San Antonio Missions National Historical Park Butterfly Guide 🦋

Color: Fringes are checkered black and white. Upperside is black with 3-5 small white spots on the forewing tip. Underside of hindwing is patterned with patches of brown, gray, and black.
Wingspan: 3/4 - 1 3/16 inches (1.9 - 3 cm)
Host plants: Various grasses including St. Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum), crab grass (Digitaria sanguinalis), bristlegrass (Setaria glauca), barnyard grass (Echinochloa pungens), and green spangletop (Leptochloa dubia).
Overwintering stage: half-grown to mature larvae
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: March-October and throughout the year in S. Texas

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

Amblyscirtes celia (also called Celia's roadside skipper or roadside rambler) is a butterfly of the Hesperiidae family. It is found from Texas, south to north-eastern Mexico. Strays to south-western Louisiana.
Color: Upperside is dark brown; forewing has a light spot at the end of the cell. The underside of hindwing is gray with 2 rows of distinct white spots.
Wingspan: 7/8 - 1 1/16 inches (2.2 - 2.7 cm).
Host plants: Paspalum grass and flowering plants
Overwintering stage: fourth-stage larvae
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: Several broods; from May-September in central Texas, throughout the year in South Texas.

Source: https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/search/google/Amblyscirtes%20celia
Scott, 1986 The Butterflies of North America less ↑

Color: Upperside of male is yellow-orange with a wide brown border and a large squarish black stigma. Female upperside varies from yellow-brown to very dark brown, but always has a square transparent white spot at the end of the forewing cell. Underside of female hindwing is brown with nearly square cream or white spots.
Wingspan: 1 1/4 - 1 5/8 inches (3.2 - 4.2 cm)
Host plants: Grasses including Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon), crabgrass (Digitaria), St. Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum), and goosegrass (Eleusine).
Overwintering stage: N/A
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: May-November in the north; March-December in the Deep South

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Atalopedes-campestris less ↑

Color: Robust. Forewing is long and pointed, hindwing is lobed. Upperside is brown-black with large translucent spots on both forewing and hindwing. Underside is red-brown; hindwing has 3 or 4 cream spots.
Wingspan: 1 3/4 - 2 3/8 inches (4.5 - 6.1 cm)
Host plants: Various cultivated plants in the canna family (Marantaceae).
Overwintering stage: may only overwinter in southernmost part of FL
Flight: Late summer in the north; several broods from April-December in South Texas; two broods from July-November in Arizona; throughout the year in Florida and the tropics.

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Calpodes-ethlius
https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/orn/brazilian_skipper.htm less ↑

Color: Skipper with exceptionally long tails and a long silver stripe on hindwing below. Similar to Zilpa Longtail, which has a central white trapezoidal patch on hidwing below. Caterpillar is pale green-yellow with yellow lateral lines and many tiny black dots; protothorax red with a black patch behind head; head red with a black Y on frong.
Wingspan: 46-52 mm.
Host plants: herb Leguminosae: Tephrosia lindheimeri, Phaseolus atropurpureus, Rhynchosia minima
Overwintering stage:
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: All year in southern Texas and lowland tropics.

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

Color: Hindwing with a very long tail. Wings are dark brown; forewing with large pale spots. Underside of hindwing has a long silver-white band from the costa to the base of the tail.
Wingspan: 1 1/2 - 2 1/8 inches (3.9 - 5.4 cm)
Host plants: Many legumes including Tephrosia, Mimosa, Phaseolus, and Rhynchosia.
Overwintering stage:
Mate-Location system:
Flight: throughout the year in South Texas.

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Chioides-albofasciatus less ↑

Color: Forewing is narrow and pointed, hindwing is somewhat triangular. Upperside of wing is black; forewing has a dull brown patch at the end of the cell. Hindwing has white fringe on the outer margin. Male has a costal fold containing yellow scent scales; female has a patch of scent scales on the 7th abdominal segment.
Wingspan: 1 5/16 - 1 3/4 inches (3.4 - 4.5 cm)
Host plants: Various legumes including New Mexican locust (Robinia neomexicana), bur clover (Medicago hispida), deerweed (Lotus scoparius), desert ironwood (Olneya tesota), and vetch (Vicia species).
Overwintering stage: Caterpillars from the last brood
Mate-Location system:
Flight: 3 broods from March-December

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

Color: Upperside of male is white with narrow black chevrons at the outer margins of wings; female has thicker, darker markings and black at the wing bases. Underside of both sexes is white with pale tan markings.
Wingspan: 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 inches (3.2 - 3.8 cm)
Host plants: Various mallows including globemallows (Sphaeralcea), hollyhock (Althaea), and mallow (Malva).
Overwintering stage:
Mate-Location system: patrolling
Flight: April-October less ↑

Color: Antennae are very short. Male wide black stigma. Underside of the hindwing is scattered with small black spots. Female: Upperside is dark brown with a very irregular orange band. Underside of hindwing is pale brown with paler checks.
Wingspan: 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 inches (3.2 - 3.8 cm)
Host plants: Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon), crabgrass (Digitaria), St. Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum), and other grasses.
Adult food: Nectar from flowers of a variety of plants including sweet pepperbush, swamp milkweed, asters, sneezeweed, knapweed, ironweed, and thistles.
Overwintering stage:
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: Several broods from May-August in the north, all year in Florida and South Texas.

