Butterflies of Kenya

Butterflies of Kenya: overview

Kenya is one of the world's richest countries in butterfly diversity. More than 800 species of day-flying butterflies are recorded here — the result of equatorial climate, mountain relief (from 0 to 5,199 m), and several fundamentally different biomes.

Kakamega Forest — jewel of East Africa

Kakamega Forest in western Kenya is the only remnant of the Congolese tropical rainforest in East Africa. It covers about 240 km². Around 400 butterfly species are recorded here, many more typical of Central Africa than of East Africa. This makes Kakamega a unique entomological site.

Mountain regions

Mount Kenya and the Aberdares

On alpine meadows above 3,000 m on Mount Kenya, specialized Afro-alpine species fly: high-mountain nymphalids, Colias sulphurs, and several blues. These species occur nowhere else in the world.

Coastal forests

Coastal forests near Mombasa and the Lamu archipelago contain a mix of East African and Indo-Malayan species, explained by historical links across Indian Ocean islands. Several swallowtail species characteristic only of the East African coast occur here.