Butterflies and Skippers(superfamilies Papilionoidea and Hesperioidea,
order Lepidoptera, infraclass Neoptera, subclass Pterygota, class Insecta, subphylum Hexapoda,
phylum Arthropoda, kingdom Animalia)
This page provides an introduction to butterfly
identification by presenting
information on some of our most common butterflies. (If I've seen them, they're common!)
There are 34 superfamilies in the Lepidoptera order, and butterflies
are members of only two: 1) the "true" butterflies (Papilionoidea) and 2) the
skippers (Hesperoidea). Members of the other 44 superfamilies are
considered to be moths.
This is the most diverse butterfly family of all in
appearance. However, what they all have in common is something you'll easily
overlook: their forelegs are shorter than their other legs.
Nymphalini tribe
American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis)
American Lady, Durham, NC, 7/24/19
American Lady on Blue Mistflower, Pitt County Arboretum, Greenville, NC, 10/23/21
American Lady, Durham, NC, 5/23/13
American Lady, Durham, NC, 8/22/12
American Lady, Boone Gardens, Watauga County, NC, 7/2/18
American Lady on Cosmos, Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts, Raleigh, Wake County, NC, 9/16/23
American Lady (dorsal), Durham, NC, 5/27/16
American Lady, Durham, NC, 4/25/12
American Lady, Durham, NC, 5/18/18
American Lady, Durham, NC, 7/24/19
American Lady, Sandy Creek Park, Durham, NC, 4/8/11.
Question Mark,Mason Farm Biological Reserve, Orange County, NC, 5/20/10
Question Mark, Mason Farm Biological Reserve, Orange County, NC, 5/15/17
Commas (Polygonia comma)
Eastern Comma, Penny's Bend Nature Preserve, Durham County, NC, 5/15/19
Same Eastern Comma
Summer form Eastern Comma, Durham, NC, 5/23/15
Summer form Eastern Comma, Johnston Mill Nature Preserve, Orange County, NC, 6/9/07.
Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa)
Mourning Cloak, Flat River Waterfowl Impoundment, Durham County, NC, 5/22/15
Mourning Cloak, Mason Farm Biological Reserve, Orange County, NC, 3/18/10
Mourning Cloak caterpillar turning into a pupa, Mason Farm Biological Reserve, Orange County, NC, 5/2/10
Junoniini tribe
Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia)
Common Buckeye, Mason Farm Biological Reserve, NC, 8/12/11
Mating Common Buckeyes, Fort Fisher Basin Trail, New Hanover County, NC, 9/25/17
Common Buckeye, North Carolina Botanical Garden, Orange County, NC, 10/9/15
Common Buckeye, Durham, NC, 9/27/20
Common Buckeye, Bailey Tract, Sanibel, Lee County, FL, 12/5/15
Common
Buckeye, Durham, NC, 5/29/15
Common Buckeye, Durham, NC, 9/21/20
Same Common Buckeye
Common Buckeye, Durham, NC, 10/1/13
Common Buckeyes, Durham, NC, 10/16/08
Common Buckeye, Flat River Waterfowl Impoundment, Durham County, NC, 10/18/14
Common Buckeye caterpillar, with exuvia still attached, Carolina Beach State Park, New Hanover County, NC, 9/28/17
Mangrove Buckeye (Junonia genoveva)
Mangrove Buckeye, South Lido Park, Sarasota County, FL, 1/26/17
Mangrove Buckeye, Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Sanibel, Lee County, FL, 12/4/15
Danainae subfamily
Milkweed Butterflies (Danaini tribe)
Monarchs (Danaus plexippus)
Monarch on Cosmos, Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts, Raleigh, Wake County, NC, 9/16/23
Same Monarch on Cosmos Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts, Raleigh, Wake County, NC, 9/16/23
Monarch, on Lantana, Pitt County Arboretum, Greenville, NC, 10/23/21
Monarch , very worn. Raulston Arboretum, Raleigh, Wake County, NC, 10/24/11
Monarch, Durham, NC, 10/19/04.
Notice how the hind wing is pale orange, in contrast with most of the
forewing. These are common in NC during the late summer and fall
during their migrations to Mexico.
