This is a list of butterflies of Russia. About 540 species are known from Russia. The butterflies (mostly diurnal) and moths (mostly nocturnal) together make up the taxonomic order Lepidoptera.
The history of lepidopterology in Russia is connected with the organization of the first Russian museum The Kunstkamera established by Peter the Great in 1714. In 1717, he purchased the collection of Albert Seba, a merchant from Amsterdam, for the new museum. In 1832 the Zoological Museum of the Imperial Academy of Sciences was separated as a distinct institution which in 1931 became the Zoological Institute of the USSR Academy of Sciences (since 1991 — Russian Academy of Sciences).
In 1859, the then director of the Zoological Museum, Johann Friedrich von Brandt was one of the founders of the Russian Entomological Society in 1859 and in St. Petersburg. Other founders were Karl Ernst von Baer, Ya. A. Kushakevich, Colonel Alexander Karlovich Manderstern, Alexander von Middendorff and Colonel of General Staff Victor Ivanovitsch Motschulsky. Another society founder was Ferdinand Morawitz. Eduard Brandt and Ferdinand Morawitz. Also important was the Moscow Society of Naturalists and increasingly the Russian Academy of Sciences and The Academy of Sciences of the USSR. From the mid-nineteenth century the main zoogeographic focus was on the Caucasus, Siberia and the Russian Far East. At the end of the nineteenth century the German entomologist Otto Staudinger financed collectors in the Far East of Russia. In the early twentieth century the results of all these endeavours were summarised in Die Gross-Schmetterlinge der Erde edited by Adalbert Seitz.
From 1925 lepidopterology was organised by The Academy of Sciences of the USSR and lists titled USSR or SSR. In 1991 The Academy of Sciences of the USSR became once again the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Notable Russian lepidopterists include Peter Simon Pallas, Johann Friedrich von Eschscholtz, Édouard Ménétries, Johann von Böber, Hugo Theodor Christoph, Alexander Yakhontov, Alexander von Nordmann, Vasily Evgrafovich Yakovlev, Victor Motschulsky, Sergei Alphéraky, Otto Vasilievich Bremer, Grigory Grum-Grshimailo, Alexei Pavlovich Fedchenko, Nicholas Mikhailovich, Nikolay Grigoryevich Erschoff, Nikolai Yakovlevich Kuznetsov, Grigory Bey-Bienko and Yuri Korshunov.
Butterflies of Russia
Hesperiidae genus: Aeromachus Aeromachus inachus (Menetries, 1859) genus: Bibasis Bibasis aquilina (Speyer, 1879) genus: Carcharodus Carcharodus alceae (Esper, ) Carcharodus flocciferus (Zeller, 1847) Carcharodus lavatherae (Esper, ) Carcharodus orientalis Reverdin, 1913 genus: Carterocephalus Carterocephalus argyrostigma (Eversmann, 1851) South Siberia Carterocephalus dieckmanni Graeser, 1888 Amur Oblast Carterocephalus palaemon (Pallas, 1771) Carterocephalus silvicola (Meigen, 1829) genus: Daimio Daimio tethys (Menetries, 1857) genus: Erynnis Erynnis montanus (Bremer, 1861) Amur Oblast Erynnis popoviana (Nordmann, 1851) Zabaykalsky, Amur Oblast Erynnis tages (Linnaeus, 1758) genus: Hesperia Hesperia comma (Linnaeus, 1758) Hesperia florinda (Butler, 1878) Pribaikalye (Siberia), Zabaykalsky genus: Heteropterus Heteropterus morpheus (Pallas, 1771) genus: Leptalina Leptalina unicolor (Bremer & Grey, 1853) genus: Lobocla Lobocla bifasciatus (Bremer & Grey, 1853) Amur Oblast, Ussuri genus: Muschampia Muschampia cribrellum (Eversmann, 1841) Muschampia gigas (Bremer, 1864) Amur Oblast Muschampia protheon (Rambur, 1858) Transbaikal Muschampia proto (Ochsenheimer, 1808) Muschampia tessellum (Hübner, ) genus: Ochlodes Ochlodes ochracea (Bremer, 1861) Amur Oblast Ochlodes subhyalina (Bremer & Grey, 1853) Amur Oblast Ochlodes sylvanus (Esper, 1777) Ochlodes venatus (Bremer & Grey, 1853) Amur Oblast, Sakhalin genus: Parnara Parnara guttatus (Bremer & Grey, 1853) genus: Polytremis Polytremis pellucida (Murray, 1875) Polytremis zina (Evans, 1932) Amur Oblast, Sakhalin genus: Potanthus Potanthus flava (Murray, 1875) genus: Pyrgus Pyrgus alveus (Нubnеr, ) Pyrgus andromedae (Wallengren, 1853) Pyrgus armoricanus Oberthur, 1910) Pyrgus carthami Hübner, ) Pyrgus centaureae (Rambur, ) Pyrgus cinarae (Rambur, ) Pyrgus jupei (Alberti, 1967) Pyrgus maculatus (Bremer & Grey, 1853) Mountains of South Siberia, Sayan Mountains, Zabaykalsky, Priamurye, Primorye Pyrgus malvae (Linnaeus, 1758) Pyrgus melotis (Duponchel, ) Pyrgus serratulae (Rambur, ) Pyrgus sibirica (Reverdin, 1911) Altai Mountains, Sayan Mountains Pyrgus sidae (Esper,) Pyrgus speyeri (Staudinger, 1887) Sayan Mountains, Pribaikalye, Zabaykalsky, Priamurye, Primorye genus: Satarupa Satarupa nymphalis (Speyer, 1879) Primorsky (Amur) genus: Spialia Spialia orbifer Hübner, ) genus: Thoressa Thoressa varia (Murray, 1875) genus: Thymelicus Thymelicus acteon (Rottemburg, 1775) Thymelicus hyrax (Lederer, 1861) European Russia South Thymelicus leonina (Butler, 1878) Thymelicus lineola (Ochsenheimer, 1808) Thymelicus sylvatica (Bremer, 1861) Amur, Ussuri Thymelicus sylvestris (Poda, 1761)
Lycaenidae genus: Agriades Agriades glandon (Prunner, 1798) Agriades optilete (Knoch, 1781) Agriades pheretiades (Eversmann, 1843) Agriades pyrenaicus (Boisduval, 1840) genus: Ahlbergia Ahlbergia aleucopuncta Johnson, 1992 Ahlbergia ferrea (Butler, 1866) Zabaykalsky Krai Ahlbergia frivaldszkyi (Lederer, 1853) Transbaikalia, Russian Far East, Kamchatka, Amur Oblast, Ussuri Ahlbergia korea Johnson, 1992 Amur Oblast, Ussuri genus: Antigius Antigius attilia (Bremer, 1861) Antigius butleri (Fenton, ) Amur Oblast, Primorye, Ussuri genus: Araragi Araragi enthea (Janson, 1877) Amur Oblast, Ussuri genus: Aricia Aricia agestis ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) Aricia anteros (Freyer, 1838) South European Russia Aricia artaxerxes (Fabricius, 1793) Aricia chinensis (Murray, 1874) Amur Oblast, Ussuri, South Siberia, Turkestan, Altai Mountains, Greater Caucasus Aricia nicias (Meigen, 1830) Aricia teberdina (Sheljuzhko, 1934) Greater Caucasus genus: Artopoetes Artopoetes pryeri (Murray, 1873) South Amur, Ussuri genus: Atara Atara arata (Bremer, 1861) Amur Oblast, Sakhalin Atara саеrulеа (Bremer & Grey, 1853) Amur Oblast genus: Athamanthia Athamanthia japhetica (Nekrutenko & Effendi, 1983) Caucasus Minor genus: Callophrys Callophrys butlerovi Migranov, 1991 South Urals Callophrys chalybeitincta Sovinsky, 1905 Caucasus Minor Callophrys rubi (Linnaeus, 1758) genus: Celastrina Celastrina argiolus (Linnaeus, 1758) Celastrina fedoseevi Korshunov & Ivonin, 1990 Transbaikalia, Amur Oblast Celastrina filipjevi (Riley, 1934) Ussuri Celastrina ladonides (de l'Orza, 1867) Celastrina oreas (Leech, 1893) Amur Oblast, Ussuri Celastrina phellodendroni Omelko, 1987 Ussuri Celastrina sugitanii (Matsumura, 1919) Sakhalin genus: Coreana Coreana raphaelis (Oberthur, 1880) genus: Cupido Cupido alcetas (Hoffmannsegg, 1804) Cupido argiades (Pallas, 1771) Cupido decolorata (Staudinger, 1886) South European Russia Cupido minimus (Fuessly, 1775) Cupido osiris (Meigen, 1829) genus: Cyaniris Cyaniris bellis (Freyer, ) Caucasus Minor Cyaniris semiargus (Rottemburg, 1775) genus: Eumedonia Eumedonia eumedon (Esper, ) genus: Favonius Favonius aquamarinus (Dubatolov & Sergeev, 1987) Ussuri Favonius cognatus (Staudinger, 1892) Sakhalin Favonius jezoensis (Matsumura, 1915) Sakhalin, Kuril Island Favonius korshunovi (Dubatolov & Sergeev, 1982) Sayan Mountains Favonius orientalis (Murray, 1875) Amur Oblast, Ussuri Favonius saphirinus (Staudinger, 1887) Favonius taxila (Bremer, 1861) Favonius ultramarinus (Fixsen, 1887) Ussuri genus: Glabroculus Glabroculus cyane (Eversmann, 1837) South Siberia, Sayan Mountains, Altai Range genus: Glaucopsyche Glaucopsyche alexis (Poda, 1761) Glaucopsyche argali (Elwes, 1899) Altai Range Glaucopsyche lycormas (Butler, 1866) Amur Oblast, Sakhalin Glaucopsyche lygdamus (Doubleday, 1841) genus: Goldia Goldia pacifica (Dubatolov & Korshunov, 1984) genus: Japonica Japonica adusta (Riley, 1930) Primorsky Krai Japonica lutea (Hewitson, ) Amur Oblast, Ussuri, Sakhalin Japonica saepestriata (Hewitson, ) genus: Kretania Kretania eurypilus (Freyer, 1851) Caucasus Minor Kretania pylaon (Fischer von Waldheim, 1832) Kretania sephirus (Frivaldszky, 1835) South European Russia Kretania zephyrinus (Christoph, 1884) Caucasus Major, Caucasus Minor genus: Lampides Lampides boeticus (Linnaeus, 1767) genus: Leptotes Leptotes pirithous (Linnaeus, 1767) genus: Lycaena Lycaena alciphron (Rottemburg, 1775) Lycaena candens (Herrich-Schäffer, ) Caucasus Minor Lycaena dispar (Haworth, 1802) Lycaena helle ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) Lycaena hippothoe (Linnaeus, 1761) Lycaena phlaeas (Linnaeus, 1761) Lycaena thersamon (Esper, ) Lycaena tityrus (Poda, 1761) Lycaena violacea (Staudinger, 1892) Altai Mountains, Sayan Mountains, Transbaikalia Lycaena virgaureae (Linnaeus, 1758) genus: Lysandra Lysandra arzanovi (Stradomsky & Shchurov, 2005) Lysandra bellargus (Rottemburg, 1775) Lysandra coridon (Poda, 1761) Lysandra corydonius (Herrich-Schäffer, ) Caucasus Major, Caucasus Minor Lysandra melamarina Dantchenko, 2000 genus: Neolycaena Neolycaena davidi (Oberthur, 1881) South Siberia, Altai Range Neolycaena falkovitchi Zhdanko & Korshunov, 1985 North Altai Range, West Sayan Mountains Neolycaena irkuta Zhdanko, East Altai Range, East Sayan Mountains, West Transbaikalia Neolycaena rhymnus (Eversmann, 1832) genus: Neolysandra Neolysandra coelestina (Eversmann, 1843) South European Russia genus: Neozephyrus Neozephyrus brillantinus (Staudinger, 1887) Ussuri Neozephyrus japonicus (Murray, 1875) Amur Oblast, Ussuri Neozephyrus smaragdinus (Bremer, 1861) Ussuri, Sakhalin genus: Niphanda Niphanda fusca (Bremer & Grey, 1852) Ussuri genus: Patricius Patricius lucifer (Staudinger, 1867) South Siberia (mountains) genus: Phengaris Phengaris alcon ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) Phengaris arion (Linnaeus, 1758) Phengaris arionides (Staudinger, 1887) Phengaris cyanecula (Eversmann, 1848) South Siberia, Sayan Mountains, Altai Range Phengaris kurentzovi (Sibatani, Saigusa & Hirowatari, 1994) Amur Oblast, Ussuri Phengaris nausithous (Bergstrasser, 1779) Phengaris ogumae (Matsumura, 1910) Sakhalin Phengaris teleius (Bergstrasser, 1779) genus: Plebejidea Plebejidea loewii (Zeller, 1847) Caucasus Minor genus: Plebejus Plebejus argus (Linnaeus, 1758) Plebejus argyrognomon (Bergstrasser, ) Plebejus idas (Linnaeus, 1761) Plebejus maracandicus (Erschoff, 1874) Southwest Russia, South Urals, Transbaikalia, Yakutia Magadan Plebejus polaris (Nordström, 1928) Kamchatka Plebejus pseudaegon (Butler, 1881) Sakhalin Plebejus sailjugemicus Zhdanko & Samodurov, 1999 Russian Far East, Kamchatka, Altai Range Plebejus saldaitisi Churkin & Zhdanko, 2003 Mongolia Plebejus subsolanus Eversmann, 1851 Amur Oblast, Ussuri, Altai Range, Sayan Mountains genus: Polyommatus Polyommatus altivagans (Forster, 1956) Polyommatus amandus (Schneider, 1792) Polyommatus aserbeidschanus (Forster, 1956) Polyommatus australorossicus Lukhtanov & Dantchenko, 2017 Polyommatus boisduvalii (Herrich-Schäffer, ) Caucasus Polyommatus damocles (Herrich-Schäffer, ) South Urals Polyommatus damon ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) Polyommatus damone (Eversmann, 1841) South European Russia, Siberia, Altai range, Caucasus Polyommatus daphnis ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) Polyommatus dorylas ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) Polyommatus elena Stradomsky & Arzanov, 1999 Polyommatus eros (Ochsenheimer, ) Polyommatus erotides (Staudinger, 1892) Russian Far East, Siberia, Transbaikalia, Altai Range, Sayan Mountains Polyommatus icadius (Grum-Grshimailo, 1890) Alai Range, Pamirs Polyommatus icarus (Rottemburg, 1775) Polyommatus kamtshadalis (Sheljuzhko, 1933) Polyommatus meoticus Zhdanko & Stshurov, 1998 Caucasus Polyommatus pacificus Stradomsky & Tuzov, 2006 Polyommatus phyllis (Christoph, 1877) Caucasus Polyommatus ripartii (Freyer, 1830) Polyommatus shamil (Dantchenko, 2000) Northeast Caucasus Polyommatus shchurovi Stradomsky, 2006 Caucasus