Acadia National Park Butterfly Guide 🦋

Color: Antennal clubs are black. Upperside is brown with dark eyespots. Underside is brown; submarginal row of 4 black spots on forewing is straight and the dark line inside it is sinuous. Spots are not surrounded by diffuse white.
Wingspan: 1 3/4 - 2 5/8 inches (4.5 - 6.7 cm)
Host plants: Various grasses including white grass (Leersia virginica), bearded shorthusk (Brachyelytrum erectum), plumegrass (Erianthus), broadleaf uniola (Uniola latifolia), and bottlebrush (Hystrix patula).
Overwintering stage: third- and fourth-stage caterpillars
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: June-August in the north

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Enodia-anthedon less ↑

Color: Both sexes with conspicuous pink wing edges. Male yellow; female yellow or white (very rarely). Upperside of male with black border; border on female may be incomplete or only seen at tip of wing. Underside of hindwing clear yellow with single silver cell spot circled in pink.
Wingspan: 1 1/2 - 2 5/8 inches (3.9 - 6.6 cm)
Host plants: Various blueberry plants (Vaccinium species) in the heath family (Ericaceae).
Overwintering stage: young caterpillars
Mate-Location system: patrolling
Flight: June-August

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Colias-interior less ↑

aka Carterocephalus palaemon

Color: Upperside is black with squarish orange spots. Underside of the forewing is orange with black spots; underside of hindwing is red-orange with cream spots outlined in black.
Wingspan: 1 - 1 1/4 inches (2.5 - 3.2 cm)
Host plants: Grasses including purple reedgrass (Calamagrostis purpurascens) in California, and bromes (Bromus) in Europe; probably others.
Overwintering stage: fully-grown caterpillars
Mate-Location system: perching and sometimes patrolling
Flight: May-July

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Carterocephalus-palaemon less ↑

Color: Antennal clubs of male are orange. Females are darker than males. Upperside is orange-brown with dark borders; median orange-brown areas are mostly open, with few dark markings. Underside of hindwing is orange with a tan patch surrounding the pale marginal crescent.
Wingspan: 1 1/4 - 1 7/8 inches (3.2 - 4.8 cm)
Host plants: Asters, in the sunflower family (Asteraceae).
Adult food: Nectar from flowers of dogbane, fleabane, and white clover.
Overwintering stage: Third-stage caterpillars
Mate-Location system: patrolling
Flight: June-July

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Phyciodes-cocyta less ↑

Color: Probably best determined by being tailless and lacking orange markings; uppersurface of males unmarked blue, females blue with at least some black on outer half of forewing; both sexes with undersurface of forewing and hindwing grayish with charcoal marginal band, hindwing with black-gray irregular disk blotch and spots.
Wingspan: Forewing 1.0-1.4 cm.
Host plants: diverse - includes Adenostoma, Amelanchier, Arbutus, Baccharis, Ceanothus, Celastrus, Chamaebatiaria, Cornus, Diervilla, Eriodictyon, Eriogonum, Heteromeles, Holodiscus, Jamesia, Kalmia, Ledum, Lotus, Lupinus, Petrophytum, Physocarpus, Prunus, Ribes, Rhododendron, Sambucus, Spiraea, Vaccinium, and Viburnum
Overwintering stage: pupae
Mate-Location system: patrolling
Flight:

https://fieldguide.mt.gov/speciesDetail.aspx?elcode=IILEPG0100 less ↑

Color: Upperside is orange with black markings. Underside of hindwing has a red-orange stripe at the margin and a red-orange, white, and black checkered pattern on remainder of wing.
Wingspan: 1 7/16 - 2 inches (3.6 - 5.1 cm)
Host plants: Flat-topped white aster (Aster umbellatus).
Overwintering stage: Partially-grown caterpillars
Mate-Location system:
Flight: June-July

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Chlosyne-harrisii less ↑

Color: Upperside of male brownish with purple iridescence; female dull gray-brown. Underside of both sexes white or pale tan; hindwing with very small black spots and red zigzag border on outer margin.
Wingspan: 7/8 - 1 inch (2.2 - 2.5 cm)
Host plants: Shrubby cranberries in the heath family (Ericaceae).
Overwintering stage: First-stage caterpillars
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: June-September

