Dispersal distances of 17 species of butterflies in tropical Singapore were significantly greater in forest than in urban habitat. Butterflies in urban plots frequently moved within suitable habitat (park/grassland) patches but rarely crossed non-habitat patches suggesting potential isolation and a need for urban corridors.

The dataset describes the number of marked and recaptured individuals by plots and habitat type in this study as well as the dispersal distance and the number of days after which the marked individuals were recaptured at the three forest and urban sites.