Common evening brown butterfly, Melanitis ledaWe are not experts on Madagascar invertebrates. If we have misidentified something or if you know the species names for something we could not identify, contact us and we will correct it.
Butterflies and moths: Madagascar has 297 species of butterflies, 210 of which are endemic. Most of them are diurnal. And it also has 268 known moth species, mostly nocturnal.
Common evening brown butterfly, Melanitis leda
Walker's owl moth, Erebus walkeri
Common eggfly, Hypolimnas bolina
Snout moth, <TBS>
Madagascar giant swallowtail butterfly, Pharmacophagus antenor
Citrus swallowtail butterfly, Papilio demodocus
Metalmark butterfly, Saribia tepahi, endemic to Madagascar
Dark grass blue (African grass blue), Zizeeria knysna, is found in Africa, Cyprus, and the Iberian Peninsula.
Common smoky blue (smoky bean Cupid), Euchrysops malathana, is found in southwestern Arabia, Africa south of the Sahara, and Madagascar.
Vestal moth, Rhodometra sacraria
Small grass yellow, Eurema brigitta, is found in India, Australia, and Africa.
Plain tiger (African monarch), Danaus chrysippus orientis, is very common, found in Asia, Africa, and southern Europe.
mating Red tail moths, Hypopyra megalesia
Malagasy leaf commodore, Precis eurodoce, endemic to Madagascar
African swallowtail (mocker swallowtail, flying handkerchief), Papilio dardanus, found throughout sub-Saharan Africa
Satyr butterfly, probably Heteropsis subsimilis
Reunion snouted tiger moth, Chiromachla insulare
Small salmon arab butterfly, Colotis amata
Common leopard (spotted rustic), Phalanta phalanta aethiopica, found in sub-Saharan Africa and southern Asia. They love sun and avoid shade.
Common zebra blue, Leptotes pirithous
Zebra blue, Leptotes rabefaner
Glasswings:
Acraea ranavalona, found in Madagascar and Comoros.
Acraea lia, found in Madagascar, Comoros, Mayotte, and Ajouan in grasslands.
Brilliant blue, Juonia rhadama, is found in Madagascar, Mauritius, Rodrigues, Reunion, and Astove Island in the Seychelles.
Magpie moth, Nyctemera cf insulare
Graphium cyrnus is found in Madagascar forests.
Zebra blue, Leptotes sp.
Anthene princeps smithii
brush-footed butterfly, <TBS>
Heteropsis andasibe
Forest queen, Aterica rabena, endemic to Madagascar
Meadow brown butterfly, Maniola jurtin
Common evening brown butterfly, Melanitis leda
Tear-drinking moth, Hemiceratoides hieroglyphica, endemic to Madagascar
Madagascar forest nymph, Aterica rabena
Silk moth, <TBS>
Bees and wasps:
[unidentified]
Malagasy honey bee, Apis mellifera unicolor, an endemic subspecies
Olive Large Carpenter Bee, Xylocopa olivacea
Cloak-and-Dagger Bee, Thyreus sp.
Thread-waisted wasp, Ammophila sp.
Needle-waisted paper wasp, Belonogaster sp.
Parasitoid wasp, <TBS>
Ants: Madagascar is home to over 1300 ant species.
Malagasy carpenter ant, Camponotus sp.
Acrobat ants, Crematogaster sp.
Harvester ants, Aphaenogaster swammerdami, endemic to Madagascar
[unidentified ants]
Grasshoppers:
Variegated grasshopper, Zonocerus variegatus
[unidentified grasshopper]
[unidentified bird grasshopper nymph]
Phymateus saxosus
Flatid leaf bugs:
Nymph of flatid leaf bug (flower-spike bug), Flatida rosea
Flatid leaf bugs, Phromnia sp., adults and nymphs. The nymphs exude a white waxy substance that grows up from the animal like wispy feathers.
Dragonflies and damselflies: nearly 95% of the damselfly species found in Madagascar are endemic
female common citril, Ceriagrion glabrum
[unidentified spreadwing damselfly]
Red-striped black bambootail damselfly, Prodasineura verticalis
Silver widow dragonfly, Palpopleura vestita
Clubtail dragonfly, <TBS>
[unidentified]
male Broad scarlet, Crocothemis erythraea
Violet dropwing, Trithemis annulata
male Violet dropwing, Trithemis annulata
female (left) and male (right) coral-tailed cloudwing, Tholymis tillarga
male Madagascar jungle skimmer, Thermorthemis madagascariensis, endemic to Madagascar
[unidentified skimmer]
Crickets:
bush cricket, <TBS>
camel (cave) cricket, <TBS>
Bush cricket, <TBS>
Humpback cricket, <TBS>
Stick insects: Madagacar has over seventy species (four main groups) of stick insects, many of which are endemic.
Pink winged (Madagascan) stick insect, Sipyloidea sipylus
stick insect, <TBS>
stick insect, <TBS>
head of stick insect, <TBS>
Stick insect, <TBS>
Flies:
Metallic blowflies, Chrysomya sp.
