyer that keeps to the darker parts of the forest.
Paper Kite / Tree Nymph (Idea leuconoe)
FAMILY: Nymphalidae
DISTRIBUTION + HABITAT: Tropical/coastal habitats and lowland forests across Southeast Asia; found in areas including Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and the Ryukyu Islands (reports vary by region/subspecies).
WINGSPAN: 10-12 centimetres
FEATURES: Large pale wings with crisp black veining and spots; slow, floating “kite-like” flight. One of its most curious traits? It can move its head from side to side, a rare skill in the butterfly world.
Morpho Cypris (Morpho cypris)
FAMILY: Nymphalidae
DISTRIBUTION + HABITAT: Tropical rainforest; recorded from Panama and Nicaragua down to Colombia.
WINGSPAN: 12 - 14 centimetres
FEATURES: Famous for its glossy, jewel-like blue wings and regarded as one of the most beautiful butterflies in the world. Its name “Cypris” is a reference to Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty.
Great Orange-tip (Hebomoia glaucippe)
FAMILY: Pieridae
DISTRIBUTION + HABITAT: Forest edges, sunny clearings, and tropical woodland across South and Southeast Asia; recorded in places such as India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, parts of Indonesia, southern China, and Japan.
WINGSPAN: 7 - 10 centimetres
FEATURES: Soft pale wings with bold orange tips (especially striking in flight). Many orange-tips are also surprisingly “invisible” when resting on the ground, thanks to underside patterns that mimic the surface of a dead leaf.
Amber Phantom (Haetera piera)
FAMILY: Nymphalidae
DISTRIBUTION + HABITAT: Shaded rainforest understory; recorded in parts of northern South America including Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Venezuela, and the Guianas.
WINGSPAN: 4 - 5 centimetres
FEATURES: Highly transparent wings with warm amber-brown veins and delicate eyespots, which help it melt into the low, dim rainforest light.
Yellow Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni)
FAMILY: Pieridae
DISTRIBUTION + HABITAT: Woodland edges, hedgerows, scrubby grassland, and parks across much of Europe and into parts of western Asia.
WINGSPAN: 6-7 centimetres
FEATURES: Soft greenish-yellow wings and excellent camouflage. When it rests with wings closed, it can look uncannily like a leaf. Ever wondered where the word butterfly comes from? Some believe it all started with this one, once known as the “butter-coloured fly”.
Orange Migrant Catopsilia scylla)
FAMILY: Pieridae
DISTRIBUTION + HABITAT: Warm, open habitats and gardens across Southeast Asia and Australasia, including records from Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia and northern Australia.
WINGSPAN: 5–7 cm centimetres
FEATURES: Warm yellow-orange tones, especially noticeable on the underside. A strong, fast flyer that can travel long distances. In some regions, it appears in seasonal “waves” as groups move to find fresh food plants and suitable weather.
