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Jeff's Carolinas Butterfly Page

by Jeffrey S. Pippen | Jeff's Butterfly Page | Jeff's Nature Pages | CarolinaLeps Email List




JEFF'S BUTTERFLY PROJECTS

CAROLINAS BUTTERFLY MONITORING PROGRAM:
NEW!!!
CAROLINALEPS EMAIL LIST:
Free forum for butterfly and moth enthusiasts
DURHAM BUTTERFLY COUNT:
Part of the NABA seasonal count program
MOTHS:
Moth photo pages from NC and beyond
CATERPILLARS:
Butterfly and moth caterpillars from around the U.S.
BUTTERFLY PREDATION:
Photos and information about creatures that prey on butterflies
BUTTERFLY NECTAR PLANTS:
Plants our butterflies use for nectar



North Carolina Butterflies

Approximately 178 species of butterflies are known from North Carolina. Most of these breed in the state, while some of them breed elsewhere but regularly disperse or migrate into the state. A few are rare strays with only a handful of records. Most of my photos are of live butterflies in the wild. Photos were taken under natural lighting using a Nikon CoolPix 4500 (2003-2005), or a Canon EOS 20d or EOS 90D often using a flash (2006-present), or with a Canon PowerShot SX50 under natural lighting (2014-present).

Recent studies using genomics techniques are showing that the taxonomic relationships and/or names of our butterflies require updating. Hence, some of the names in your field guides may not match what is listed here. This list mostly follows the Pelham Catalog (2022).

NEWLY REVISED!! Below is a list of the butterflies of North Carolina with photos to guide the reader to an ID. Click on the name of the butterfly next to the thumbnail images to take you to the species page with more photos and information. Feel free to email me at jeffpippen9@gmail.com with likes, dislikes, corrections, or suggestions regarding this format change or any other website comments. Thanks for reading and butterflying!


Swallowtails (Papilionidae)

Zebra Swallowtail
(Eurytides marcellus)

Pipevine Swallowtail
(Battus philenor)

Black Swallowtail
(Papilio polyxenes)

Eastern Giant Swallowtail
(Heraclides cresphontes, Papilio cresphontes)

Spicebush Swallowtail
(Pterourus troilus, Papilio troilus)

Palamedes Swallowtail
(Pterourus palamedes, Papilio palamedes)

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
(Pterourus glaucus, Papilio glaucus)

Appalachian Tiger Swallowtail
(Pterourus appalachiensis, Papilio appalachiensis)

Whites, Sulphurs (Pieridae)

Sulphurs
Dainty Sulphur
(Nathalis iole)

Barred Yellow
(Eurema daira)

Little Yellow
(Pyrisitia lisa)

Sleepy Orange
(Abaeis nicippe, Eurema nicippe)

Clouded Sulphur
(Colias philodice)

Orange Sulphur
(Colias eurytheme)

Southern Dogface
(Zerene cesonia)

Cloudless Sulphur
(Phoebis sennae)

Orange-barred Sulphur
(Phoebis philea)

Large Orange Sulphur
(Phoebis agarithe)


Whites
Falcate Orangetip
(Anthocharis midea)

Olympia Marble
(Euchloe olympia)

Great Southern White
(Ascia monuste)

Checkered White
(Pieris protodice)

Cabbage White
(Pieris rapae)

West Virginia White
(Pieris virginiensis)

Gossamer-wings (Lycaenidae)

Harvester, Coppers
Harvester
(Feniseca tarquinius)

American Copper
(Lycaena phlaeas)

Hairstreaks
Great Purple Hairstreak
(Atlides halesus)

White M Hairstreak
(Parrhasius m-album)

Red-banded Hairstreak
(Calycopis cecrops)

Gray Hairstreak
(Strymon melinus)

Juniper Hairstreak (Callophrys gryneus)

Hessel's Hairstreak
(Callophrys hesseli)

Eastern Pine Elfin
(Callophrys niphon, Incisalia niphon, Deciduphagus, niphon)

Frosted Elfin
(Callophrys irus, Deciduphagus irus)

