Butterflies of Texas

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

The Lower Rio Grande Valley is one of the best butterflying locations in the entire United States. Here are pictures of butterflies from that region, taken with a Nikon CoolPix 4500, nearly all using natural lighting. Click here for some of the psychotic butterfliers and other wildlife from the LRGV with whom I went butterflying.


Texas Butterflies

Swallowtails | Whites & Sulphurs | Hairstreaks & Blues | Metalmarks

Brushfoots 1 | Brushfoots 2 | Spread-winged Skippers | Grass Skippers


Brushfoots 2 (Nymphalidae)


True Brushfoots (Subfamily Nymphalinae)

White Peacock (Anartia jatrophae)
Santa Ana NWR, Hidalgo Co., TX
15 Oct 2004
White Peacock (Anartia jatrophae)
Frontera Audubon, Hidalgo Co., TX
18 Oct 2004

Tropical Buckeye, dark form (Junonia evarete nigrosuffusa)
Chihuahua Woods RR tracks, Hidalgo Co., TX
18 Oct 2004

(Note: Mike Overton reports that most books incorrectly refer to the Tropical Buckeye as J. genoveva, which is actually the mangrove feeder.)

Admirals, Bluewings, & relatives (Subfamily Limenitidinae)

Mexican Bluewing (Myscelia ethusa)
Santa Ana NWR, Hidalgo Co., TX 15 Oct 04
Mexican Bluewing (Myscelia ethusa)
Santa Ana NWR, Hidalgo Co., TX 15 Oct 04

Common Mestra (Mestra amymone)
Santa Ana NWR, Hidalgo Co., TX 15 Oct 2004
Common Mestra (Mestra amymone)
Chihuahua Woods RR Tracks, Hidalgo Co., TX 18 Oct 2004

Band-celled Sister (Adelpha fessonia)
Chihuahua Woods RR Tracks, Hidalgo Co., TX 18 Oct 2004
same individual
Band-celled Sister (Adelpha fessonia)
NABA Park, Hidalgo Co., TX 19 Oct 2004

This species did not cooperate for photos while I was there...

Leafwings (Subfammily Charaxinae)

Tropical Leafwing (Anaea aidea)
nectaring on Lantana
Starr Co., TX 16 Oct 2004
Santa Ana NWR, Hidalgo Co., TX
15 Oct 2004
typical pose and view for this species...

Emperors (Subfamily Apaturinae)

Empress Leilia (Asterocampa leilia)
Starr Co., TX 16 Oct 2004
Empress Leilia (Asterocampa leilia)
Starr Co., TX 16 Oct 2004

Tawny Emperor (Asterocampa clyton)
Santa Ana NWR, Hidalgo Co., TX 15 Oct 2004
Tawny Emperor (Asterocampa clyton)
NABA Park, Hidalgo Co., TX 13 Oct 2004

Satyrs, Browns, & relatives (Subfamily Satyrinae)

Gemmed Satyr (Cyllopsis gemma)
Santa Ana NWR, Hidalgo Co., TX 15 Oct 2004

Carolina Satyr (Hermeuptychia sosybius)
(Hermes Satyr?)
Santa Ana NWR, Hidalgo Co., TX 15 Oct 2004
Carolina Satyr (Hermeuptychia sosybius)
(Hermes Satyr?)
Santa Ana NWR, Hidalgo Co., TX 15 Oct 2004

Monarchs (Subfamily Danainae)

Queen (Danaus gilippus)
Lucy's Garden, Mission, Hidalgo Co., TX 14 Oct 2004
Queen (Danaus gilippus), mated pair
Lucy's Garden, Mission, Hidalgo Co., TX 13 Oct 2004
Queen (Danaus gilippus) "flock"
Bentsen WBC, Hidalgo Co., TX
14 Oct 2004

Soldier (Danaus eresimus)
Lucy's Garden in Mission, Hidalgo Co., TX
13 Oct 2004


Texas Butterflies

Swallowtails | Whites & Sulphurs | Hairstreaks & Blues | Metalmarks

Brushfoots 1 | Brushfoots 2 | Spread-winged Skippers | Grass Skippers


Back to Jeff's Butterfly Page


Created on ... Mar 2, 2005 | Updated on ... Mar 24, 2005 | jeffpippen9@gmail.com