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Lycaena-epixanthe less ↑

Color: Upperside is light to medium brown with black eyespots. Underside of forewing has submarginal eyespots about the same size, usually touching or linked like a chain; dark line inside the hindwing's spot row is zigzagged.
Wingspan: 1 1/2 - 2 7/16 inches (3.8 - 6.2 cm)
Host plants: Various sedges (Carex stricta, C. lupulina, C. bromoides, and C. trichocarpa) in the sedge family (Cyperaceae).
Overwintering stage: third and fourth stage caterpillars
Mate-Location system: patrolling and occasionally perching
Flight: June-September

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Satyrodes-eurydice less ↑

Color: Upperside is orange-brown with darker wing bases and black spots; a single white spot on leading edge of each wing. Underside is mottled gray and brown, with dark bases and borders; hindwing with small white V at outer end of cell.
Wingspan: 2 1/2 - 3 1/16 inches (6.4 - 7.8 cm)
Host plants: Aspen and cottonwood (Populus), willows (Salix), gray birch (Betula populifolia), and paper birch (B. papyrifera).
Overwintering stage: adults
Mate-Location system:
Flight: July-November

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Nymphalis-vaualbum/ less ↑

Color: Hindwing has 1 long and 1 short tail. Upperside of both sexes dark brown. Underside of hindwing dark brown with postmedian band of dark dashes edged in white. Blue tail-spot not topped with orange.
Wingspan: 1 - 1 1/2 inches (2.5 - 3.8 cm)
Host plants: Many species of oak (Quercus), walnut (Juglans), and hickory (Carya).
Adult food: Nectar from flowers including dogbane and common milkweed (preferred), chinquapin, small-flowered dogwood, New Jersey tea, meadowsweet, staghorn sumac, white sweet clover, and yarrow.
Overwintering stage: eggs
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: June-August in the north

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Satyrium-calanus less ↑

Color: Geographically variable. Upperside reddish orange-brown; male forewing with black spot below cell and with no black scales on veins. Underside of hindwing has pale submarginal band narrow or missing.
Wingspan: 2 1/2 - 3 1/4 inches (6.3 - 8.3 cm)
Host plants: Various violet species including northern downy violet (Viola fimbriatula) and lance-leaved violet (V. lanceolata).
Adult food: Nectar from flowers of milkweed and viper's bugloss, among others.
Overwintering stage: First-stage caterpillars
Mate-Location system: patrolling
Flight: mid-June to mid-September

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Speyeria-aphrodite less ↑

Color: Upperside is bright orange-brown; summer form has hindwing with a wide dark border, winter form has the border covering only about 1/4 of the wing; both enclosing a few small yellow spots. Underside is charcoal gray with fine dark striations; forewing with 3-4 light chevrons in a dark border. Silver mark in center of hindwing is small, slender, and L-shaped.
Wingspan: 1 5/8 - 2 /12 inches (4.4 - 6.3 cm)
Host plants: Gooseberries (Ribes) and azalea (Rhododendron).
Overwintering stage: adults
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: June-August

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Polygonia-progne less ↑

Color: Forewing hooked; upperside is red-orange with black spots. Upperside hindwing of summer form is mostly black with a short tail; that of winter form has much orange and a longer, violet-tipped tail. Underside is light brown; hindwing with pearly white question mark in center.
Wingspan: 2 1/4 - 3 inches (5.7 - 7.6 cm)
Host plants: American elm (Ulmus americanus), red elm (Ulmus rubra), hackberry (Celtis), Japanese hop (Humulus japonicus), nettles (Urtica), and false nettle (Boehmeria cylindrica).
Overwintering stage: adults
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: May-September

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Polygonia-interrogationis less ↑

Color: Light brown. Forewing has 2 yellow-rimmed black eyespots both above and below. Hindwing has 2 eyespots on upper side; but may have smaller spots below.
Wingspan: 1 1/2 - 1 7/8 inches (3.8 - 4.8 cm)
Host plants: Orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata) and centipede grass (Eremochloa ophiuroides).
Overwintering stage: Fourth-stage caterpillars
Mate-Location system: patrolling
Flight: June-July in the north

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Megisto-cymela less ↑

Color: Upperside has black spots and orange-brown areas surrounded by black. Underside hindwing is orange-brown to orange-purple with small, faint white circles.
Wingspan: 1 1/8 - 1 1/4 inches (3 - 3.2 cm)
Host plants: Woolly aphids (Neoprociphilus, Pemphigus, Prociphilus, and Schizoneura) and sometimes scale insects or treehoppers; these insects suck sap from alders, witch hazel, ash, beech, hawthorn, and wild currant.
Overwintering stage: unknown, but probably older larvae
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: May-August in the north

