How Many Butterfly Species Live in the Sonoran Desert?

The Sonoran Desert is bounded to the north by the Mogollon Rim, to the west by the southeastern corner of California and down into Baja California, and to the south by Sonora, Mexico.

There are over 250 species of butterflies in the Sonoran Desert. This rich butterfly diversity is due in part to the varied topography in this desert, which supports a wide variety of microclimates and plant distributions.

A significant number of butterflies are influx species, meaning they enter the Sonoran Desert from other deserts, thorn scrub habitats and mountain ranges. The combination of indigenous and influx species account for the high number of species and make for great butterfly watching.

Butterflies play important roles in the ecosystem. Their larval and adult forms are an important part of the food web and many help pollinate plants. Since they experience comparable environmental pressures and are easy to observe, butterflies are excellent bioindicators of environmental health.

For more information, and butterfly photos:

• PollinatorWeb Butterflies
• Desert Museum Butterflies
• McDowell Sonoran Conservancy
• Arizonensis Sonoran Desert Lepidoptera

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