Types of Butterflies in Alabama
The butterfly species found in Alabama, with their fascinating colors, exhibit rich diversity. This southeastern state has high mountainous ridges, Black Belt prairie, flat coastal plains, river deltas, lakes, springs, and deep valleys, providing these species with different habitats. Many species do not reside here throughout the year, as adult butterflies emerge from their chrysalides during particular times of the year when weather and food resources are the best for survival.
The eastern tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) and monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) are Alabama’s state butterflies. Species from all the six butterfly family that flutter here are listed below.
Brush-Footed (Nymphalidae)
- Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis)
- Viceroy (Limenitis archippus)
- ‘Astyanax‘ Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis astyanax)
- Hackberry Emperor (Asterocampa celtis)
- Tawny Emperor (Asterocampa clyton)
- Goatweed Leafwing (Anaea andria)
- Zebra Heliconian (Heliconius charithonius)
- Diana Fritillary (Speyeria diana)
- Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele)
- Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae)
- Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia)
- Monarch (Danaus plexippus)
- American Snout (Libytheana carinenta)
- American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis)
- Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)
- Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
- Eastern Comma (Polygonia comma)
- Question Mark (Polygonia interrogationis)
- Gorgone Checkerspot (Chlosyne gorgone)
- Silvery Checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis)
- Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos)
- Phaon Crescent (Phyciodes phaon)
- Texan Crescent (Phyciodes texana)
- Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa)
- Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia)
- Baltimore (Euphydryas phaeton)
Gossamer-Winged (Lycaenidae)
- Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus)
- Banded Hairstreak (Satyrium calanus)
- Striped Hairstreak (Satyrium liparops)
- King’s Hairstreak (Satyrium kingi)
- Coral Hairstreak (Satyrium titus)
- Eastern Pine Elfin (Callophrys niphon)
- Juniper Hairstreak (Callophrys gryneus)
- Great Purple Hairstreak (Atlides halesus)
- Spring Azure (Celastrina ladon)
- Summer Azure (Celastrina neglecta)
- Eastern Tailed-Blue (Cupido comyntas)
- Red-banded Hairstreak (Calycopis cecrops)
- Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas)
- Harvester (Feniseca tarquinius)
- Eastern pygmy-blue (Brephidium pseudofea)
Whites and Sulphurs (Pieridae)
- Southern Dogface (Colias cesonia)
- Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme)
- Clouded Sulphur (Colias philodice)
- Little Yellow, Little Sulphur, or Little Sulfur (Eurema lisa)
- Fairy Yellow, Barred Yellow or Barred Sulphur (Eurema daira)
- Sleepy Orange (Eurema nicippe)
- Small White (Pieris rapae)
- West Virginia White Butterfly (Pieris virginiensis)
- Checkered White/ Southern Cabbage Butterfly (Pontia protodice)
- Dainty Sulphur/Dwarf Yellow (Nathalis iole)
- Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae)
- Falcate Orangetip (Anthocharis midea)
- Great Southern White (Ascia monuste)
Metalmark (Riodinidae)
- Swamp Metalmark (Calephelis muticum)
- Little Metalmark (Calephelis virginiensis)
Swallowtail (Papilionidae)
- Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus)
- Palamedes Swallowtail (Papilio appalachiensis)
- Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes)
- Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus)
- Appalachian Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio appalachiensis)
- Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus)
- Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor)
Skipper (Hesperiidae)
- Cofaqui Giant-Skipper (Megathymus cofaqui)
- Yucca Giant-Skipper (Megathymus yuccae)
- Wild Indigo Duskywing (Erynnis baptisiae)
- Zarucco Duskywing (Erynnis zarucco)
- Horace’s Duskywing (Erynnis horatius)
- Juvenal’s Duskywing (Erynnis juvenalis)
- Dreamy Duskywing (Erynnis icelus)
- Mottled Duskywing (Erynnis martialis)
- Sleepy Duskywing (Erynnis brizo)
- Northern Cloudywing (Thorybes pylades)
- Southern Cloudywing (Thorybes bathyllus)
- Confusing Cloudywing (Thorybes confusis)
- White Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus albescens)
- Common Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus communis)
- Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus)
- Long-tailed Skipper (Urbanus proteus)
- Common Sootywing (Pholisora catullus)
- Golden Banded-Skipper (Autochton cellus)
- Hoary Edge (Achalarus lyciades)