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Feniseca-tarquinius
Scott, 1986 The Butterflies of North America less ↑

Color: Wings are bright yellow-orange. Upperside has black borders and black veins near the margins; forewing has a black bar at the end of the cell. Females have wider borders and darker markings than males. Underside has no markings but may have darker orange veins.
Wingspan: 1 - 1 11/16 inches (2.5 - 4.3 cm)
Host plants: Various grasses including big bluestem (Andropogon gerardi), switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), and wooly beard grass (Erianthus divaricatus).
Adult food: Nectar from pink and white flowers including swamp and common milkweeds, shrub houstonia, mountain mint, marsh fleabane, sweet pepperbush, buttonbush, thistles, and pickerelweed.
Overwintering stage:
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: July-August in the north

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Anatrytone-logan less ↑

Color: Geographically variable. Upperside is black with red-orange crescents on outer margins of both wings and rows of creamy white spots inward.
Wingspan: 1 3/4 - 2 3/4 inches (4.5 - 7 cm)
Host plants: turtlehead (Chelone glabra), hairy beardtongue (Penstemon hirsutus), English plantain (Plantago lanceolata), and false foxglove (Aureolaria); arrowwood (Viburnum recognitum), common lousewort (Pedicularis canadensis), Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica), and white ash (Fraxinus americana).
Overwintering stage: Fourth-stage caterpillars
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: June-August in the north

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Euphydryas-phaeton less ↑

Color: Hindwing with 1 long and 1 short tail. Upperside dark brown; male with a long, oval spot along forewing costa. Underside of both wings with rows of widely separated white stripes; blue spot near tails topped with orange. Outer margin of hindwing indented above short tail.
Wingspan: 1 - 1 1/2 inches (2.5 - 3.9 cm)
Host plants: Several woody trees and shrubs in the rose (Rosaceae) family including American plum; and heath (Ericaceae) family; also reports for hornbeam, oak, and willow.
Adult food: Nectar from chinquapin, common milkweed, dogbane, goldenrod, meadowsweet, New Jersey tea, staghorn sumac, viburnum, and white sweet clover.
Overwintering stage: eggs
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: July-August in the north

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Satyrium-liparops less ↑

Color: Seasonally variable and sexually dimorphic. Upperside of males blue, females with some black at outer edge of forewing. Late spring and summer forms with white above. Underside hindwing gray-white with faded small black dots, darker gray with larger black spots, or with blotches and black margins in the center.
Wingspan: 7/8 - 1 3/8 inches (2.2 -3.5 cm)
Host plants: Flowers of a variety of woody shrubs and occasionally herbs including dogwood (Cornus florida), New Jersey tea (Ceanothus americana), meadowsweet (Spiraea salicifolia), and Collinsia.
Adult food: Flower nectar from dogbane, privet, New Jersey tea, blackberry, common milkweed, and many others.
Overwintering stage: chrysalis
Mate-Location system: patrolling and perching
Flight: Many broods from January-October along the Gulf Coast; progressively shorter flights northward; May-August in Canada.

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Celastrina-ladon less ↑

Color: Upperside is reddish brown with pale spots; male forewing has a black stigma. Underside of hindwing is light gray-green with a pale postmedian band.
Wingspan: 1 - 1 3/16 inches (2.5 - 3.1 cm)
Host plants: Bluegrass (Poa pratensis), Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans and S. secundum), and Indian woodoats grass (Chasmanthium latifolia).
Adult food: Nectar from flowers including viburnum and blackberry.
Overwintering stage: larvae, possibly first-stage
Mate-Location system:
Flight: April-July

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Amblyscirtes-hegon
Scott, 1986 The Butterflies of North America less ↑

Color: Forewings are pointed, fringe is white. Underside of head and body are white. Upperside is dark brown; male forewing with reddish orange patch, female forewing with 2 pale spots. Underside of hindwing is orange-brown with pale veins and a white anal fold.
Wingspan: 1 1/4 - 1 5/8 inches (3.2 - 4.2 cm)
Host plants: Hairyfruit sedge (Carex trichocarpa).
Adult food: Nectar from flowers including pickerelweed, sweet pepperbush, blue flag, common milkweed, and spiraea.
Overwintering stage: Half-grown caterpillars
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: June-July in the north

