Minute Man National Historical Park Butterfly Guide 🦋

Color: One short tail on the hindwing. Upperside brown; male with long oval dark spot on leading edge of forewing. Below, postmedian line of forewing is irregular; that of hindwing is faint. Hindwing with submarginal black spot above tail.
Wingspan: 1 - 1 1/4 inches (2.5 - 3.2 cm).
Host plants: Members of the pea family (Fabaceae) indigo (Baptisia tinctoria) and lupine (Lupinus perennis); occasionally blue false indigo (B. australis) and rattlebox (Crotalaria sagittalis).
Overwintering stage: chrysalis
Mate-Location system:
Flight: One flight from March-April in the south, May-June in the north.

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

Color: Antennae are short. Upperside of forewing is orange with a wide, diffuse black border at the outer margin; hindwing is yellow-orange with a wide black margin. Underside of forewing is black with orange borders at the tip and leading edge; hindwing is yellow-orange.
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).
Adult food: Flower nectar from low growing plants such as wood sorrel, swamp verbena, pickerelweed, chickory, and white clover.
Overwintering stage: Third- and fourth-stage caterpillars
Mate-Location system: patrolling
Flight: 3 broods from May-October in most of the range

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

Color: Fringes are brown with a few white spots. Upperside is gray-black; male forewing has a tiny stigma. Underside of hindwing is gray with white dusting outwardly and usually at least one white dot at the wing base. Populations on the southern Great Plains (A. h. turneri) are paler gray; those in Florida and along the southern Atlantic coast (A. h. loammi) have white spots on the hindwing undersides.
Wingspan: 1 1/4 - 1 11/16 inches (3.2 - 4.3 cm)
Host plants: Little bluestem (Andropogon scoparius) and big bluestem (A. gerardi).
Adult food: Nectar from flowers including Japanese honeysuckle, wild strawberry, blackberry, wild hyacinth, phlox, vervain, and red clover.
Overwintering stage: Fully-grown caterpillars
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: May-June in the north

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Atrytonopsis-hianna less ↑

Color: white underside hindwing which has many dark dashes and submarginal zigzags; rounded forewing; upperside is blue in males and blue or white in females
Wingspan:
Host plants: Rosaceae, Aceraceae, Hippocastanaceae, Araliaceae, Ericaceae, Ranunculaceae, Rhamnaceae, Cornaceae, Moraceae, Fagaceae, Hamamelidaceae, Aquifoliaceae, Oleaceae, Caprifoliaceae, Leguminosae, Saxifragaceae, Anacardiaceae, Labiatae
Overwintering stage: pupae
Mate-Location system: patrolling
Flight: April-September in most of N. America

Scott, 1986 The Butterflies of North America less ↑

Color: Tailed. Upperside dark brown; male without oval spot at forewing front edge. Often a dull orange tinge at outer margin of forewing and near tail of hindwing. Underside forewing with fairly straight postmedian line; hindwing with some white in the postmedian line.
Wingspan: 1 - 1 1/4 inches (2.5 - 3.2 cm)
Host plants: Diverse plants texana) in Texas; dahoon (Ilex cassine), American holly (I. opaca), and yaupon (I. vomitoria) in Florida and North Carolina. Redbud (Ceris canadensis), huckleberries and blueberries (Vaccinium species), Mexican buckeye (Ungnadia speciosa), and Viburnum species are selected in other locations.
Overwintering stage: chrysalis
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: February-May

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

Color: Upperside of male powdery blue often with ill-defined white patch on hindwing. Female with much white scaling on both forewings and hindwings. Underside of hindwing pale gray or white with small black dots and submarginal dark zigzag line.
Wingspan: 15/16 - 1 1/8 inches (2.4 - 2.9 cm)
Host plants: Racemose dogwood, New Jersey Tea, and other plants.
Overwintering stage: chrysalis
Mate-Location system:
Flight: June-October

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Celastrina-neglecta 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: Antennal clubs are blunt. Upperside brown; forewing with 2 wide gray bands and no transparent spots. 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 3/4 inches (3.2 - 4.5 cm)
Host plants: Scrub oak (Quercus ilicifolia) and other shrubby oaks.
Adult food: Nectar from flowers of heaths (Ericaceae) including wild azalea and blueberry; also blackberry and dandelion.
Overwintering stage: fully-grown caterpillars
Mate-Location system: perching and patrolling
Flight: March-June (except in FL and TX)

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

Color: Wings are dark brown or blackish with few light areas. Underside of hindwing has a cobwebbed appearance due to white spots extending along the veins. Subspecies licinus in Texas and Arkansas is very dark both above and below.
Wingspan: 1 1/8 - 1 3/8 inches (2.9 - 3.5 cm)
Host plants: Beard grasses including little bluestem (Andropogon scoparius and A. s. var. glomeratus) and big bluestem (A. gerardi).
Adult food: Nectar from flowers of low-growing plants such as Labrador tea, wild strawberry, blackberry, bird's-foot violet, winter cress, and red clover; also lilac, vervain, Carolina larkspur, and wild hyacinth.
Overwintering stage: Fully-grown caterpillars
Mate-Location system: patrolling
Flight: late March-early June

