Small heath: Where It Lives, Map & Facts

Where the small heath lives – recorded in 28 countries, with quick facts from Wikidata and an introduction from Wikipedia.

Scientific name	Coenonympha pamphilus
Group	Butterflies & moths
Found in	28 countries
Continents	Europe
Class	Insect
Order	Lepidoptera
Family	Nymphalidae

Where does the small heath live?

Open-licence (CC0 / CC BY) wild records published on GBIF place the small heath in 28 countries and territories across Europe.

Countries with at least a handful of records (a minimum share of the species’ records, to leave out vagrants and escapes). Records with coordinates only; captive and fossil records excluded.

What kind of animal is the small heath?

The small heath (Coenonympha pamphilus) is an insect in the order Lepidoptera and the family Nymphalidae, genus Coenonympha. (Taxonomy from Wikidata.)

About the small heath

The small heath (Coenonympha pamphilus) is a butterfly species belonging to the family Nymphalidae, classified within the subfamily Satyrinae (commonly known as "the browns"). It is the smallest butterfly in this subfamily. The small heath is diurnal and flies with a noticeable fluttering flight pattern near the ground. It rests with closed wings when not in flight. It is widespread in colonies throughout the grasslands of Eurasia and north-western Africa, preferring drier habitats than other Coenonympha, such as salt marshes, alpine meadows, wetlands, and grasslands near water (i.e. streams). However, habitat loss caused by human activities has led to a decline in populations in some locations.

Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Small heath (butterfly) (revision 1367671068), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes: lead section excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Quick facts, taxonomy and status: Wikidata Q855094 (CC0). Countries and pin: GBIF.org occurrence records (CC0 / CC BY 4.0).