Monarch visiting Common Milkweed
Monarch Caterpillar eating Common Milkweed leaf, Durham, NC, 5/29/15
Monarch Caterpillar on Common Milkweed, Durham, NC, 9/16/20
Monarch caterpillar on Common Milkweed, Durham, NC, 5/23/15
Tiny Monarch caterpillar on Common Milkweed, Durham, NC, 5/13/20
Monarch caterpillar on Common Milkweed, Durham, NC, 5/23/21
Monarch chrysalis, Durham, NC, 10/26/20
Monarch chrysalis, Durham, NC, 9/21/18
Queen (Danaus gilippus)
Queen, Fort Fisher State Recreation Area, New Hanover County, NC, 9/15/15
Queen, Myakka River State Park, Sarasota County, FL, 3/31/12
Queen, dorsal view
Queen, ventral
wing view
Melitaeini tribe
Pearl Crescents (Phyciodes tharos)
Mating Pearl Crescents, Durham, NC, 10/1/20
Same mating Pearl Crescents, with an interloper, Durham, NC, 10/1/20
Pearl Crescent, Durham, NC, 5/4/22
Pearl Crescent, Durham, NC, 4/17/23
Pearl Crescent on Black-eyed Susan, North Carolina Botanical Garden, Orange County, NC, 8/2/15
Pearl Crescent, North Carolina Botanical Garden, Orange County, NC, 9/16/16
Pearl Crescent, Penny's Bend Nature Preserve, Durham County, NC, 8/23/13
Pearl Crescents, Durham, NC, 6/8/12
Pearl Crescents on White Clover, Durham, NC, 5/3/18
Mating
Pearl Crescents
Phaon Crescent (Phyciodes phaon)
Phaon Crescent, Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park, Mission, Hidalgo County, TX, 11/15/19
Phaon Crescent, Fort Fisher State Recreation
Area (Basin Trail), New Hanover County, NC, 9/14/15
Phaon Crescent, Port Aransas, Nueces County, TX, 2/20/14
Phaon Crescent, Sarasota, FL, 12/4/14
Northern Crescent (Phyciodes cocyta)
NOTE: This ID is in doubt because this butterfly was seen outside its normal range. It was seen in the Blue Ridge Mountains at an elevation of about 4100 feet.
Northern
Crescent, Glassmine Gap, Macon County, NC 5/28/13
Field Crescent (Phyciodes pulchella)
Field Crescent, Point Reyes Natural Area, Marin County, CA, 5/31/19. ID confirmed by Ken Allison.
Vesta Crescent (Phyciodes graphica)
Vesta Crescent, McAllen, Hidalgo County, TX, 11/30/17
Texas Crescent (Anthanassa texana)
Texas Crescent (Anthanassa texana), National Butterfly Center, Mission, Hidalgo County, TX, 11/30/17
Northern Checkerspot (Chlosyne palla)
Northern Checkerspot, Mt. Diablo State Park, Clayton, Contra Costa County, CA 5/8/15
Northern Checkerspot, Indian Valley, Novato, Marin County, CA 4/30/17. ID thanks to John S. Ascher.
Silvery Checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis)
Silvery Checkerspot, Mason Farm Biological Reserve, Orange County, NC, 9/15/13
Silvery Checkerspot, Durham, NC, 8/25/09
Silvery Checkerspot, Eno River State Park, Orange County, NC, 5/18/11
Silvery Checkerspot, Durham, NC, 5/28/19
Same Silvery Checkerspot
Silvery Checkerspot, Flat River Waterfowl Impoundment, Durham County, NC, 5/16/17
Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele)
Great
Spangled Fritillary, Boone Gardens, Watauga County, NC, 8/17/15
Great Spangled Fritillary, Eno River State Park, Orange County, NC, 8/27/10
Aphrodite Fritillary (Speyeria Aphrodite)
Aphrodite Fritillary, Boone, Watauga County, NC, 8/4/08
Aphrodite Fritillary. Siler's Bald, Appalachian Trail, on both sides of the state line dividing North Carolina (Swain County) and Tennessee (Sevier County), 8/18/04.
Meadow Fritillary (Boloria bellona)
Meadow Fritillary (Boloria bellona), Boone Gardens, Watauga County, NC, 6/28/14
Bordered Patch (Chlosyne lacinia)
Bordered Patch, Quinta Mazatlan, McAllen, Nueces County, TX, 12/1/17
Bordered Patch, Riverside Nature Center, Kerrville, Kerr County, TX, 5/28/10
Heliconiinae subfamily
Fritillaries (Argynnini tribe)
Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia)
Variegated Fritillary, on Lantana, Pitt County Arboretum, Greenville, NC, 10/21/21
Variegated Fritillaries, mating, River Park North, Greenville, Pitt County, NC, 10/22/21
Variegated Fritillary, Flat River Waterfowl Impoundment, Durham County, NC, 10/27/11
Mating Variegated
Fritillaries, Flat River Impoundment, Durham County, NC, 8/15/10
Variegated Fritillary, Prairie Ridge Ecostation, Raleigh, Wake County, NC, 7/17/15
Variegated Fritillary on Firewheel, Pitt County Arboretum, Greenville, NC, 7/28/17
Variegated Fritillary on White Clover, Ocracoke, Hyde County, NC, 5/27/17
Variegated Fritillary, Durham, NC, 7/4/12
Variegated Fritillary, River Park North, Greenville, NC, 7/18/14
Variegated Fritillary, Prairie Ridge Ecostation, Raleigh, Wake County, NC, 8/10/17
Male Eastern Tiger Swallowtail on Giant Ironweed, Durham, NC, 9/6/20
Male Eastern Tiger Swallowtail,
Durham, 8/20/03.
