As spring makes itself felt in Israel, butterflies are once again taking to the skies. These fascinating creatures remind us of the importance of protecting Israel’s unique biodiversity for future generations to enjoy.

Yet these beautiful insects face multiple threats in modern Israel. Climate change affects their breeding cycles and migration patterns, while urban development continues to shrink available habitat. Agricultural pesticide use poses additional challenges to their survival.

However, conservation efforts are gaining momentum. The recently successful initiative to protect the Tomares nesimachus butterfly through habitat restoration is a great example of those efforts, and can serve as a model for future conservation projects.

Here’s a look at nine of Israel’s most iconic butterflies:

1. Tomares nesimachus

This rare, protected species represents both the beauty and fragility of Israel’s butterfly population. Recent conservation initiatives in the Jerusalem hills focus on habitat restoration through strategic replanting of the large-fruited milk-vetch, the plant upon which this butterfly is wholly dependent. The success of the efforts have proved that you can relocate any picky eater as long as you know their one odd-and-specific safe food.

2. Plain Tiger (Danaus chrysippus)

With its impressive 8-centimeter wingspan and striking orange-and-yellow wings bordered by white-spotted black edges, the Plain Tiger (no relation to the big cat of the same name) is a year-round resident of Israel’s warmer regions. Its spectacular mass migration through the Agamon Hula Nature Reserve has become a celebrated natural phenomenon. 

3. Swallowtail (Papilio machaon)

Named for its distinctive tail-shaped hindwings, the Swallowtail belongs to a family of the world’s most beautiful butterflies. This large species, boasting an 8cm wingspan, thrives in Israel’s hilly regions from March to November, producing up to five generations annually. It also looks kind of like a dripping pat of butter, which explains why birds love to eat them.

4. Lesser Fiery Copper (Lycaena thersamon)

One of Israel’s most visually striking butterflies, this small but mighty species showcases brilliant fiery coloration. Active year-round except in winter, it can be found from the Mediterranean coast down to the Negev Desert. Its cooler brother, the Fiery Copper, is exclusively found in Australia.

5. Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus)

This small but charismatic butterfly displays marked sexual dimorphism — males sport brilliant blue wings while females tend toward brown hues. Known for territorial behavior, males actively defend their chosen areas from March through November along the Mediterranean coast — a lot like Israeli men when they find a good stretch of beach during the swimming season.

6. Long-Tailed Blue (Lampides boeticus)

Distinguished by its stunning blue coloration, this widespread species can be found throughout Israel most of the year. Like its cousin the Common Blue, male Long-Tailed Blues are known for their territorial behavior, and they probably wear sunglasses indoors.

7. Lesser Spotted Fritillary (Melitaea trivia syriaca)

With its distinctive, black-spotted orange wings spanning 3.5cm, this butterfly shows adaptability in its reproductive cycles — producing multiple generations in warmer regions and just one in cooler areas. I’m no lepidopterist, but I’d chalk that up to the fact that everyone is less willing to make babies when Jack Frost is nipping at your nose (or proboscis, as the case may be).

8. Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)

Perhaps Israel’s most fanciful butterfly, the Painted Lady has remarkable migratory abilities and an adaptable nature. Its larvae’s defensive capabilities and flexible diet have helped make it one of the world’s most widespread butterfly species. She’s so iconic that her genus and species is literally a pop-star name. I wish I were her.

9. Marbled White (Melanargia titea)

This Mediterranean native, found from southern Turkey to Israel, makes its appearance along the Israeli coast from April to June, representing the unique butterfly diversity of the region. It takes a lot of self-confidence to flutter around a town full of reds, oranges, yellows and blues wearing such a monochromatic outfit, but the Marbled White pulls it off with flying colors (or lack thereof).