Which continent has no native butterfly species?

Antarctica has no native butterfly species.

Butterflies depend on suitable temperatures, host plants, and places where their eggs, caterpillars, pupae, and adults can survive. Antarctica’s extreme cold, ice-covered landscape, and lack of naturally established flowering-plant communities prevent butterflies from maintaining native populations there.

Butterflies occur on every other continent, although their diversity varies greatly. Tropical regions support thousands of species, while colder areas support fewer and often have species adapted to short summers. Some butterflies can tolerate surprisingly cool conditions by basking, entering dormancy, or timing their life cycle around brief periods of plant growth.

Antarctica should not be confused with nearby sub-Antarctic islands, where some insects occur. Nor does the absence of native butterflies mean that no lepidopteran could ever be transported there by people. The fact concerns naturally established butterfly species, not accidental arrivals or temporary visitors.