Some females look similar, while others are blackish, but with the
distinctive Tiger Swallowtail stripe pattern. See these two forms of female Eastern
Tiger Swallowtails.
An unsually
brown female Eastern Tiger Swallowtail and two others on Common
Buttonbush, Jordan Lake Gamelands, Chatham County, NC, 8/15/15
Other
Eastern Tiger Swallowtails on the same bush, Jordan Lake Gamelands, Chatham County, NC, 8/15/15
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail caterpillar, Indian
Creek Trail, Jordan Lake, Chatham County, NC, 9/3/06. To judge
from the threads on either side, it may be about to become a chrysalis.
Giant Swallowtail, Waveland, Hancock County, 10/14/17
Same Giant Swallowtail
Anise Swallowtail (Papilio zelicaon)
Anise Swallowtail, seen in a field outside the residential area, San Anselmo, Marin County, NC, 4/29/17
The Whites, Orangetips, Yellows, and Sulphurs (Pieridae) family
Cabbage White (Pieris rapae)
Cabbage White (Pieris rapae), Durham, NC, 11/5/14
Female Cabbage White, Durham, NC, 5/5/22
Cabbage White: Pictured is an adult and a
small larva on one of their favorite foods: cabbage. These
butterflies are major cabbage family pests, but are not often seen away
from these crops.
Cabbage White in flight, showing wrinkling of its forewings, North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill, NC, 5/10/22
Same Cabbage White, showing even more forewing wrinkling
Female Cabbage White, Durham, NC, 5/5/22
Female Cabbage White,
dorsal view, Boone, Watauga County, NC, 6/30/10
Female Cabbage White, Boone Gardens, Watauga County, NC, 8/17/15
Falcate Orangetip (Anthocharis midea)
Female Falcate Orangetip, Indian Creek Trail,
Chatham County, NC, 4/10/05
Falcate Orangetip male. These are very
common in the early spring (late March and early April in the Piedmont)
but are generally not seen at other times. The females lack orange
wing tips. Eno River State Park, Orange County, NC, 4/4/05
Male
Falcate Orangetip on Spring Beauty, Ebenezer Church State Recreation Area, Chatham County, NC, 4/2/11
Female
Falcate Orangetip on Spring Beauty, Ebenezer Church State Recreation Area, Chatham County, NC, 4/2/11
Great Southern White (Ascia monuste)
Great Southern White on
Plains Fleabane, Port Aransas Nature Preserve at Charlie's
Pasture, Nueces County, TX 2/23/14
Checkered White (Pontia protodice)
Checkered White, Port Aransas Nature Preserve East, Nueces, TX, 2/25/14
Checkered White,
the dominant "white" (Pierinae subfamily) butterfly of the western US. Riverside Nature Center, Kerrville, Kerr County, TX, 5/27/10
Female Checkered
White, dorsal view, Jordan Lake Dam, Moncure, Chatham County, NC, 9/20/10
Same female
Checkered White, ventral view, Jordan Lake Dam, Moncure, Chatham County, NC, 9/20/10
Male Checkered
White, ventral view,Jordan Lake Dam, Moncure, Chatham County, NC, 9/20/10
Checkered White,
with what seems to be a bee in the foreground. It isn't clearly a
male or female, might be a faded female. Jordan Lake Dam, Moncure, Chatham County, NC, 9/20/10
New metamorph male
Checkered White, or with deformed wing. Jordan Lake Dam, Moncure, Chatham County, NC, 9/20/10
Female Checkered
White. Jordan Lake Dam, Moncure, Chatham County, NC, 9/20/10Photo by Karl D. Gottschalk
Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme)
A common butterfly in
the Piedmont and mountains of NC, and also farther north. A
significant proportion of these butterflies are albinos, and some look
green in late winter or gray in the fall in the Piedmont and on the coast.
Orange Sulphur, Durham, NC, 10/14/08
Orange Sulphur,
Durham, 5/3/06.
A classic white form Orange Sulphur. Note the prominent
pink border. Mount Mitchell summit, Yancey County, NC, 7/9/05
Orange Sulphur, Durham, NC, 10/31/13
Orange Sulphur, Greenville, NC, 2/16/06
Orange Sulphur, Durham, NC, 2/21/07
Clouded Sulphur(Colias
philodice)
Clouded Sulphur, Asheville, Buncombe County, NC 5/25/04.
Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae)
Somehow this eclosing
female Cloudless Sulphur got
rotated 90° by the thumbnail software. Third Fork Creek Trail, Durham, NC, 9/12/12
Male Cloudless Sulphur, maybe Coliadinae subfamily), Duke
Gardens, 9/17/05. These abundant summer butterflies fly rapidly,
often at high altitudes.
Female Cloudless Sulphur on a Beach Morning Glory (Ipomoea imperati), Ocracoke, Hyde County, NC, 9/6/21.
Female Cloudless Sulphur on a Beach Morning Glory (Ipomoea imperati), Ocracoke, Hyde County, NC, 9/6/21. Dorsal view.
