description Map Butterfly Overview
The map butterfly, Araschnia levana, is a Eurasian member of the brush-footed butterfly family Nymphalidae. It exhibits marked seasonal dimorphism: spring adults are predominantly orange with dark markings, whereas the summer generation is mostly dark with a broad white band. The caterpillars feed primarily on stinging nettle, and adults are typically encountered along woodland edges, clearings, hedgerows, and other moist, sheltered habitats.
help Map Butterfly FAQ
Why does the Map Butterfly change color by season?
Araschnia levana has seasonal dimorphism: spring adults are mainly orange with dark markings, while the summer generation is much darker with a broad white band. The difference is a seasonal form of the same Eurasian species, not two separate map butterflies.
What plant do Map Butterfly caterpillars eat?
The main larval food plant is stinging nettle, especially Urtica dioica. That makes nettle patches an important clue when looking for the species' breeding habitat in Europe and temperate Asia.
Where is the Map Butterfly found?
The Map Butterfly is a Eurasian species distributed across Europe and parts of temperate Asia. Its scientific name is Araschnia levana, and the spring and summer forms can look so different that range and season matter for identification.
Why is it called the Map Butterfly?
The name refers to the pale, map-like network of lines visible on the underside of its wings. The species still shows the orange spring form and dark, white-banded summer form, so the name is only one part of its identification.
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