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Euphyes-bimacula less ↑

Color: Upperside of male is bright orange with wide black borders and black veins; hindwing has a patch of scent scales. Upperside of female is orange-brown with wide black borders and blurred black veins. Both sexes have white spots on borders and apex. The Viceroy butterfly (Limenitis archippus) is a Mullerian mimic; it has similar coloration and is also distasteful.
Wingspan: 3 3/8 - 4 7/8 inches (8.6 - 12.4 cm)
Host plants: Milkweeds including common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), swamp milkweed (A. incarnata), and showy milkweed (A. speciosa); and milkweed vine in the tropics.
Adult food: Nectar from all milkweeds. Early in the season before milkweeds bloom, Monarchs visit a variety of flowers including dogbane, lilac, red clover, lantana, and thistles. In the fall adults visit composites including goldenrods, blazing stars, ironweed, and tickseed sunflower.
Overwintering stage: Adults make massive migrations from August-October
Mate-Location system:
Flight: In North America during spring and summer there may be 1-3 broods in the north and 4-6 broods in the south. May breed all year in Florida, South Texas, and southeastern California.

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Danaus-plexippus less ↑

Color: Upperside is black with white spots near the apex; forewing with red median band, hindwing with red marginal band. The winter form is smaller and duller, summer form larger and brighter with an interrupted forewing band.
Wingspan: 1 3/4 - 3 inches (4.5 - 7.6 cm)
Host plants: Nettle (Urticaceae); Mulberry (Moraceae)
Overwintering stage: adult
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: Two broods from March-October in the north, winters from October-March in South Texas

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Vanessa-atalanta
Scott, 1986 The Butterflies of North America less ↑

aka American copper

Color: Upper surface of forewing shiny, fiery orange-red with black spots; hindwing gray with orange-red outer margin. Underside gray; hindwing with submarginal row of orange-red zigzags.
Wingspan: 7/8 - 1 3/8 inches (2.2 - 3.5 cm)
Host plants: Herbs of the buckwheat (Polygonaceae) family including sheep sorrel (Rumex acetosella), curled dock (Rumex crispus), and Oxyria digyna.
Adult food: Nectar from many flowers including common buttercup, white clover, butterflyweed, yarrow, ox-eye daisy, and various composites.
Overwintering stage: chrysalis
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: 1 flight from July-September for alpine and arctic populations. 2 flights in the north from June-July and August-September; 3 flights in the south from April-September.

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Lycaena-phlaeas less ↑

Color: Upperside is orange-brown with darker wing bases; forewing with black apex patch and white bar on leading edge; hindwing submarginal row of 5 small black spots sometimes has blue scales. Underside has a black, brown, and gray pattern with 4 small submarginal eyespots.
Wingspan: 2 - 2 7/8 inches (5.1 - 7.3 cm)
Host plants: More than 100 host plants have been noted; favorites include thistles (Asteraceae), hollyhock and mallow (Malvaceae), and various legumes (Fabaceae).
Overwintering stage: Adults hibernate only in the South and in mild winters
Mate-Location system: perching and patrolling
Flight: One to three flights in the East from May-October

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Vanessa-cardui less ↑

Color: Upper surface of male wings bright, clear yellow with solid black edging; lower side of forewing with some dark submarginal spots; hindwing with silver cell spot rimmed with orange-pink, usually doubled. Female has 2 forms: yellow form with uneven black edging enclosing yellow spots, and a white form which is greenish-white rather than yellow. Spring and fall forms are smaller and less conspicuously marked.
Wingspan: 1 1/2 - 2 3/4 inches (3.8 - 7 cm)
Host plants: pea family (Fabaceae or Leguminosae) including alfalfa (Medicago sativa), white clover (Trifolium repens), and pea (Pisum sativum)
Overwintering stage: third stage caterpillars
Mate-Location system: patrolling
Flight: Three flights in the north from May-October, 4-5 in the south from March-November.