Male Cloudless Sulphur on a Beach Morning Glory (Ipomoea imperati), Ocracoke, Hyde County, NC, 9/6/21. Dorsal view.
Female Cloudless Sulphur, Pitt County Arboretum, Greenville, NC, 10/21/21
Orange-barred Sulphur(Phoebis philea)
Orange-barred
Sulphur, New Orleans, LA, 10/24/08
Sleepy Orange (Eurema nicippe)
This species has four basic wing patterns, typically (but not always) appearing at different times of the year. These are illustrated here.
Sleepy Oranges and Pearl Crescents puddling, Flat River Waterfowl Impoundment, Durham County, NC, 9/11/12
Sleepy Orange, Prairie Ridge Ecostation, Raleigh, Wake County, NC, 9/10/16. Anomalous pattern.
Sleepy Orange, Flat River Waterfowl Impoundment, Durham County, NC, 10/18/14. Another anomalous pattern.
Sleepy Orange, Mason Farm Biological Reserve, Orange County, NC, 7/27/15
Sleepy Orange, downtown Southern Pines, Moore County, NC, 8/12/15
Sleepy Orange, River Park North, Greenville, Pitt County, NC, 7/18/14
Sleepy Orange with Stilt Bug, Pitt County Arboretum, Greenville, NC, 7/26/17
Sleepy Orange, South Tar River Greenway, Greenville, Pitt County, NC, 7/28/17
Sleepy Orange, Sandy Creek Park, Durham, NC, 8/25/15
Sleepy Orange, Pitt County Arboretum, Greenville, NC, 7/14/18
Sleepy Orange, Durham, NC, 9/15/21
Sleepy Orange, Flat River Waterfowl Impoundment, Durham County, NC, 9/14/10
Sleepy Orange visiting a Salt Marsh Mallow, North Carolina Botanical Garden, Orange County, NC, 8/16/18
Sleepy Orange,
Little Scaly Mountain, Macon County, NC, 8/19/04. There is a lot
of variation in wing markings for this species.
Sleepy Orange on white
morning glory, Flat River Waterfowl Impoundment, Durham County, NC, 9/11/12
Sleepy Orange, Jordan Lake, Chatham County, NC, 8/30/15
Sleepy Orange visiting a small morning glory, South Tar River Greenway, Greenville, Pitt County, NC, 7/28/17
Sleepy Orange, Penny Bend Nature Preserve, Durham County, NC, 8/8/10
Sleepy Orange, Flat River Waterfowl Impoundment, Durham County, NC, 8/16/13
Sleepy Orange, Durham, NC, 9/3/13
Sleepy
Orange on Firewheel, Pitt County Arboretum, Greenville, NC, 7/17/14
Sleepy Orange, Mason Farm Biological Reserve, Orange County, NC, 9/9/12
Sleepy
Orange on wingstem, Flat River Waterfowl Impoundment, Durham County, NC, 9/14/13
Sleepy Orange on
Carolina Ironweed, Weymouth Woods-Sandhills Nature Preserve, Southern Pines, Moore County, NC, 10/23/12
Sleepy Orange, Flat River Waterfowl Impoundment, Durham County, NC, 10/16/12
Sleepy Orange (winter form), Weymouth Woods-Sandhills Nature Preserve, Southern Pines, Moore County, NC, 10/5/11
Sleepy Orange, Fort Fisher, New Hanover County, NC, 11/12/13
Sleepy Orange, North River Park, Greenville, Pitt County, NC, 11/12/15
Sleepy Orange, Carolina Beach State Park, New Hanover County, NC, 10/22/14
Little Yellow (Pyrisitia lisa, recently known as Eurema lisa, or vice versa!)
Little Yellow, at
roadside, northern Durham County, NC, 8/15/10, flushed out by Randy Emmitt
Little Yellow, Buccaneer State Park, Waveland, Hancock County, MS, 10/13/17
Little Yellow, Buccaneer State Park, Waveland, Hancock County, MS, 10/18/13
Little Yellow on Hairy White Oldfield Aster, Durham, NC, 10/22/12
Little Yellow, Flat River Waterfowl Impoundment, Durham County, NC, 10/16/12
Southern Dogface (Zerene cesonia)
Southern Dogface, National Butterfly Center, National Butterfly Center, Mission, Hidalgo County, TX, 12/9/22
Southern Dogface, National Butterfly Center, Mission, Hidalgo County, TX, 11/17/19
Southern Dogface, McAllen, Hidalgo County, TX, 12/2/17. Seen in a residential neighborhood.
