In Sardinia 57 of the 276 diurnal butterfly species present in Italy are resident; 8 of these are indigenous species or, at least, Sardo-Corsican. A further 6 live in confined areas, such as the islands of Capraia, Elba and, of course, Sardinia, the only exception to this rule being western Liguria.

Examples of endemic or Sardinian-Corsican cross-breeds are the satiride Maniola Nurag, the nymphalidi Aglais ichnusa and annulled Argynnis, the licenids Pseudophilotes barbagiae and Aricia cramera, the pieride Euchloe insularis, the esperide sialia therapne and the rare papilionideses Papilio hospiton.

Within Italy the satirides Hipparchia aristaeus and Hipparchia neomeris and the licedine Lycaeides corsica only inhabit Sardinia and the island of Elba; the satirides Coenonympha corinna and Lasiommata tigelius Sardinia and the island of Capraia and the peirede Pieris daplidice, besides dwelling in Sardinia can also be found in Western Liguria.

On this page we inventory the data of the above mentioned 14 species and we recommend you to visit the "field guide" with the photo gallery, which, thanks to the kindness of macrophotography expert Salvatore Spano, offers a series of informative and artistic tracking shots, allowing you to experience, right from the larva stage, the life of diurnal butterflies present in Sardinia.

Diffusion in Italy: Sardinia.	Length of fore wing: 17-28 mm.
Habitat: Xerotermofile species, found on Grasslands and in open spaces in basin up to 1000m above sea level.	Annual propagation: Once a year with emergence from the cocoon in May-June.

Colour brown. Fore wings black ocellus patch with white spots between first and second median venation, blackish androconial patch behind cubital venation and extended orange postdiscal band, criss-crossed by venations and fading away towards the base of the wing.

Hind wings with traces of postdiscal orange band of varying extensions criss-crossed by venations.

Diffusion in Italy: Sardinia and Elba.	Length of fore wing: 24-29 mm.
Habitat: Woods, glades and exposed slopes in basin, rising to 1600m above sea level.	Annual propagation: Once a year with emergence from the cocoon in July-August .

Orange colour with wide bordering and grey venations. Fore wings with greyish tinges and extended grey androconial patch. Black apical patch with white spots between the first and second median venations with smaller patches between the first and second cubitus.

Hind wings with greyish irridescence, leaving postdiscal space between first and second median cubitus uncovered. Black ocellus patch between first and second cubital venations.

Diffusion in Italy: Sardinia and Elba.	Length of fore wing: 23-26 mm.
Habitat: Glades, shallow woods and exposed slopes of the basin, rising between 400- 1700m above sea level.	Annual propagation: Once a year with emergence from the cocoon in July.

Dark brown colour with a orange-yellow postmedian strip, interrupted by venations and tinged with brown towards top of fore wings, where black, subapical ocellus patch present with white spotting.

Diffusion in Italy: Sardinia and island of Capraia.	Length of fore wing: 11-15 mm.
Habitat: Grasslands and bush in basin, reaching up to approx 1400m above sea level.	Annual propagation: Twice a year with emergence from the cocoon in June-July and August-September.

Orange fore wings with blackish outer border, extending a little onto the venations and surrounded by a small black apical patch ringed with orange. Hind wings orange with blackish costal shading.

Diffusion in Italy: Sardinia and island of Capraia.	Length of fore wing: 18-21 mm.
Habitat: Xerotermofile species, found in grassy areas and exposed slopes of basin up to 900m above sea level.	Annual propagation: Three emergences from the cocoon in March-April, July and August-September.

Orange colour with blackish double linear margin. Fore wings with large blackish androconial patch extending across wing, venations and transversal patterning forming design. Black ocellar patch with white pupils, in apical area.

PHind wings with base and discal areas obscured by grey, and several black, postdiscal ocellus patches spotted white.

Diffusion in Italy: Sardinia.	Length of fore wing: 22-24 mm.
Habitat: Euricora species found in different environments from plains to mountains up to 1500m a.s.l.	Annual propagation: Once a year with emergence from the cocoon in July-August.

Wings corrugated, each with pointed projection corresponding to first median venation of fore wings and third median of the hind. Red-orange colour with black submarginal border containing bright blue areas. Fore wings with yellowish black base, costal areas yellow, small white

subapical space, black design without postdiscal patching. Hind wings with large yellowish black basal area.

Diffusion in Italy: Sardinia.	Length of fore wing: 22-27 mm.
Habitat: Grassy areas of basin rising from 700 to 1800m above sea level.	Annual propagation: Once a year with emergence from the cocoon in July.

Orange colour with light greyish tinges towards the base with tiny patches of black patterning.

Diffusion in Italy: Sardinia.	Length of fore wing: 10-11 mm.
Habitat: Xerotermofile species, frequents rocky slopes Of the mountain basin from 800 to 1500m a.s.l.	Annual propagation: Once a year with emergence from the cocoon in May-July.

Brown colour with base shading of violet-blue and black discocellular streaks. Black and white checked borders.

Diffusion in Italy: Sardinia.	Length of fore wing: 11-15 mm.
Habitat: Xerotermofile species, found in grassy areas and open slopes of basin, rising to around 1700m a.s.l.	Annual propagation: Three a year with emergences from the cocoon in April-May, July and and August-September.

Dark brown colour with full submarginal covering of bright orange. Black discocellular marking on fore wings.

Diffusion in Italy: Sardinia and Elba.	Length of fore wing: 12-14 mm.
Habitat: Macereti of the mountain basin from 900 to 1800m above sea level.	Annual propagation: Once a year with emergence from the cocoon in June-July.

Dark violet-blue colour with large black borders and greyish fringes.

Diffusion in Italy: Sardinia.	Length of fore wing: 18-22 mm.
Habitat: Grasslands and exposed slopes to mountain basin, reaching 800mfrom sea level.	Annual propagation: Possible two emergences a year from March to May-June.

White colour. Fore wings with black discocellular patches extending along subcostal venation and black apical patches spaced with white. Patterning of underwing visible through hind wings.

Diffusion in Italy: Sardinia and western Liguria.	Length of fore wing: 19-25 mm.
Habitat: Euricora species found in different environments Of basin up to around 1000m above sea level.	Annual propagation: Four emergences from the cocoon in March-April, June, July-August and September-October.

White colour with black discocellular patches on fore wings with black or grey patterning towards apex. Underwing markings visible through hind wings.

Diffusion in Italy: Sardinia.	Length of fore wing: 34-40 mm.
Habitat: Grassy areas and open spaces of basin and mountain regions,reaching up to 1600m above sea level.	Annual propagation: Once a year with emergence from the cocoon from March to June.

Yellow colouring with venations and extensive black transversal patterning. Postdiscal band containing yellow tinges on fore wings and blue patches on hind. Orange half-moon patch at anal corner of hind. External border Of hind slightly corrugated with short tail, corresponding to third median venation.

Diffusion in Italy: Sardinia.	Length of fore wing: 9-10 mm.
Habitat: Glades and grasslands of flat areas and mountain basin, climbing to 1500m above sea level.	Annual propagation: Two emergences from the cocoon in May-June and August.

Fore wings: Blacky-brown with blotches of ochre-white, small but well defined. No costal-androconial folding. Hind wings: Blacky-brown colour with small white areas.