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Colias-philodice
Scott, 1986 The Butterflies of North America less ↑

Color: Upperside with uneven brown, yellow, and orange pattern. Forewing with a black apical patch, a small white spot in the orange field below the patch, and a white bar at the leading edge of the forewing. Underside of hindwing with two large eyespots. Winter form is smaller and paler, summer form larger with brighter coloring.
Wingspan: 1 3/4 - 2 5/8 inches (4.5 - 6.7 cm)
Host plants: Plants in the sunflower family everlasting (Gnaphalium obtusifolium), pearly everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea), plantain-leaved pussy toes (Antennaria plantaginifolia), wormwood (Artemisia), ironweed (Vernonia), and burdock (Arctium).
Overwintering stage: adults
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: 3-4 broods May-November (except in the South and possibly the East)

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Vanessa-virginiensis less ↑

Color: Short projections on both wings, borders irregular. Upperside is purple-black with a wide, bright yellow border on outer margins, and a row of iridescent blue spots at the inner edge of the border.
Wingspan: 2 1/4 - 4 inches (5.7 - 10.1 cm)
Host plants: Willows including black willow (Salix nigra), weeping willow (S. babylonica), and silky willow (S. sericea); also American elm (Ulmus americana), cottonwood (Populus deltoides), aspen (P. tremuloides), paper birch (Betula papyrifera), and hackberry (Celtis occidentalis). Older caterpillars wander about and may be found on plants that they do not eat.
Overwintering stage: adults
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: June-July

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Nymphalis-antiopa less ↑

aka White Admiral and Red-Spotted Purple

Color: These two very different forms had once been considered separate species. WHITE ADMIRAL: Upperside is black with broad white median bands on both wings; hindwing has a marginal row of blue dashes and a submarginal row of red dots. Underside is reddish-brown with white median bands as on the upperside. RED-SPOTTED PURPLE: Upperside is blue to blue-green with much iridescence on the outer part of the hindwing. Underside is dark brown. Forewing has 2 red-orange bars near the base of the leading edge; hindwing has 3 red-orange spots near the base and a submarginal row of red-orange spots. The two forms hybridize where their ranges overlap, creating various intermediate forms which may be found in or near the overlap zone.
Wingspan: 2 1/4 - 4 inches (5.7 - 10.1 cm)
Host plants: Leaves of many species of trees and shrubs including wild cherry (Prunus), aspen, poplar, cottonwood (Populus), oaks (Quercus), hawthorn (Crataegus), deerberry (Vaccinium stamineum), birch (Betula), willows (Salix), basswood (Tilia), and shadbush (Amelanchier).
Overwintering stage: Third-stage caterpillars
Mate-Location system: perching; rarely patrolling
Flight: April-October

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Limenitis-arthemis less ↑

Color: Smaller than Eastern or Western Tiger Swallowtails. Upperside of forewing with relatively broad black stripes; underside with marginal yellow spots merged into continuous band. Hindwing with numerous orange scales. Extremely rare black female form.
Wingspan: 2 5/8 - 3 1/8 inches (6.7 - 8 cm)
Host plants: Leaves of birch (Betula), aspen (Populus), and black cherry (Prunus).
Overwintering stage: chrysalis
Mate-Location system: patrolling
Flight: May to mid-July

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Papilio-canadensis less ↑

Color: Large. Upperside of male tan to orange with black scales on forewing veins; female tawny, darker than male. Underside of hindwing with wide pale submarginal band and large silver spots.
Wingspan: 2 1/2 - 4 inches (6.3 - 10.1 cm)
Host plants: Various violet species (Viola).
Overwintering stage: unfed newly hatched caterpillars
Mate-Location system: patrolling
Flight: mid-June - mid-September

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Speyeria-cybele less ↑

Color: Wings are rounded. Upperside of male is yellow-orange with irregular black borders and no stigma; underside of hindwing has purple-gray on the inner margin. Female has 2 forms: Upperside of normal form is duller and has less orange than the male; underside of hindwing is orange with purple-gray at the inner margin. Upperside of "pocahontas" form is purple-black with some dull white spots on the forewing; underside is purple-black with the pattern obscured.
Wingspan: 1 - 1 11/16 inches (2.5 - 4.3 cm)
Host plants: Various grasses including panic grasses (Panicum) and bluegrasses (Poa).
Adult food: Nectar from flowers including common milkweed, henbit, viper's bugloss, and blackberry.
Overwintering stage:
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: April-July

