Cayman Islands Butterflies

Cayman Islands Butterfly Families

Milkweed butterflies - DANAIDAE, Brush-footed Butterflies - NYMPHALIDAE,
Long-wing butterflies - HELICONIIDAE,  Hairstreaks and Blue butterflies - LYCAENIDAE,
White butterflies and Sulphurs - PIERIDAE, Swallowtail butterflies - PAPILIONIDAE, Skippers - HESPERIIDAE
Ann Stafford Jan. 2006

Plants needed by some common Cayman butterflies – 
larval (caterpillar) food plant/host plants:

if the plants disappear, so will the butterflies.

Larval Food-plants and Nectar Flowers are listed on pages 148 to 157 of  
Butterflies of the Cayman Islands book.

Some Cayman Butterflies and their larval food plants.
P. Ann van B. Stafford



CaymANNature Butterflies, Moths and their Plants 
 

Butterflies of the Cayman Islands book launch 

at the National Trust for the Cayman Islands
L to R: Gina Ebanks-Petrie, Ann Stafford, Letitia Askew, Frank Balderamos, 

Richard Askew, Mat DaCosta-Cottam, Feb. 23, 2009 
The book is available locally at the
National Trust Visitor Centre, Dart Family Park, South Church St, Grand Cayman - 
US$30.00 or CI$24.00  

Butterflies of the Cayman Islands book launch at the National Trust for the Cayman Islands
L to R: Janice Brown, Richard Askew, Denise Bodden, Ann Stafford, Frank Balderamos,
Feb. 23, 2009. Photo: Letitia Askew

Monarch, Queen and Soldiers butterflies -
Danaus plexippus, D. gilippus and D. eresimus showing the differences.
Grand Cayman, P. Ann van B. Stafford Jan. 2006  

Queen or Soldier larvae, Danaus sp. on Red Top (Scarlet Milkweed) -
Asclepias curassavica, their larval food plant.
Grand Cayman, photo: P. Ann van B. Stafford, Dec. 24, 2006.

Queen - Danaus gilippus, Family: DANAIDAE,
nectaring on Red Top (Scarlet Milkweed) - Asclepias curassavica.
Photo: P.  Ann van B. Stafford, Grand Cayman, Nov. 21, 2004.

Soldier - Danaus eresimus tethys, Family: DANAIDAE,
nectaring on Velvet Plant - Gynura aurantiaca.
Grand Cayman. Photo: Ann Stafford, Nov. 25, 2002.

  

Nature Tours

NATURE TOURS Grand Cayman in air-conditioned car, flexible pick-up points. Explore different vegetation zones and habitats with Ann Stafford, knowledgeable guide and Cayman native plant expert. See culturally significant plants & places, birds, butterflies & more.

Butterflies Unique to Cayman

The Cayman Islands hosts  five endemic subspecies of butterflies:

Cayman Brown Leaf  Butterfly Memphis verticordia danielana (GC and LC)
Cayman Pygmy Blue Brephidium exilis thompsoni (GC only)
Cayman Lucas’s  Blue  Hemiargus ammon erembis (GC only)
Cayman Julia, Flambeau Dryas iulia zoe (all three islands)
Cayman Swallowtail  Heraclides  andraemon taylori (GC only)

Cayman Islands Department of the Environment