Vinegar (fruit) flies, <TBS>
[unidentified fly]
Praying mantis:
Madagascan Marbled Mantis, Polyspilota aeruginosa
Water strider: many water striders are endemic to Madagascar
[unidentified water strider]
Katydids:
Conehead katydid, <TBS>
Katydid nymph, <TBS>
Caterpillars:
caterpillar of a Death's-head Hawkmoth, Acherontia atropos
Geometrid moth caterpillar, <TBS>
unidentified moth caterpillar, <TBS>
caterpillar of the Madagascar bullseye moth (Suraka silk moth), Antherina suraka
Beetles:
Malagasy jewel beetle, <TBS>
Shining darkling beetle, Strongylium sp.
Shiny spider beetle, Gibbium sp.
Longhorn beetle, <TBS>
Cockroaches:
Asian cockroach, Blattella asahinai
Weevils:
Weevil, Aphiocephalus guerini
The giraffe weevil, Trachclophorus giraffa, is endemic to Madagascar. The neck of the male is two or three times longer than that of the female and is used in nest bulding and fighting.
Bugs:
Soapberry bug, Leptocoris sp.
Nymph of assassin bug, <TBS>
Assassin bug, <TBS>
Nymph of red bug (cotton stainer), <TBS>
Other insects:
Crane fly, <TBS>
Non-biting midge, <TBS>
Spiders: Most Madagascar spiders are endemic.
Golden silk orb-weaver spider, Trichonephila inaurata
Coquerel's Garden Orb-weaver, Argiope coquereli
Long-jawed orb-weavers, Leucauge sp.
Huntsman spiders, <TBS>
unidentified orb-weaver spider, <TBS>
Vigilant spotted orbweaver, Neoscona vigilans
Madagascar Hermit Spider, Nephilingis livida, endemic to Madagascar and neighboring islands
Tropical tent-web spider, Cyrtophora citricola
Orchard spider, Leucauge sp.
Mirror spider, <TBS>
Bark crab spider, <TBS>
Furrow orb-weaver, <TBS>
Nursery-web spider, <TBS>
Funnel-web spider, <TBS>
Wasp spider, Argiope coquereli
Madagascar Hermit spider, Nephilingis livida, found in Madagascar, the Seychelles, and Comoros
Hermit spider, <TBS>
Spitting spider, Scytodes sp.
Dewdrop spider, Argyrodes sp.
[unidentified spider]
Dew-drop spider, Argyrodes sp.
[unidentified spider]
[unidentified orb-weaver spiders]
Pan-tropical hermit spider, Nephilengys cruentata
Darwin's bark spider, Caerostris darwini (female, right)
[unidentified harvestman]
Orchard (silver vlei) spider, Leucauge sp.
[unidentified orbweavers]
Long-spinnered bark spider, <TBS>
Madagascar Red-legged golden orb-weaver, Trichonephila inaurata
Orbweaver, Neoscona sp.
Hackled orb-weaver, Uloborus sp.
Malagasy pirate spider, Mimetus sp.
Dark brown widow, Lactrodectus obscurior
Green lynx spider, Peucitia madagascariensis
Jumping spider, Beata lineata
Wolf spider, Lycosa madagascariensis
Wolf spider, Arctosa atroventrosa, is nocturnal.
Viridasius fasciatus, noctural and endemic to Madagascar
Northern golden orb weaver (giant golden orb weaver), Nephila pilipes malagassa
Leaf-curling sac spiders, Clubiona hofmanni
Spiny orb-weaver, <TBS>
Long-winged kite spider, Gasteracantha versicolor, is found in southern, eastern, and central Africa as well as Madagascar.
Net-throwing spider (net-casting spider, gladiator spider, ogre-faced spider), Asianopis madagascariensis, endemic
[unidentified spiders]
[unidentified spider]
[unidentified spider]
Snails: nearly 99% of Madagascar's land snails are endemic
Magnificent helicophanta, Helicophanta magnifica
Red semi-slug, Kalidos sp.
Millipedes:
Giant millipede, <TBS>
Madagascan fire millipede, Aphistogoniulus corallipes
Giant African millipede, Archispirostreptus gigas
Pill millipedes (Sphaerotherium sp.):
Giant pill millipede, Zoosphaerium neptunus
[unidentified pill millipede]
[unidentified pill millipede]
Scorpions are the only dangerous animals on Madagascar. All Madagascar scorpions are endemic.
Madagascan Flat Scorpion (large-clawed scorpion), Opisthacanthus madagascariensis
Teruelius flavopiceus
Grosphus palpator
Crabs: All freshwater crabs found in Madagascar are endemic.
[unidentified crabs]
Madagascar forest crab, <TBS>
Giant mangrove crab, Cardisoma carnifex
Tree-climbing crabs, <TBS>
Ghost crab, Ocypode sp.
Forest mangrove crab, Sesarmops impressus
Land hermit crabs, Coenobita sp.
Slugs:
Madagascar banana slug, Elisolimax madagascariensis, an endemic species
[unidentified slug]
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Last modified 7 April 2026