Southern Dogface, National Butterfly Center, Mission, Hidalgo County, TX, 11/30/17
Barred
Yellow (dry season form), Sarasota, FL, 12/2/14
Barred
Yellow (dry season form), South Lido Park, Sarasota County, FL, 12/2/14
Barred Yellow (dry season form), Causeway Islands Park (Island A), Lee County, FL, 12/5/15
Mimosa Yellow (Eurema nise)
Mimosa Yellow, San Antonio Botanical Garden, Bexar County, TX, 5/26/10
Large Orange Sulphur (Phoebis agarithe)
Large Orange Sulphur, McAllen, Hidalgo County, TX, 11/29/17
Large Orange Sulphur, National Butterfly Center, , Hidalgo County, TX, 12/11/22
Dainty Sulphur (Nathalis iole)
Dainty Sulphur, Durham, NC, 9/27/12
Same Dainty Sulphur
Dainty Sulphur, National Butterfly Center, Hidalgo County, TX, 11/30/17
Same Dainty Sulphur
Gossamer-Winged Butterfly (Blues and
Hairstreaks) Family
These small butterflies are easy to overlook unless they land
on flowers.
Red-banded Hairstreak (Calycopis cecrops)
Red-banded Hairstreak, Durham, NC, 9/18/22
Red-banded Hairstreak, Durham, NC, 4/17/23
Red-banded Hairstreak, Flat River Waterfowl Impoundment, Durham
County, NC, 8/16/13
Red-banded Hairstreak, Carolina Beach State Park, New Hanover County, NC, 3/8/17
Red-banded Hairstreak, Durham, NC, 9/15/21
Dusky Blue Groundstreak (Calycopis isobeon)
Dusky Blue Groundstreak (Calycopis isobeon), National Butterfly Center, Mission, Hidalgo County, TX, 12/9/22
Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus)
Gray Hairstreak, North Carolina Botanical Garden, Orange County, NC, 7/16/15
Gray Hairstreak, Pitt County Arboretum, Greenville, NC, 9/26/13
Gray hairstreak, Mason Farm Biological Reserve,
Orange County, NC, 9/2/06
Gray Hairstreak on Garlic Chives (Allium tuberosus), Durham, NC, 9/15/23
Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak (Strymon istapa)
Mallow Scrub- Hairstreak, McAllen, Hidalgo County, TX, 11/30/17
Lantana Scrub-Hairstreak (Strymon bazochii)
Lantana Scrub-Hairstreak, McAllen, Hidalgo County, TX, 11/30/18. ID thanks to Cliff Ivy.
Same Lantana Scrub-Hairstreak
Banded Hairstreak (Satyrium calanus)
Banded Hairstreak, Third
Fork Creek Trail, Durham, NC, 6/21/13
Banded Hairstreak, McAfee's Knob, Roanoke, VA, 6/15/11
Banded Hairstreak, Durham, NC, 6/10/08
White-M Hairstreak (Parrhasius m-album)
White-M Hairstreak, Indian Creek
Wildlife Observation Trail, Chatham County, NC, 3/10/06. The
dorsal side of these butterflies' wings has a deeply saturated blue
color visible when they are flying but never after they land.
White-M
Hairstreak, Flat River Waterfowl Impoundment, Mangum, Durham County, NC, 10/10/11. Part of the near hindwing (including the bottom half
of the red spot) has been torn off, showing the deep blue dorsal side on
the far hindwing.
White-M Hairstreak, Eno River State Park, Orange County, NC, 4/14/16
Harvester (Feniseca tarquinius)
Harvester, Boone, Watauga County, NC, 8/6/08. Seen flying wildly about over
the Community Trail, then hid in the vegetation on the side.
Harvester, dorsal view, Duke Forest, Korstian Division,
Orange County, NC, 5/3/06
Great Purple Hairstreak(Atlides halesus)
Great Purple Hairstreak, Lake Jordan Dam Visitors
Center, Chatham County, NC, 9/25/05. Thanks to Jeff Pippen for
reporting its appearance there.
Great Purple Hairstreak, Milltail Road, mainland Dare County, NC,
10/6/05.
Brown Elfin (Callophrys augustinus)
Brown Elfin, Occoneechee Mountain Natural Area, Orange County, NC, 4/6/14
Henry's Elfin (Callophrys henrici)
Henry's Elfin, Carolina Beach State Park, New Hanover County, NC, 3/7/17
Juniper Hairstreak (Callophrys gryneus)
Juniper Hairstreak, Durham, 7/4/03
Juniper Hairstreak, Ocracoke, Hyde County, NC,
5/10/06, seen in an area with many Red Cedars.
Juniper Hairstreak,
Penny's Bend Nature
Preserve, Durham County, NC, 4/20/07. Seen along Eno River flying
above leaf litter.
Juniper
Hairstreak, Flat River Waterfowl Impoundment, Durham County, NC, 5/22/15
Eastern Tailed Blue (Everes comyntas)
Eastern Tailed Blue, Durham, NC, 5/29/15
Eastern
Tailed Blue, Durham, NC, 9/22/14
Female
Eastern Tailed-Blue (I caught a glimpse of the dark dorsal side
of the wings), Durham, NC, 5/29/14
Male
Eastern Tailed-Blue, Durham, NC, 4/29/15
Male Eastern Tailed-Blue, Durham, NC, 3/29/17
Female Eastern Tailed Blue, Durham, NC, 4/11/12
Female Eastern Tailed Blue, Durham, NC, 4/18/10.