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Poanes-hobomok less ↑

Color: Geographically variable. Wings are brown. Upperside of forewing has 2 large yellow-ringed eyespots. Lowerside of hindwing has a variable number of small eyespots. Southern and coastal butterflies are larger and have a yellow or yellow-orange patch on the outer part of the forewing. Inland butterflies are smaller and have the yellow forewing patch reduced or absent.
Wingspan: 1 3/4 - 3 inches (4.5 - 7.6 cm)
Host plants: Purpletop (Tridens flavus) and other grasses
Overwintering stage: caterpillars hatch but do no feed, instead hibernating until spring
Mate-Location system: patrolling
Flight: late May-October, females emerge later than males

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Cercyonis-pegala less ↑

Color: Quite variable. Upperside orange-brown, darker at base, with black outer margins; male has black scales on veins. Underside of hindwing with basal disk chocolate brown or purplish, hindwing spots always silvered.
Wingspan: 2 - 2 3/4 inches (5 - 7 cm)
Host plants: Violets.
Adult food: Flower nectar including that from common milkweed, mints, mountain laurel, crown vetch, burdock, boneset, ox-eye daisy, spiraea, and virgin's bower.
Overwintering stage: Unfed first-stage caterpillars
Mate-Location system: patrolling
Flight: mid-June to September

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Speyeria-atlantis less ↑

Color: Upperside of head and thorax is yellow-orange. Wings are brown-black; male forewing has a black stigma, female forewing has very small cloudy white spots.
Wingspan: 1 1/8 - 1 3/8 inches (2.9 - 3.5 cm)
Host plants: Various sedges including chufa flatsedge (Cyperus esculentus) and sun sedge (Carex heliophila).
Adult food: Nectar from white, pink, or purple flowers including common milkweed, purple vetch, selfheal, peppermint, dogbane, New Jersey tea, and viper's bugloss.
Overwintering stage: Third-stage caterpillars
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: June-early August in the north

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Euphyes-vestris less ↑

Color: Upperside orange with black markings. Underside of hindwing with rows of metallic silver spots; postmedian spots small and black.
Wingspan: 1 3/8 - 2 1/8 inches (3.5 - 5.4 cm)
Host plants: Violets including Viola glabella and V. nephrophylla.
Adult food: Favorite nectar sources are composite flowers, including goldenrod and black-eyed susans.
Overwintering stage: third-stage caterpillars
Mate-Location system: patrolling
Flight: June-July in the north

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Boloria-selene less ↑

Color: Quite variable. Males usually have black antennal knobs. Upperside is orange with black borders; postmedian and submarginal areas are crossed by fine black marks. Underside of hindwing has a dark marginal patch containing a light-colored crescent. Spring and fall broods (form marcia) have a gray mottled hindwing below.
Wingspan: 1 1/4 - 1 3/4 inches (3.2 - 4.5 cm)
Host plants: Several species of smooth-leaved true asters including Aster pilosus, A. texanus, and A. laevis.
Adult food: Nectar from a great variety of flowers including dogbane, swamp milkweed, shepherd's needle, asters, and winter cress.
Overwintering stage: third-stage caterpillars
Mate-Location system: patrolling
Flight: April-November (except in deep South and Mexico)

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Phyciodes-tharos less ↑

Color: No tails. Upperside of male gray-brown; female reddish brown. Underside chestnut brown with dark, irregular postmedian line; hindwing darker at base.
Wingspan: 7/8 - 1 1/8 inches (2.2 - 2.9 cm)
Host plants: In the East, members of the heath family (Ericaceae), including sugar huckleberry (Vaccinium vacillans) and Labrador tea (Ledum groenlandicum). In the west, many other plants including madrone (Arbutus) and dodder (Cuscuta).
Overwintering stage: chrysalis
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: May-July in the north, March-April in the south.

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Callophrys-augustinus less ↑

Color: Upperside of male iridescent silvery blue with narrow dark borders; female darker blue with wide borders. Both sexes have white fringe. Underside gray-brown; both wings with row of white-ringed, round black spots.
Wingspan: 7/8 - 1 1/4 inches (2.2 - 3.2 cm)
Host plants: Astragalus, Lotus, Lupinus, Melilotus, Oxytropis, Lathyrus, Vicia, and other species in the pea family
Overwintering stage: chrysalis
Mate-Location system: patrolling
Flight: One flight from March-June at low elevations, June-August at high elevations

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Glaucopsyche-lygdamus less ↑

Color: Quite variable. Upperside of male yellow with orange overlay, yellow veins, wide black border, and dark black cell spot. Female yellow or white with irregular black border surrounding light spots. Underside hindwing spot silver with 2 concentric dark rings, and a spot above it.
Wingspan: 1 3/8 - 2 3/4 inches (3.5 - 7 cm)
Host plants: pea family (Fabaceae) including alfalfa (Medicago sativa), white clover (Trifolium repens), and white sweet clover (Melilotus alba)
Overwintering stage: chrysalis
Mate-Location system: patrolling
Flight: 2-3 flights in the north from June-October, 4-5 in the south from March-November.