Henry's Elfin
(Callophrys henrici, Deciduphagus henrici)

Brown Elfin
(Callophrys augustinus, Deciduphagus augustinus)

Coral Hairstreak
(Satyrium titus)

Oak Hairsteak
(Satyrium favonius)

King's Hairstreak
(Satyrium kingi)

Striped Hairstreak
(Satyrium liparops)

Banded Hairstreak
(Satyrium calanus)

Hickory Hairstreak
(Satyrium caryaevorus)

Edwards' Hairstreak
(Satyrium edwardsii)


Blues
Eastern Pygmy-Blue
(Brephidium pseudofea)

Silvery Blue
(Glaucopsyche lygdamus)

Spring Azure
(Celastrina ladon)

Holly Azure
(Celastrina idella)

Summer Azure
(Celastrina neglecta)

Appalachian Azure
(Celastrina neglectamajor)

Dusky Azure
(Celastrina nigra)

Eastern Tailed-Blue
(Cupido comyntas, Everes comyntas)

Ceraunus Blue
(Hemiargus ceraunus)

Metalmarks (Riodinidae)

Little Metalmark
(Calephalis virginiensis)

Brushfoots (Nymphalidae)

Snouts
American Snout
(Libytheana carinenta)


Milkweed Butterflies
Monarch
(Danaus plexippus)

Soldier
(Danaus eresimus)

Queen
(Danaus gilippus)

Longwings
Zebra Heliconian
(Heliconius charithonia)

Gulf Fritillary
(Dione incarnata, Agraulis vanillae)

Fritillaries
Variegated Fritillary
(Euptoieta claudia)

Meadow Fritillary
(Boloria bellona)

Diana Fritillary
(Speyeria diana)

Great Spangled Fritillary
(Speyeria cybele)

Aphrodite Fritillary
(Speyeria aphrodite)


Admirals
Viceroy
(Limenitis archippus)

Red-spotted Purple
(Limenitis arthemis astyanax)

Emperors
Hackberry Emperor
(Asterocampa celtis)

Tawny Emperor
(Asterocampa clyton)


Anglewings, Ladies, Buckeyes, Checkerspots, Crescents
Mourning Cloak
(Nymphalis antiopa)

Question Mark
(Polygonia interrogationis)


Eastern Comma
(Polygonia comma)

Gray Comma
Polygonia progne)

Green Comma
(Polygonia faunus)

American Lady
(Vanessa virginiensis)

Painted Lady
(Vanessa cardui)

Red Admiral
(Vanessa atalanta)

White Peacock
(Anartia jatrophae)

Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia)

Baltimore Checkerspot
(Euphydryas phaeton)

Silvery Checkerspot
(Chlosyne nycteis)

Texan Crescent
(Phyciodes texana)

Pearl Crescent
(Phyciodes tharos)

Mimic Crescent
(Phyciodes cocyta incognitus)

Tawny Crescent
(Phyciodes batesii)

Phaon Crescent
(Phyciodes phaon)


Pearly-Eyes, Browns, Satyrs, Wood-Nymphs
Southern Pearly-eye
(Lethe portlandia)

Northern Pearly-eye
(Lethe anthedon)

Creole Pearly-eye
(Lethe creola)

Appalachian Brown
(Lethe appalachia)

Gemmed Satyr
(Cyllopsis gemma)

Little Wood-Satyr
(Megisto cymela)

Carolina Satyr
(Hermeuptychia sosybius)

Intricate Satyr
(Hermeuptychia intricata)

Georgia Satyr, including "Helicta Satyr"
(Neonympha areolata)

Mitchell's Satyr (Neonympha mitchellii francisci)

Common Wood-Nymph
(Cercyonis pegala)


Skippers (Hesperiidae)

Longtails, Cloudywings, & kin
Dorantes Longtail
(Thorybes dorantes, Urbanus dorantes)

Hoary Edge
(Thorybes lyciades, Achalarus lyciades)

Southern Cloudywing
(Thorybes bathyllus)

Northern Cloudywing
(Thorybes pylades)

Confused Cloudywing
(Thorybes confusis)