Eastern
Tailed-Blue, another with puzzling coloring: male or female? Durham, NC, 4/11/15
Azures (Celastrina genus)
Spring Azure
(Celastrina ladon) in flight, Durham, NC, 5/13/22
Spring Azure
(Celastrina ladon), Eno River SP, Old Cole Mill Rd. access,
Orange County, NC, 2/28/06. This butterfly had the richest blue of any azure I've seen.
Western Pygmy Blue on another Plains Fleabane (note unrolling petals). This is the smallest butterfly in North America. Port Aransas, Nueces, TX, 2/23/14
Cassius Blue (Leptotes cassius)
Cassius Blue, Bailey Tract, Sanibel, Lee County, FL, 12/5/15
Cassius Blue, Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Sanibel, Lee County, FL, 12/6/15
Cassius Blue, McAllen, Hidalgo County, TX, 11/29/17
Ceraunus Blue (Hemiargus ceraunus)
Ceraunus Blue, dorsal view, South Lido Park, Sarasota County, FL, 4/1/12
Same Ceraunus Blue, ventral view
Reakirt's Blue (Echinargus isola)
Reakirt's Blue, National Butterfly Center, Mission, Hidalgo County, TX, 12/9/22
The other butterfly superfamily, the skippers, is comprised of one family, the Hesperiidae, which in turn is
divided into five subfamilies: 1) Spreadwing Skippers (Pyrginae),
2) Grass Skippers (Hesperiinae),
3) Heteropterinae (Arctic Skippers), 4) Megathyminae, and 5) Pyrrhopyrginae.
Spreadwing Skippers
(Pyrginae subfamily)
These are relatively large skippers that look somewhat like
"true" butterflies.
Checkered Skippers (Burnsius genus)
Tropical Checkered Skipper (Burnsius oileus), McAllen, Nueces County, TX, 12/2/17
Tropical Checkered Skipper (Burnsius oileus), National Butterfly Center, Mission, Hidalgo County, TX, 11/30/17
Male checkered skipper (Burnsius genus), Durham, NC, 4/14/22
Female checkered skipper
(Burnsiusgenus), San Antonio Botanical Garden, Bexar County, TX, 5/26/10. It's either a White Checkered Skipper (P. albescens) or a Common Checkered Skipper (P. communis); this view is not enough to distinguish them. The White Checkered Skipper seems to be taking over the territory
of the Common Checkered Skipper. Males have more
white on their wings and bluer hair on their thoraces than females do.
Checkered skipper (Burnsiusgenus), Larkspur, Marin County, NC, 9/7/13
Laviana White Skipper, Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park, Mission, Hidalgo County, TX, 11/15/19.
Another Laviana White Skipper, Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park, Mission, Hidalgo County, TX, 11/15/19
Brown Longtail (Urbanus Procne)
Brown Longtail, National Butterfly Center, Mission, Hidalgo County, TX, 11/30/17
Long-tailed Skipper (Urbanus proteus)
Long-tailed Skipper, Gulfport, Harrison County, MS, 10/14/17
I saw this Long-Tailed Skipper on Lantana flowers in downtown Bay St. Louis, Hancock
County, MS, on 10/7/04. It's missing its right "tail."
Long-tailed Skipper, Durham, NC, 9/10/20
Dorantes Longtail (Urbanus dorantes)
Dorantes Longtail, National Butterfly Center, Mission, Hidalgo County, TX, 12/11/22
Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus)
Silver Spotted Skipper on Cosmos, Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts garden, Raleigh, Wake County, NC, 9/16/23
Silver-spotted Skipper, Boone, Watauga County, NC,
7/19/13
Horace's Duskywing (Erynnis genus)
Female Horace's Duskywing (Erynnis horatio),
Durham, 6/25/04.
This is a common summer butterfly around here. Females have more
elaborate wing patterns than males.
Juvenal's Duskywing (Erynnis juvenalis)
Juvenal's Duskywing,
Eno River SP,
Old Cole Mill Road access, Durham County, NC, 4/25/05. This is a
common spring butterfly here. As with Horace's Duskywings, female
wing patterns are more elaborate than that of males.
Wild Indigo Duskywing(Erynnis
baptisiae)
Wild Indigo Duskywing, Duke Gardens,
Durham, NC, 8/18/07. ID verified by Jeff Pippen.
Funereal Duskywing (Erynnis funerealis)
Funereal Duskywing, San Antonio Botanical Garden, Bexar County, TX,
5/26/10
Sleepy Duskywing (Erynnis brizo)
Sleepy Duskywing (Erynnis brizo), Moore's Knob Trail near summit, Hanging Rock State
Park, Stokes County, NC, 4/10/10
Hoary Edge(Achalarus
lyciades)
Hoary Edge, Asheboro, NC,
8/18/07
Northern Cloudywing (Thorybes pylades)
Northern Cloudywing, Eno River SP, Old
Cole Mill Road access, 5/29/05
Southern Cloudywing (Thorybes bathyllus)
Southern Cloudywing, Penny's Bend Nature Preserve, Durham
County, NC, 4/14/06
Common Sootywing (Phalisora catullus)
Common Sootywing (Phalisora catullus), Raulston
Arboretum, Raleigh, Wake County, NC, 4/13/07
Common Sootywing,
north Durham, NC, 8/15/10. Discovered and IDed by Randy Emmitt
Grass Skippers(Hesperiinae subfamily)
Grass skipper identification can be a complex process.