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Colias-eurytheme less ↑

Color: One narrow tail on hindwing. Upperside of male iridescent blue; summer females uniformly brown, spring females smaller with much blue at the wing bases. Underside of hindwing pale gray with black bar at end of cell, distinct black spots, and three large orange spots at outer margin near tail.
Wingspan: 7/8 - 1 1/8 inches (2.2 - 2.9 cm)
Host plants: Many plants in the pea family including yellow sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis), alfalfa (Medicago sativa); various species of vetch (Vicia), clover (Trifolium), wild pea (Lathyrus), and bush clover (Lespedeza); and others.
Adulot food: white sweet clover, shepherd's needle, wild strawberry, winter cress, cinquefoils, asters, and others.
Overwintering stage: caterpillars
Mate-Location system: patrolling
Flight: 3 broods from April-November in the north, many broods from February-November in the south.

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Cupido-comyntas less ↑

aka Silver Spotted Skipper

Color: upperside of females darker than males
Wingspan: 1 1/8- 1 1/4 inches (2.2 - 3.0 cm).
Host plants: Various grasses and sedges
Adult food: Nectar from many flowers including asters, goldenrods, and blazing star
Overwintering stage: (except in the Arctic) eggs
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: mainly July-August

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Hesperia-comma less ↑

Color: Upperside is dark brown with reddish to yellowish orange markings. Forewing of female has a broad black patch at the base; male forewing has a long, slightly curved stigma which may be connected to the dash near the apex (creating a "long dash"). Underside of hindwing is orange-brown with a curved band of equal-sized yellow spots.
Wingspan: 1 1/8 - 1 1/2 inches (2.9 - 3.8 cm)
Host plants: Bluegrasses (Poa species).
Overwintering stage: Fourth-stage caterpillars
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: late May-early August

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Polites-mystic less ↑

Color: Upperside is orange and black, resembling the Monarch (Danaus plexippus), except the Viceroy has a black line across the hindwing and a single row of white dots in the black marginal band. Where Monarchs are rare in Florida, Georgia, and the Southwest, Viceroys are brown instead of orange and mimic the Queen (Danaus gilippus).
Wingspan: 2 1/2 - 3 3/8 inches (6.3 - 8.6 cm)
Host plants: Trees in the willow family (Salicaceae) including willows (Salix), and poplars and cottonwoods (Populus).
Adult food: Early in season - aphid honeydew, carrion, dung, and decaying fungi. Later generations feed more often at flowers, favoring composites including aster, goldenrod, joe-pye weed, shepherd's needle, and Canada thistle.
Overwintering stage: third stage caterpillar
Mate-Location system: perching and patrolling
Flight: 2-3 broods from May-September in most of its range

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Limenitis-archippus less ↑

Color: Upperside of wings white; forewing with black tip. Two submarginal black spots in female, one in male. Underside of hindwing and forewing apex evenly yellow-green or gray-green. Spring and fall short-day form is smaller, less yellow, with reduced black areas.
Wingspan: 1 3/4 - 2 1/4 inches (4.5 - 5.8 cm)
Host plants: Many in the mustard family (Brassicaceae) and occasionally some in the caper family (Capparidaceae)
Adult food: Flower nectar from a very wide array of plants including mustards, dandelion, red clover, asters, and mints.
Overwintering stage: chrysalis
Mate-Location system: patrolling
Flight: many flights between April-October

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Pieris-rapae
Scott, 1986 The Butterflies of North America less ↑

Color: Upperside is brown. Forewing with 2 orange cell bars and 2 eyespots; part of white subapical band appears in the largest, lower eyespot. Hindwing has 2 eyespots; upper one is largest and contains a magenta crescent. Underside of hindwing is brown or tan in the wet season (summer) form and rose-red in the dry season (fall) form.
Wingspan: 1 5/8 - 2 3/4 inches (4.2 - 7 cm)
Host plants: Plants from the snapdragon family including snapdragon (Antirrhinum) and toadflax (Linaria); the plantain family including plantains (Plantago); and the acanthus family including ruellia (Ruellia nodiflora).
Overwintering stage: caterpillars and adults overwinter but only in the south
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: May-October, except in the Deep south