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Hesperia-metea 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).
Adult food: Nectar from flowers of milkweed, viburnum, and wild rose.
Overwintering stage: Fourth-stage caterpillars
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: May-June in the south, June-August in the north

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

Color: Wings are medium brown. Lower side of forewing with the two end eyespots larger than the middle two; spots may not touch. Dark line inside the hindwing row spot is sinuous, not zigzagged.
Wingspan: 1 7/8 - 2 1/4 inches (4.8 - 5.7 cm)
Host plants: Sedge (Carex lacustris) and giant sedge (Rhynchospora inundata) in the sedge family (Cyperaceae).
Overwintering stage: Third- and fourth-stage caterpillars
Mate-Location system: patrolling
Flight: July-September in the north; June-October in the south.

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

Color: Upperside is yellow-orange with well-defined black markings. Black border of the hindwing is often toothed. Underside of hindwing is yellow-orange with a band of yellow spots that barely contrasts with the background.
Wingspan: 1 1/4 - 1 3/8 inches (3.2 - 3.5 cm)
Host plants: Various grasses including little bluestem (Andropogon scoparius), panic grass (Panicum), and red fescue (Festuca rubra).
Adult food: Nectar from flowers including blackberry, henbit, lithospermum, phlox, and viper's bugloss.
Overwintering stage: Older caterpillars
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: May-July

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Hesperia-sassacus 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: 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: Upper surface of forewing is mostly black with ivory spots along margin. Upper surface of hindwing has orange spot on costal margin and sheen of bluish (female) or bluish-green (male) scales. Underside of hindwing with pale green marginal spots.
Wingspan: 3 - 4 inches (7.5 - 10 cm)
Host plants: Spicebush (Lindera benzoin), sassafras trees (Sassafras albidum); perhaps prickly ash (Zanthoxylum americanum), tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera), sweetbay (Magnolia virginiana), camphor (Cinnamomum camphora), and redbay (Persea borbonia).
Adult food: Nectar from Japanese honeysuckle, jewelweed, thistles, milkweed, azalea, dogbane, lantana, mimosa, and sweet pepperbush.
Overwintering stage: chrysalis
Mate-Location system: patrolling
Flight: April-October

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

Color: Male is yellow with dark tiger stripes. Female has 2 forms: one yellow like the male and the other black with shadows of dark stripes. Hindwing of both female forms has a row of striking blue chevrons and an iridescent blue wash over parts of the interior hindwing. The upperside hindwing has a prominent orange marginal spot that is generally larger than the row of pale marginal spots. On the underside of forewing of spring individuals the row of marginal spots may be merged into a continuous band, thus appearing similar to the Canadian Tiger Swallowtail.
Wingspan: 2 1/2 - 4 1/2 inches (6.2 - 11.4 cm)
Host plants: Leaves of various plants including wild cherry (Prunus), sweetbay (Magnolia), basswood (Tilia), tulip tree (Liriodendron), birch (Betula), ash (Fraxinus), cottonwood (Populus), mountain ash (Sorbus), and willow (Salix).
Adult food: Nectar of flowers from a variety of plants including wild cherry and lilac (Syringa vulgaris). Milkweed (Asclepias) and Joe-Pye Weed [Eupatorium] are favorites in summer.
Overwintering stage: chrysalis
Mate-Location system: patrolling
Flight: May-September in north

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Papilio-glaucus 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: Upperside of male is brown with reddish-orange patches; forewing has a sinuous stigma. Female is darker with no stigma. Underside of the hindwing of both sexes has a patch of large yellow spots in the center surrounded by dark brown.
Wingspan: 1 - 1 1/4 inches (2.5 - 3.2 cm)
Host plants: Rice cutgrass (Leersia oryzoides); probably bluegrass (Poa pratensis) and others.
Adult food: Nectar from flowers including red clover, purple vetch, thistles, selfheal, New York ironweed, blue vervain, common milkweed, swamp milkweed, dogbane, and New Jersey tea.
Overwintering stage: caterpillars and chrysalis
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: May-October

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

Color: Small with short hindwing projections. Forewing above is brownish-orange with dark spots; one dark spot at center of bottom edge. Hindwing above has two patterns: summer form is mostly black, winter form is orange with black spots; both have a dark border containing pale spots. Underside is brown; hindwing with a central silver or white comma which is swollen at both ends.
Wingspan: 1 3/4 - 2 1/2 inches (4.5 - 6.4 cm)
Host plants: All members of the elm and nettle families including American elm (Ulmus americana), hops (Humulus), nettle (Urtica), false nettle (Boehmeria cylindrica), and wood nettle (Laportea canadensis).
Overwintering stage: adults
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: The summer form emerges and flies from May-September