Skippers tend to be sexually dimorphous, i.e., males and females look strikingly
different, and change the arrangement of their wings so that only the dorsal
("top" ) or ventral ("bottom" or "side" view) of these wings can be seen from
any one angle. In addition, both wear and the season the adult emerges in
can change the skipper's appearance dramatically.
Lace-winged Roadside Skipper,
I'on Swamp, Francis Marion
National Forest, Charleston County, SC, 3/29/06. This skipper
looked very much like a Carolina Satyr or a Gemmed Satyr in flight.
Lace-winged Roadside Skipper, Riverbend Park, Catawba County, NC,
9/24/09
Swarthy Skipper (Nastra lherminier)
Swarthy Skipper, Penny's Bend Nature Preserve, Durham County, NC, 8/23/13
Byssus Skipper (Problema byssus)
Byssus Skipper, North Carolina Botanical Garden, Orange County, NC, 9/4/18. Not part of any exhibit. ID thanks to Cliff Ivy.
Whirlabout (Polites vibex)
Male Whirlabout, McAllen, Hidalgo County, TX, 11/29/17
Peck's Skipper (Polites peckius)
Peck's Skipper, Boone, Watauga County, NC, 8/4/08
Peck's Skipper, Boone Gardens, Watauga County, NC, 8/17/15
Yet another
Peck's Skipper seen that day at that place
Tawny-edged Skipper (Polites themistocles)
North Carolina Botanical Garden,8/26/05
Same skipper
NC Botanical Garden, 8/26/05. Photo taken by Karl Gottschalk.
Crossline Skippers (Polites origenes)
Crossline Skipper on a Common Buttonbush, Jordan Lake, Chatham County,
NC, 9/3/06
Crossline Skipper, Ocracoke, Hyde County, NC,
5/11/06
Salt Marsh Skipper (Panoquina panoquin)
Salt Marsh Skipper, Fort Fisher State Recreation Area, New Hanover County, NC, 9/14/15
Salt Marsh Skipper on aster, Fort Fisher State Recreation Area, New Hanover County, NC, 9/25/17
Will Cook
and Harry LeGrand agree that this is a Salt Marsh Skipper, seen at Fort Fisher State Recreation Area, New Hanover County, NC, 8/12/11. The
clincher was behavior: it feeds on marsh grass, close to the ground.
Compare Jeff Pippen's 2008 Salt Marsh Skipper photo.
Salt Marsh Skipper, Springer's Point Nature Preserve, Ocracoke, NC,
5/10/06
Salt Marsh Skipper,
Ocracoke, Hyde County, NC,
5/13/07
Salt Marsh Skipper, Ocracoke, Hyde County, NC, 5/21/09
Clouded Skipper (Lerema accius)
Clouded Skipper, Duke Gardens, Durham, NC, 8/26/07
Clouded Skipper, Carolina Beach State Park, New
Hanover County, NC, 9/17/07
Clouded Skipper, National Butterfly Center, Mission, Hidalgo County, TX, 11/17/19
Clouded Skipper, Ocracoke, Hyde County, NC, 9/6/21
Ocola Skipper (Panoquina ocola)
Ocola Skipper,
Durham, NC, 7/04/04, ventral view of
right hind wing and part of forewing. Ocola Skippers seem to be
relatively common in eastern North Carolina, although the butterfly
books suggest otherwise. Perhaps it's because that long forewing
makes them hard to miss.
Ocola Skipper, Durham, 8/20/05.
Ocola Skipper,
the local swamp in Durham, 9/3/05.
Dion Skippers (Euphyes dion)
This skipper has a G4 Nature Conservancy Global
Rank, meaning it is "apparently secure globally."
Click on the thumbnails to see enlarged
photos.
Dion Skipper, Duke Gardens, Durham, NC, 9/17/05, on lantana.
Dion Skipper, Durham, NC, 9/15/23
Dion Skipper on
Purple Coneflower, Sandy Creek Park, Durham, NC, 5/31/11
Dion Skipper, Durham, NC, 9/9/05 dorsal view of forewing.
Dun Skippers (Euphyes vestris)
Dun Skipper, Durham, NC, 8/24/20
Dun Skipper, on
Common Sneezeweed,
discovered and IDed by Randy Emmitt at the Flat River Impoundment,
Durham, NC on 8/15/10
Dun Skipper, Duke
Gardens, Durham, NC, 8/18/07
Dun Skipper, Duke
Gardens, Durham, NC, 8/26/07
Palatka Skipper (Euphyes pilatka)
This skipper has a G3 Nature Conservancy Global
Rank, meaning it is "very rare or local throughout its range or found locally
within a restricted range" or "threatened throughout its range." It
appears to fall in the limited range category, i.e., swamps in a particular
coastal area.