Silver-spotted Skipper
(Epargyreus clarus)

Long-tailed Skipper
(Urbanus proteus)

Golden Banded-Skipper (Autochton cellus)


Scallopwings, Sootywings, Duskywings, Checkered-Skippers, & kin
Common Sootywing (Pholisora catullus)

Hayhurst's Scallopwing (Staphylus hayhurstii)

Grizzled Skipper
(Pyrgus centaureae wyandot)

Common Checkered-Skipper
(Burnsius communis, Pyrgus communis)

White Checkered-Skipper
(Burnsius albescens, Pyrgus albescens)

Tropical Checkered-Skipper (Burnsius oileus, Pyrgus oileus)

Dreamy Duskywing
(Erynnis icelus)

Sleepy Duskywing (Erynnis brizo)

Mottled Duskywing
(Erynnis martialis)

Juvenal's Duskywing
(Erynnis juvenalis)

Horace's Duskywing
(Erynnis horatius)

Zarucco Duskywing
(Erynnis zarucco)

Funereal Duskywing
(Erynnis funeralis)

Wild Indigo Duskywing (Erynnis baptisiae)


Grass Skippers
Palatka Skipper
(Euphyes pilatka)

Berry's Skipper (Euphyes berryi)

Dion Skipper
(Euphyes dion)

Dukes' Skipper
(Euphyes dukesi)

Two-spotted Skipper
(Euphyes bimacula)

Dun Skipper
(Euphyes vestris)

Delaware Skipper
(Anatrytone logan)

Arogos Skipper
(Atrytone arogos)

Byssus Skipper
(Problema byssus)

Rare Skipper
(Problema bulenta)

Fiery Skipper
(Hylephila phyleus)

Whirlabout
(Polites vibex)

Crossline Skipper
(Polites origenes)

Long Dash
(Polites mystic)

Tawny-edged Skipper
(Polites themistocles)

Peck's Skipper
(Polites coras, Polites peckius)

Southern Broken-Dash
(Polites otho, Wallengrenia otho)

Northern Broken-Dash
(Polites egeremet, Wallengrenia egeremet)

Little Glassywing
(Pompeius verna)

Sachem
(Atalopedes campestris)

Leonard's Skipper
(Hesperia leonardus)

Cobweb Skipper
(Hesperia metea)

Dotted Skipper
(Hesperia attalus)

Meske's Skipper
(Hesperia meskei)

Indian Skipper
(Hesperia sassacus)

Aaron's Skipper
(Poanes aaroni)

Yehl Skipper
(Poanes yehl)

Broad-winged Skipper
(Poanes viator)

Hobomok Skipper
(Lon hobomok, Poanes hobomok)

Zabulon Skipper
(Lon zabulon, Poanes zabulon)

Twin-spot Skipper
(Oligoria maculata)

Dusted Skipper
(Atrytonopsis hianna)

Crystal Skipper
(Atrytonopsis quinteri)

Carolina Roadside-Skipper
(Amblyscirtes carolina)

Reversed Roadside-Skipper
(Amblyscirtes reversa)

Pepper and Salt Skipper
(Amblyscirtes hegon)

Lace-winged Roadside-Skipper
(Amblyscirtes aesculapius)

Dusky Roadside-Skipper
(Amblyscirtes alternata)

Common Roadside-Skipper
(Amblyscirtes vialis)

Swarthy Skipper
(Nastra lherminier)

Eufala Skipper
(Lerodea eufala)

Clouded Skipper
(Lerema accius)

European Skipper
(Thymelicus lineola)

Southern Skipperling
(Copaeodes minimus)

Salt Marsh Skipper
(Panoquina panoquin)

Ocola Skipper
(Panoquina ocola)

Brazilian Skipper
(Calpodes ethlius)

Least Skipper
(Ancyloxypha numitor)

Giant-Skippers
Yucca Giant-Skipper
(Megathymus yuccae)

Cofaqui Giant-Skipper
(Megathymus cofaqui)




Great Links


Jeff's Butterfly Page | Jeff's Nature Pages


Created on ... Apr 2, 2005 | jeffpippen9@gmail.com