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Hylephila-phyleus less ↑

Color: Wings are dark brown. Upperside of male forewing has a dark black stigma; female forewing has transparent white spots. Underside of hindwing has dark and light patches and a violet-blue sheen.
Wingspan: 1 1/4 - 1 3/4 inches (3.2 - 4.5 cm)
Host plants: Various grasses including St. Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum), wooly beard grass (Erianthus alopecturoides), and Echinochloa povietianum.
Adult food: Various pink, purple, or white flowers including shepherd's needle, selfheal, vervain, buttonbush, and lantana.
Overwintering stage:
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: Throughout the year in Florida and South Texas.

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Lerema-accius less ↑

Color: Upperside is dark brown; forewing has 2-5 pale spots; hindwing is unmarked. Underside of hindwing is yellow-brown and veins are the same color, not paler.
Wingspan: 15/16 - 1 1/8 inches (2.4 - 2.9 cm)
Host plants: Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon).
Overwintering stage:
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: Throughout the year in South Texas, April-October elsewhere.

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Nastra-julia less ↑

Color: Males and females are very different. Male Upperside is yellow-orange; forewing has a black stigma and neighboring black square patch; black margins of hindwing are smooth inwardly. Underside is yellow-orange; hindwing has a few large blurred black spots. Female: Upperside is dark brown; forewing has a few clear spots. Underside is gray or sooty yellow with a central pale patch outlined with dark scales.
Wingspan: 1 - 1 1/2 inches (2.5 - 3.9 cm)
Host plants: Grasses including Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon), St. Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum), and thin paspalum (Paspalum setaceum).
Overwintering stage:
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: 2 broods from April-September in the north; all year in Florida and South Texas.

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

Color: Wing margins are scalloped; fringe is checkered black and tan. Upperside is dark brown with 2 darker bands across each wing; forewing has a few tiny translucent dots.
Wingspan: 1 - 1 1/4 inches (2.5 - 3.2 cm)
Host plants: Lambsquarters (Chenopodium) in the goosefoot family (Chenopodiaceae), and occasionally chaff flower (Alternanthera) in the pigweed family (Amaranthaceae).
Adult food: Nectar from marigold, knotweed, spearmint, wild marjoram, cucumber, dogbane, white sweet clover, and white clover.
Overwintering stage: Third-stage caterpillars
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: 2 broods; from May-August in most of its range, April-September in Mississippi, February-December in Florida.

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Staphylus-hayhurstii less ↑

Color: Hindwing margins are scalloped; fringes are completely dark brown. Upperside is black with 2 dark bands on each wing; forewing has a few small white dots near the apex.
Wingspan: 1 - 1 3/16 inches (2.5 - 3 cm)
Host plants: Lambsquarters (Chenopodium) in the goosefoot family (Chenopodiaceae), and amaranth (Amaranthus) in the pigweed family (Amaranthaceae).
Overwintering stage:
Mate-Location system:
Flight: Many flights throughout the year in South Texas.

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Staphylus-mazans less ↑

Color: Tails are long. Upperside is dark blackish brown; body and wing bases are iridescent blue-green. Males have a costal fold enclosing scent scales on the leading edge of the forewing. Dark row on underside of hindwing is a complete band.
Wingspan: 1 3/4 - 2 5/16 inches (4.5 - 6 cm)
Host plants: Vine legumes including various beans (Phaseolus), hog peanuts (Amphicarpa bracteata), beggar's ticks (Desmodium), blue peas (Clitoria), and wisteria (Wisteria).
Adult food: Flower nectar from a variety of plants including bougainvillea, lantana, and shepherd's needle.
Overwintering stage:
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: 2-3 broods throughout the year in south Florida and South Texas.

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Urbanus-proteus less ↑

Color: Upperside of male is brown with a few orange or red-oranges patches and a two-part black stigma (the "broken dash"). Female upperside is dark brown with pale orange spots. Underside of hindwing in both sexes is orange or red-orange and has a band of pale spots.
Wingspan: 1 - 1 3/8 inches (2.4 - 3.5 cm)
Host plants: Paspalum and St. Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum).
Adult food: Nectar from flowers including pickerelweed, selfheal, and sweet pepperbush.
Overwintering stage:
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: 2 broods (sometimes a partial third) from April-October; all year in peninsular Florida and South Texas.

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Wallengrenia-otho less ↑

Color: Outer margin of hindwing has 2 deep indentations. Upperside is orange-brown with darker olive-brown areas; forewing has a median band of transparent spots all in a row.
Wingspan: 15/16 - 1 3/8 inches (2.4 - 3.5 cm)
Host plants: Various plants in the mallow family (Malvaceae).
Overwintering stage: fully-grown caterpillars
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: February-December in South Texas.

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Systasea-pulverulenta less ↑

Color: Upperside of male is blue-gray; female is black. Both sexes have large white spots which form median bands across both wings. Fringes of male checkered but black checks often reach only halfway to edge of fringe. Male has a costal fold enclosing scent scales on the upperside of the forewing. Underside is dull white with dark gray or olive bands. Spots of the hindwing marginal row are very small; spots of the submarginal row are larger. This species is separated from the white checkered skipper with confidence only by dissection and examination of the male genitalia.
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 ↑

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: February-December in the Deep South and Texas; May-October in most of the range

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Ancyloxypha-numitor 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; May-September in the mid-South; March-October in the Deep South and Texas

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

Color: Upperside is gray-brown; forewing has 3-5 small transparent spots; male has no stigma. Underside of hindwing is brown with heavy gray overscaling, only rarely with faint spots.
Wingspan: 1 - 1 1/4 inches (2.5 - 3.2 cm)
Host plants: Various grasses including Johnson grass (Sorghum halepense), Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon), and sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum).
Adult food: Nectar from flowers including croton, alfalfa, composites, lippia, and others.
Overwintering stage:
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: February-October in the Deep South; throughout the year in Florida, South Texas, and Arizona.

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Lerodea-eufala less ↑