Andean montane butterflies have unique diversity patterns in each mountain system, and the knowledge on how their community diversity changes at local scale has potential important implications on designing regional conservation strategies. The multiplicative partition of the diversity and the effective number of species provides a useful tool in studying the patterns of diversity in heterogeneous Andean cloud forest habitats. Here, we evaluated diversity in three nearby sites in the Andean Central Cordillera of Colombia, two hillsides – on western (Cauca canyon) and eastern (Aburrá valley) slopes – and one hilltop. We collected a total of 1039 individuals belonging to 55 species of butterflies. Alpha diversity differs between hillsides and the hilltop. Beta diversity in the three areas show differences in richness (q0) and in diversity of the order of magnitude of q1 and q2, with the major differences between hillsides and hilltop. This study shows important differences in butterfly (Nymphalidae) assemblages on a local scale, and suggests that any efforts directed towards comprehensive protection of a given area in a heterogeneous mountain landscape must be focused on the complete forested area, not being limited to a hilltop or to a single hillside.