Where to go on weekends? The “New Taipei City Butterfly-Watching Guide” lists 20 hidden butterfly-watching spots

▲ Taiwan is known as the “Butterfly Kingdom,” with around 400 butterfly species across the island, and over one-third of them can be spotted in New Taipei City. (Photo / Provided by New Taipei City Government)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

Taiwan is known as the “Butterfly Kingdom,” with about 400 species of butterflies thriving in its relatively small land area. Butterflies can be seen dancing in the air all year round. To help the public discover butterfly-watching locations in New Taipei City, the New Taipei City Agriculture Bureau launched the “New Taipei City Butterfly-Watching Guide” on the 17th this year, providing practical information for butterfly enthusiasts. Below isThe “New Taipei City Butterfly-Watching Guide” compiles a list of 20 recommended hidden butterfly-watching spots that butterfly and nature lovers absolutely shouldn’t miss.

1. Xizhi Dajianshan (Dajianshan Mountain in Xizhi)
Common butterfly species include the Ryukyu Purple Widow, Black-edged Leopard Lacewing, Black-veined Brown, Red-margin Yellow, Purple-edged Swallowtail, Stone Wall Butterfly, Great Blackvein Dart, White Spot Dart, Zeltus amasa, Mimetic Swallowtail, Yellow Coster, Blue Triangle, Small Purple Tiger, and Pale-spotted Blue Tiger.

2. Shiding Huangdiyan (Emperor Cliff in Shiding)
Common butterfly species include the Common Mormon, Yungai Yellow Coster, Small Spotted Blue Tiger, Broad-tailed Swallowtail, Red Lacewing, Indian Cabbage White, and Purple Tip Crow.

3. Pingxi Cimufeng (Tenderness Peak in Pingxi), Xiaozishan Hiking Trail
Common butterfly species include the Indian Cabbage White, Small Yellow Three-line Angle, Purple-edged Swallowtail, Okinawa Blue, Ryukyu Blue, Brown Angle, Black-veined Brown, Small Spotted Blue Tiger, Pale-spotted Blue Tiger, Three-spot Spearhead, and Indian Jezebel.

4. Ruifang Jiufen, Jinguashi
Common butterfly species include the Glassy Tiger, Round-winged Swallowtail, Golden Three-line, Black-edged Leopard Lacewing, Red-spot Diadem, Indian Cabbage White, Black-bordered Lemon, and Three-spot Spearhead.

5. Diaoshan Ancient Trail
Common butterfly species include the Indian Cabbage White, Indian Cabbage White, Indian Cabbage White, Glassy Tiger, Round-winged Swallowtail, Purple-edged Swallowtail, Great Mormon, and Ryukyu Blue.

6. Bitou Cape, Longdong Bay Cliff Trail
Common butterfly species include the Great Mormon, Indian Cabbage White, Blue Triangle, Large Snow Flat, Taiwanese Yellow Coster, Black Mimetic Swallowtail, Taiwanese Agrias, and White Wave Spot Swift.

7. Guanyinshan (Guanyin Mountain)
Common butterfly species include the Black-veined Brown, Small Blue Tiger, Great Mormon, Indian Cabbage White, Black-spotted Pierrot, Zeltus amasa, Black Tree Nymph, Black Mimetic Swallowtail, Papilio helenus, and Great Mormon.

8. Shiba Fenkengxi Water Source Area (Youth Park)
Common butterfly species include the Crow Butterfly, Great Mormon, Small Wave Swift, Puli Red Driver, Blackvein Dart, Black Mormon, Indian Cabbage White, and Taiwanese Agrias.

9. Yuantong Temple
Common butterfly species include the Great Windmill, Crow Butterfly, Great Mormon, Tailed Jay, Glassy Tiger, Black Driver, Zeltus amasa, Red-spot Ace, Horsfield’s Yellow, Indian Cabbage White, Hypolimnas bolina, Junonia orithya, Blue Tigers, Crows, and Three-lines.

10. Sanxia Yuanshan (Yuanshan in Sanxia)
Common butterfly species include the Black-veined Brown, Bamboo Red Driver, Puli Red Driver, Clouded Yellow, Great Blackvein Dart, Narrow-winged Swift, Yellow Coster, and Purple-eye Swift.

11. Manyueyuan Forest Recreation Area
Common butterfly species include the Glassy Tiger, Blue Triangle, Great Mormon, Crow Butterfly, White Admiral, and Brown-ground Dark Small Blue.

12. Galaxy Cave
Common butterfly species include the Ryukyu Purple Widow, Black Mimetic Swallowtail, Stone Wall Butterfly, Narrow-winged Swift, Ryukyu Three-line, Taiwanese Agrias, Puli Glassy Blue, and Small Yellow Three-line.

13. Xiaocukeng
Common butterfly species include the lime butterfly, Taiwanese black-spotted elfin, cabbage white, and black-spotted skipper.

14. Wulai Jiajiuliao Trail
Common butterfly species include the common peacock, great Mormon, lesser grass blue, Ryukyu grass blue, crimson patch, wall, three-spot grass yellow, Taiwanese yellow, and Taiwanese cabbage white.

15. Neidong Forest Recreation Area & Fushan
Common butterfly species include the common bluebottle, bluebottle, broad-tailed swallowtail, common birdwing, ringed jewelfly, crimson patch, wall, Esaki’s paris peacock, and yellow-spotted tiger.

16. Sishui
Common butterfly species include the common peacock, Taiwanese yellow veined oakblue, great Mormon, common bluebottle, blue glassy tiger, Ryukyu purple mormon, tailless white-banded bluebottle.

17. Erge Mountain & Bijia Mountain Range
Common butterfly species include the wall, Taiwanese Formosan Cupid, plain tiger, ringed jewelfly, bluebottle, Stichophthalma howqua, bluebottle, Taiwanese wave midget, and peacock.

18. Datunxi Ancient Trail
Common butterfly species include the Taiwanese wave midget, yellow-spotted tiger, bluebottle, highland midget, Taiwanese wave snakefly, red lacewing, Hengchun midget, Taiwanese starry three-line blue, dark false lacewing, and Taiwanese single-band skipper.

19. Shimen Jing Mountain Waterfall
Common butterfly species include the plain tiger, yellow three-line blue, wall, Taiwanese pierid, bluebottle, Taiwanese wave snakefly, bluebottle, and purple midget.

20. Jinshan Shitoushan Park
Common butterfly species include the bluebottle, large tree nymph, common bluebottle, Ryukyu grass blue, purple midget, Stichophthalma howqua, pale small-lined bluebottle, wall, cabbage white, and dark-veined lime.

▲Taiwanese yellow-veined oakblue. (Photo / Provided by New Taipei City Government)

Related links:New Taipei City Butterfly-Watching Guide
For other transportation information, please refer to the above link.