Vienna Zoo Reveals Hidden Butterfly World With 134 Species Found In Two Year Survey

A survey at Schönbrunn Zoo documented 134 butterfly species between April 2024 and May 2026, including 12 daytime butterfly species and 122 moth species.

The survey focused particularly on the nighttime butterfly population. More than 90% of butterfly species are moths, rather than the colorful daytime butterflies many people commonly associate with the group.

Among the species recorded were the lime hawk-moth and the goat moth. Particularly notable was the presence of the Viennese emperor moth, the largest butterfly in Europe.

The species was found at the zoo both as a cocoon and as an adult, indicating that it is successfully reproducing there.

The zoo has deliberately created habitats for native wildlife, particularly insects, and has monitored these measures for years.

Butterflies are important pollinators and a major food source for birds, bats and many other animals. They are also highly sensitive indicators of environmental conditions.

Researchers used nighttime light stations, light-bucket traps and examinations of dead tree trunks to locate butterflies. Observed species were photographed when possible and recorded in a table.