Scotts Bluff National Monument Butterfly Guide 🦋

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 not feed, instead hibernating until spring.
Mate-Location system: patrolling
Flight: One brood from late May-October. Females emerge later than males

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

Wingspan: 7/8 - 1 1/8 inches (2.2 - 2.9 cm)
Host plants: Various grasses including marsh millet (Zizaniopsis miliacea), rice cutgrass (Leersia oryzoides), and cultivated rice (Oryza sativa).
Overwintering stage: third and fourth stage caterpillars
Mate-Location system: patrolling
Flight: Three broods from May-October in most of the range, four broods from February-December in the Deep South and Texas.

Source: https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Ancyloxypha-numitor less ↑

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.

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

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: larvae
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: One brood from March-July; a partial second brood up to September in the south.

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

Wingspan: 3 3/8 - 4 7/8 inches (8.6 - 12.4 cm)
Host plants: common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), swamp milkweed (A. incarnata), and showy milkweed (A. speciosa); and milkweed vine in the tropics.
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.
Conservation status: G4 (Apparently secure globally), S2 (Imperiled in NE)
Source: https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Danaus-plexippus less ↑

Wingspan: 1 3/4 - 2 5/8 inches (4.5 - 6.7 cm)
Host plants: black locust (Robinia pseudacacia), honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos), false indigo (Amorpha species), and Glycyrrhiza species.
Overwintering stage: chrysalis
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: Two broods from May-September in most of the East, a single brood to the north and west, three-four broods from February-December in the Deep South.

Source: https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Epargyreus-clarus less ↑

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.

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

Wingspan: 3/4 - 1 1/8 inches (2 - 2.9 cm)
Host plants: pea family (Fabaceae), yellow sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis), rattleweed (Astragalus), mesquite (Prosopis), indigo bush (Dalea), mimosa (Albizia), and indigo (Indigofera) species.
Adult food: Flower nectar from a variety of herbs including spearmint and white sweet clover.
Overwintering stage:
Mate-Location system: patrolling
Flight: 3 broods from March-November everywhere in its range (except South TX); migrates north once each year after hibernating in the south.

Source: https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Echinargus-isola less ↑

Wingspan: 1 3/8 - 2 inches (3.5 - 5.1 cm)
Host plants: Various rock cresses (Arabis species) in the mustard family (Brassicaceae)
Overwintering stage: chrysalis
Mate-Location system: patrolling
Flight: One flight from April-July, early in Texas, later in the north.

Source: https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Euchloe-olympia less ↑

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 ↑

Wingspan: 3 1/2 - 5 inches (9 - 12.7 cm)
Host plants: Leaves of ash (Fraxinus), hop tree (Ptelea), and chokecherry (Prunus).
Overwintering stage: pupae
Mate-Location system: patrolling
Flight: One flight May to mid-August in North, most of year in South.

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

Host plants: species of parsley family (Apiaceae) including Queen Anne's Lace, carrot, celery and dill. Sometimes plants in citrus family (Rutaceae) are preferred.
Adult food: Nectar from flowers including red clover, milkweed, and thistles.
Overwintering stage: chrysalis
Mate-Location system: perching and patrolling
Flight:

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Papilio-polyxenes
Image 3: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Queen_Anne%27s_Lace_in_Pennsylvania..jpg less ↑

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 ↑

Wingspan: 1 3/4 - 3 1/8 inches (4.5 - 8 cm)
Host plants: maypops (Passiflora incarnata), may apple (Podophyllum peltata), violets (Viola), purslane (Portulaca), stonecrop (Sedum), and moonseed (Menispermum)
Adult food: Nectar from several plant species including butterflyweed, common milkweed, dogbane, peppermint, red clover, swamp milkweed, and tickseed sunflower
Overwintering stage: overwinters only in the south; flies north each spring and summer
Mate-Location system: patrolling
Flight: 3 broods from April-October in the north, four broods from February or March-November or December in the south.

Source: https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Euptoieta-claudia less ↑

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 ↑

Wingspan: 7/8 - 1 3/8 inches (2.2- 3.8 cm)
Host plants: Various grasses including fescue (Festuca), brome (Bromus), bluegrass (Poa), needlegrass (Stipa), and beardgrass (Andropogon); sedges.
Adult food: Nectar from many flowers including asters, goldenrods, and blazing star.
Overwintering stage: eggs
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: One brood from mid-July (as early as May in California) to late September.
Conservation status: G5 (secure globally), S3 (Vulnerable in NE)
https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Hesperia-colorado less ↑

Wingspan: 1 - 1 5/16 inches (2.5 - 3.3 cm)
Host plants: Lambsquarters (Chenopodium album), amaranths (Amaranthus), and cockscomb (Celosia).
Overwintering stage: Caterpillars of the second brood overwinter in their silk-lined leaf shelters
Mate-Location system: patrolling
Flight: 2 broods, 1 being from May-August in the north

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Pholisora-catullus less ↑

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 ↑

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 ↑

Wingspan: 2 5/8 - 3 7/8 inches (6.7 - 9.8 cm)
Host plants: herb Asclepiadaceae (Milkweeds)
Overwintering stage: N/A
Mate-Location system: patrolling
Flight: July-August

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

Wingspan: 1 3/4 - 3 inches (4.5 - 7.6 cm)
Host plants: various plant from nettle family (Urticaceae)
Adult food: fermented fruit, asters, milkweeds
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 less ↑

Color: Upperside of male blue with narrow dark border; female brown with blue tinge.
Wingspan: 7/8 - 1 3/8 inches (2.2 - 3.5 cm)
Host plants: Alfalfa (Medicago sativa); common sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis); lupines (Lupinus spp.)
Overwintering stage: caterpillars
Mate-Location system: patrolling
Flight: April-October

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Plebejus-melissa less ↑

Color: Upperside of male is blue-gray; female is black.
Wingspan: 1 - 1 1/2 inches (2.5 - 3.8 cm)
Host plants: Several plants in the mallow family (Malvaceae) including globemallows (Sphaeralcea), mallow (Malva), hollyhock (Althaea), alkali mallows (Sida), velvet-leaf (Abutilon), and poppy mallow (Callirhoe)
Overwintering stage: fully grown caterpillars
Mate-Location system: patrolling
Flight: February-October in the Deep South, March-September in the north

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/search/google/Apodemia%20mormo less ↑

Wing Span: 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 inches (3.8 - 6.3 cm)
Host plants: Mustard Family (Brassicaceae); Rocky Mountain bee-plant (Cleome serrulata)
Overwintering stage: Chrysalis
Mate-Location system: Patrolling
Flight: March-November

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Pontia-protodice less ↑

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 ↑

Wingspan: 2 1/2 - 3 3/8 inches (6.3 - 8.6 cm).
Host plants: Violets including Viola nuttallii and V. adunca.
Overwintering stage: First-stage unfed caterpillars
Mate-Location system: patrolling
Flight: late June - early September

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