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Junonia-coenia less ↑

aka European Skipper

Color: Wings are brassy burnt orange; upperside of both wings with black borders and black on the outer portions of the veins. The male forewing has a narrow black stigma. A pale form (pallida) is very rare.
Wingspan: 1 - 1 1/8 inches (2.5 - 2.9 cm)
Host plants: Timothy (Phleum pratense) and other grasses.
Adult food: Nectar from low-growing flowers including orange hawkweed, thistles, ox-eye daisy, fleabane, white clover, red clover, selfheal, Deptford pink, common milkweed, and swamp milkweed.
Overwintering stage: eggs
Mate-Location system: patrolling
Flight: mid-May to mid-July

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Thymelicus-lineola less ↑

Color: Upperside of male is brown with clear spots, indistinct dark markings, and scattered white hairs; female has larger markings and spots. Underside of hindwing has 2 round pale spots below the apex. Male has a costal fold containing yellow scent scales; female has a patch of scent scales on the 7th abdominal segment.
Wingspan: 1 1/4 - 1 15/16 inches (3.2 - 4.9 cm)
Host plants: Tree and shrub oaks (Quercus species).
Adult food: Nectar from flowers of winter cress, dandelion, wild plum, wisteria, blueberry, Carolina vetch, redbud, and lilac.
Overwintering stage: fully-grown caterpillars
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: April-June

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Erynnis-juvenalis less ↑

Color: One tail on hindwing. Upperside blue-gray with large red spot near tail. Underside of spring/fall form is dark gray, summer form is paler gray. Relatively straight postmedian line is white, bordered with orange on the inside edge.
Wingspan: 7/8 - 1 3/8 inches (2.2 - 3.5 cm)
Host plants: pea (Fabaceae) and mallow (Malvaceae) families including beans (Phaseolus), clovers (Trifolium), cotton (Gossypium), and mallow (Malva)
Adult food: Nectar from many flower species including dogbane, milkweed, mint, winter cress, goldenrod, tick trefoil, and white sweet clover.
Overwintering stage: chrysalis
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: 2 flights from May-September in the north, 3-4 flights from February-November in the south.

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Strymon-melinus less ↑

Color: Upper surface of wings mostly black; on inner edge of hindwing is a black spot centered in larger orange spot. Male has yellow band near edge of wings; female has row of yellow spots. Female hindwing with iridescent blue band. In the Southwest, yellow forms predominate in the subspecies P. coloro.
Wingspan: 3 1/4 - 4 1/4 inches (8 - 11 cm)
Host plants: Leaves of plants in the parsley family (Apiaceae) including Queen Anne's Lace, carrot, celery and dill. Sometimes plants in the citrus family (Rutaceae).
Adult food: Nectar from flowers including red clover, milkweed, and thistles.
Overwintering stage: chrysalis
Mate-Location system: perching and patrolling
Flight: 1-2 flights from April-October in northern regions of range; 3 flights in southern regions.

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Papilio-polyxenes less ↑

Color: Upperside is black with a few small white spots at the tip of the forewing. Underside is dark brown with violet-gray at the forewing tip and the outer half of the hindwing.
Wingspan: 7/8 - 1 1/4 inches (2.2 - 3.2 cm)
Host plants: Various grasses including wild oats (Avena), bent grass (Agrostis), bluegrass (Poa), Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon), and Indian woodoats grass (Chasmanthium latifolia).
Overwintering stage: caterpillars
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: March-July

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Amblyscirtes-vialis less ↑

Color: Tailless. Upperside dark brown; female with dark borders. Underside banded with dark brown; hindwing with submarginal gray band outside row of black crescents.
Wingspan: 1 - 1 1/4 inches (2.5 - 3.2 cm)
Host plants: Various hard pines including scrub pine (Pinus virginiana) and jack pine (P. banksiana), and the soft white pine (P. strobus).
Adult food: Nectar of many different flowers including blueberry, cinquefoil, chickweed, common milkweed, and white sweet clover.
Overwintering stage: chrysalis
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: March-June

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Callophrys-niphon less ↑