Acraeinae

insect subfamily

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July 15, 2026

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The Acraeinae are a subfamily of butterflies within the family Nymphalidae. These butterflies are primarily found in Africa. A key characteristic of the Acraeinae is their distastefulness to predators, a trait that is mimicked by many other, more palatable butterfly species. This distastefulness is due to a self-defensive substance they secrete, known as an acraein, which birds and other predators find unpalatable. The subfamily name originates from the Greek word "akraios," meaning "living on the heights".12

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Lepidoptera
Annotated classification
…complexes; most of the pantropical Acraeinae are also highly protected and aposematic models; some nymphalids, such as the monarch butterfly, are migratory. Family Pieridae (white, orange-tip, and sulfur butterflies) Approximately 1,000 small to medium-size species; no native species are found in New
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…complexes; most of the pantropical Acraeinae are also highly protected and aposematic models; some nymphalids, such as the monarch butterfly, are migratory. Family Pieridae (white, orange-tip, and sulfur butterflies) Approximately 1,000 small to medium-size species; no native species are found in New
Read More