This web site is dedicated to anyone who is interested in Japanese butterflies
or who loves the beauties of nature. I welcome anyone who happens to visit
my site and I'm sure he or she will have an interest in the butterflies
and nature.
There are about 250 species (8 families) of butterflies in Japan. They include subtropical butterflies and subarctic ones in addition to the temperate zone ones because Japan is located between 20 degrees and 46 degrees north latitude. Japan comprises four major islands whose names are Kyushu, Shikoku, Honshu, and Hokkaido from south to north in order, and many small islands (Japan Map ).
The climate in Japan varies according to the seasons and the islands. About
seventy three percent of the land area is mountainous. Therefore, there
are various species of butterflies for the narrow nation's land.
Lycaeides subsolanus iburiensis BUTLER
(Japanese name: Ishidashijimi)
New Photos of This Month
Shirozua jonasi JANSON
(Japanese name:Mumonakashijimi)
Butterfly Website Best Nature
Sites Award
Acknowledgment
I'd like to thank Dr. Mitsumasa Kawata for sharing his general knowledge about butterflies,
Dr. Kazunobu Maeda who shared his enthusiasm for butterflies and inspired me to collect them,
and finally Mr.Yukio Tateiwa, Mr. Hiroshi Hosonuma and the members of Hokkaido Insect Lovers'
Society and especially Mr. Sadatoshi Honma, Mr. Masaaki Samusawa and Dr. Noriyuki Hishikawa
for their help.
(Renewal in July, 2001)
(By Masamitsu Mori)