Palatka Skipper, Alligator National Wildlife Refuge, Dare County, 5/25/04.
Thanks to Jeff Pippen for ID.
Palatka Skipper, Dare
County, NC, 10/6/05. This
skipper hid deep in tall marsh grass. Thanks to Harry LeGrand for
ID; Will Cook agrees.
Same Palatka Skipper.
Zabulon Skipper (Poanes zabulon)
Male Zabulon Skipper on ironweed, Durham, NC, 8/14/17
Female Zabulon Skipper, Durham, NC, 8/14/17
Broad-winged Skipper (Poanes viator)
Broad-winged
Skipper on marsh fleabane (camphorweed), Pluchea indica, Carolina Beach State Park, New Hanover County, NC, 9/28/10. One of
two seen together. ID thanks to Harry LeGrand.
Umber Skipper (Poanes melana)
It has a conservation rating of G4,
"apparently secure."
Umber Skipper, Mt. Diablo State Park, Clayton, Contra Costa County, CA 5/8/15
Umber
Skipper, U. of California Botanical
Garden, Berkeley, CA 9/13/14. ID thanks to Cliff Ivy.
Meske's Skipper (Hesperia meskei)
Female Meske's
Skipper, anomalous in not appearing on a flower, Weymouth Woods-Sandhills Nature Preserve, Moore County, NC, 10/6/11. ID confirmed by
Harry LeGrand.
Southern Skipperling (Copaeodes minima)
Southern
Skipperling, Port Aransas (beach, Nueces County, TX, 2/4/13
Southern
Skipperling, Greenville, Pitt County, NC, 11/12/10
Delaware Skipper (Anatrytone logan)
Delaware Skipper,
Eno River SP, Old Cole Mill Road access
(Orange County, NC), 8/17/05.
Delaware Skipper,
same skipper.
Delaware Skipper caterpillar,
Eno River State Park, Old Cole Mill Road
access, 6/23/05, found in the same place as the adult pictured above.
Brazilian Skipper (Calpodes ethlius)
Brazilian Skipper, Carolina Beach, New Hanover County, NC, 9/30/04
Least Skippers (Ancyloxypha numitor)
Least Skipper
on a buttercup, Durham, NC, 5/24/14
Little Glassywing (Pompeius verna)
Little Glassywing, Durham, NC, 7/19/17
Little Glassywing, Durham, NC, 5/21/16
Little Glassywing,
Museum of Life & Science (outside), Durham, NC, 8/9/08
Little Glassywing, Durham, NC, 8/10/13. This shows the purple flow on the hind wing.
Another
Little Glassywing, Durham, NC, 8/26/12
Little Glassywing, Durham, NC, 7/28/18
Little
Glassywing skipper, Jordan Lake, Chatham County, NC, 8/15/15
Female Little Glassywing,
Durham, 8/24/05.
Little Glassywing, NC
Botanical Garden, Orange County, NC, 8/26/05. Taken by Karl
Gottschalk.
Little Glassywing, Johnston Mill Nature Preserve, Orange County, NC, 6/10/07. Photo
taken by Karl D. Gottschalk.
Eufala Skipper (Lerodea eufala)
Eufala Skipper, Eno River SP, Old Cole Mill Road access, 9/16/05.
A somewhat worn individual. Thanks to Will Cook for ID.
Fiery Skipper (Hylefila phyleus)
Fiery Skipper on Lantana, Pitt County Arboretum, Greenville, NC, 10/21/21
Male and female
Fiery Skippers,
Duke Gardens, Durham, NC,
10/20/07. Ventral view.
Male Sachem, Duke Gardens, Durham, NC, 7/24/05.
A rare mint-condition individual. Dorsal view.
Male Sachem, Mason Farm Biological Reserve, Orange County,
NC, 4/29/06. Dorsal view.
Female
Sachem, Durham, NC, 8/19/05. Here, the yellow flower turns
the Sachem a yellow-brown. Ventral view.
Female
Sachem, Durham, 8/19/03. Note how the
green surroundings turn this skipper's greenish-gray. Ventral
view.
Female
Sachem, Durham, 6/28/04, on white clover blossom. Here
you have a ventral view of the left wing and a dorsal view of the right
one.
Southern Broken-Dashes (Wallengrenia otho)
These are found most often in Florida and
southern Texas (and Mexico), but are still more common in Durham than Northern
Broken-dashes.
Southern Broken-dash, Ocracoke, Hyde County, NC, 4/24/22, on Lantana, which was apparently uncultivated.
Female, Durham, NC, 8/1/04. Again,
note the gray-edged forewing and the tawny edged hind wing.
Unfortunately, the forewings partially block the view of the hind wings,
especially on the right.