Butterflies of Japan

Parnassius eversmanni or Eversmann's Parnassian is a high altitude butterfly which is found in East Russia, Mongolia, Japan and Alaska. It is a member of the Snow Apollo genus Parnassius of the Swallowtail (Papilionidae) family. The species was named to honour Eduard Friedrich Eversmann.

The Orange Tip (Anthocharis cardamines) is a butterfly in the Pieridine family. The given named because of the male's bright orange tips to his forewings. The males are a common sight in spring flying along hedgerows and damp meadows in search of the more reclusive female which lacks the orange. Some Orange Tip may be confused with moths. It is found across Europe, and eastwards into temperate Asia as far as Japan. The past 30 years has seen a rapid increase in the range of the Orange Tip in the UK particularly in Scotland and Ireland, probably in response to climate change.

The Chestnut Tiger (Parantica sita) is a butterfly found in India that belongs to the Crows and Tigers, that is, the Danaid group of the Brush-footed butterflies’ family. Its distributed along the Himalayas and into the Malayan region. N. Pakistan, Kashmir, N.India, Sikkim, Tibet, China, Korea, Japan, Malaya, Ussuri, Sakhalin, Indo-china. Wings elongated. Upperside of fore wing black or fuliginous is black, with the following bluish-white subhyaline markings. Antennae black; head and thorax black, spotted with white; abdomen from brown to bright ochraceous, beneath whitish.

Sasakia charonda, the Great purple emperor, is a species of butterflies in the family Nymphalidae. Wingspan of male: 50mm, female: 65 mm. Ranged distribution are Japan (from Hokkaido to Kyushu), Korean Peninsula, China, Northern Taiwan, and Northern Vietnam. This species is known as the national butterfly of Japan. Sasakia charonda is common in the forest. Adults feed on honey- dew.