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

Color: Upperside is dark brown with orange markings; orange along the costal edge of forewing enters the end of the cell. Male has a sinuous forewing stigma. Underside of hindwing is brassy with no markings.
Wingspan: 7/8 - 1 7/16 inches (2.2 - 3.6 cm)
Host plants: Panic grasses (Panicum), slender crabgrass (Digitaria filiformis), and bluegrass (Poa pratensis).
Adult food: Nectar from flowers including alfalfa, red clover, dogbane, shrub houstonia, purple coneflower, thistles, and chicory.
Overwintering stage: chrysalis
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: June-July in the north

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

Color: No tails. Upperside dark brown. Underside of hindwing light brown with row of coral spots at margin, and postmedian row of black spots ringed with white.
Wingspan: 1 - 1 1/2 inches (2.5 - 3.8 cm)
Host plants: Wild cherry, wild plum, and chokecherry (Prunus species) in the rose family (Rosaceae).
Adult food: Nectar from flowers including butterflyweed, New Jersey tea, dogbane, and sulphur flower.
Overwintering stage: eggs
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: May-August

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

aka Wallengrenia egeremet

Color: Upperside is dark brown. Male forewing has a cream spot at the end of the cell, and a divided stigma (the "broken dash"); female forewing has a few elongated cream spots. Underside is dark brown or purple-brown; hindwing has a pale band of spots.
Wingspan: 1 - 1 1/2 inches (2.5 - 3.9 cm)
Host plants: Panic grasses including deertongue grass (Panicum clandestinum) and P. dichotomum.
Adult food: Nectar from white, pink, or purple flowers is favored including dogbane, red clover, New Jersey tea, and sweet pepperbush.
Overwintering stage: half-grown caterpillars
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: June-August

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Wallengrenia-egeremet 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: 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 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: 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 ↑

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: Extremely variable geographically, with at least 4 subspecies. Wings range from dark orange-brown to pale cream. Underside of forewing usually has a small eyespot near its tip. Underside of hindwing is gray-green with a wavy white median line.
Wingspan: 1 1/3 - 1 1/2 inches (3.4 - 3.8 cm)
Host plants: Grasses and rushes
Overwintering stage: First- and fourth-stage caterpillars
Mate-Location system: patrolling
Flight: March-October, depending on locality

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Coenonympha-tullia less ↑

Color: Wings are brown-black; hindwing is lobed. Forewing has transparent gold spots; underside of hindwing has a metallic silver band.
Wingspan: 1 3/4 - 2 5/8 inches (4.5 - 6.7 cm)
Host plants: Many woody legumes including black locust (Robinia pseudacacia), honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos) and false indigo (Amorpha species). Also selected herbaceous legumes such s 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.

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

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 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 ↑

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: 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: 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 ↑

Color: Upperside is glossy black with small white spots on outer third of forewing. Female has more white spots on the forewing than the male, and a submarginal row of spots on the hindwing. Underside of forewing repeats the upperside; hindwing is solid black.
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 ↑

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: 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 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: 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: 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: 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: 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 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 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: Upperside is dark brown; clear spots on forewing are small, triangular, and not aligned. Male forewing has a costal fold enclosing scent scales. Underside is brown with gray overscaling; hindwing has 2 dark bands.
Wingspan: 1 1/4 - 1 7/8 inches (3.2 - 4.7 cm)
Host plants: Various plants in the pea family (Fabaceae) including beggar's ticks (Desmodium), bush clover (Lespedeza), clover (Trifolium), lotus (Hosackia), and others.
Adult food: Usually nectar from blue, purple, pink, or white flowers including dogbane, selfheal, crown vetch, Japanese honeysuckle, thistles, common milkweed, Deptford pink, hoary vervain, and others.
Overwintering stage: fully-grown caterpillars
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: May-July in the north

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Thorybes-pylades 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: 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: 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: Widespread and variable. Western and eastern populations were once considered separate species but have been found to hybridize. Western: Upperside of male dull red-brown, female tawny; both with dark brown costa and wing borders. Underside of forewing rust-red; hindwing dull to bright green with irregular white line edged inwardly with red-brown. Eastern: Upperside of male dark brown with olive-colored sheen, female blackish brown. Underside green; forewing with tawny base, hindwing with 2 white spots near base and irregular white line edged inwardly with red-brown.
Wing Span: 1 - 1 1/4 inches (2.6 - 3.2 cm)
Host plants: Junipers (Juniperus spp.)
Overwintering stage: chrysalis
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: March-July

Conservation: Subspecies sweadneri is of conservation concern wherever it is found
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally

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