Are there green butterflies?
Yes, there are green butterflies, but they are not very common.
Some of the most commonly sighted species with green coloration include the Green Hairstreak and Green-veined White.
Probably the most common green species is the Green hairstreak (Callophrys Rubi). Its wingspan is about 3/4 of an inch, and it can be found in North America and Europe. A number of other butterfly species also have a bright green color, including the longhorn hairstreak (Satyrium Titus), the banded hairstreak (Satyrium Calanus), and the northern metalmark (Calephelis Borealis).
While butterflies and moths are related insects, butterflies generally have a more colorful appearance than their moth counterparts. The average butterfly has four brightly colored wings covered in scales. Butterfly wings can come in a variety of different colors, such as red, orange, yellow, blue, and green.
Species of green butterflies
The color of the wings varies from species to species, but the typical green color is due to a number of tiny scales that cover the upper side of the wings. These scales are composed of a protein called chitin, and they are embedded in a membranous tissue.
There are different types of green butterflies that fly around all over the world. The most common ones are listed below:
- Common Olivewing
Its scientific name is Siproeta Stelenes, and it inhabits regions around Mexico, Central America, South America, and Cuba. The male has vibrant green wings with a yellow border, whereas the female has brown wings with white spots on them. The olive wing butterflies have a wingspan of about 4 inches and can be found in tropical rainforests.
- Cloudless Sulphur
The sulfur butterfly, also known as the cloudless sulfur butterfly, is a large yellow butterfly that can be found throughout most of the mainland United States. It is most common in the eastern US and southern portions of the Western US, but it has been spotted as far north as Canada. The name of its genus is from the sister of the Greek god Apollo. The species name is from the genus of its favorite host plants, a pea family member.
- Emerald Swallowtail
This butterfly is found in parts of Asia, including India, China, Japan, and Taiwan. Its scientific name is Papilio Palinurus, and it has a beautiful combination of green and black on its wings.
- Green Hairstreak
The Green Hairstreak is a small butterfly found in England and Wales. It has green undersides with a streak of red, and the wings are green on top and brown underneath.
- Tailed Jay
The Tailed Jay is a large butterfly of the southern United States. It has brown and orange wings, with a blue fringe at the tips.
- Philaethria dido
This Central American butterfly has yellow-green to olive wings and orange spots on the hindwings.
- Common Green Birdwing
The Common Green Birdwing is a large butterfly found throughout South East Asia. It has green wings with black veins, silver and red spots, and yellow stripes along the edges of the wings.
Are green butterflies rare?
Green butterflies are rare around the world. The reasons for their scarcity may be due to pigments fading. Grasshoppers and plant bugs possess ‘natural’ green insect pigments that tend to fade with age due to being chemically altered by light. It’s speculated that the only reason green butterflies don’t fade is that they get their pigment from the chlorophyll they consume from eating plants such as caterpillars.
Therefore, Green is a much rarer color for butterflies than it is for birds, with very few species displaying the hue. Green coloration in butterflies tends to appear in both males and females and can help conceal the butterfly amongst its environment, making it less susceptible to predators. Much like green-colored birds, green butterflies also have a variety of meanings related to their coloration.
