Types of Butterflies in Delaware
About 120 species of butterflies exist in Delaware. Here, butterflies typically breed between June and August, with activities peaking up from mid-July to mid-August. But bad weather or insufficient food resources can change the scenario. Butterflies occur in deciduous woods, near streams, rivers, wooded swamps, and in towns and cities throughout the state.
The Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus) is the official state butterfly of Delaware.
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)
- Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele)
- Regal Fritillary (Speyeria idalia)
- Meadow Fritillary (Boloria bellona)
- Silver-bordered Fritillary (Boloria selene)
- Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia)
- Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae)
- Monarch (Danaus plexippus)
- American Snout (Libytheana carinenta)
- American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis)
- Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)
- Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
- Baltimore (Euphydryas phaeton)
- Eastern Comma (Polygonia comma)
- Question Mark (Polygonia interrogationis)
- Gray Comma (Polygonia progne)
- Milbert’s Tortoiseshell (Aglais milberti)
- Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa)
- Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos)
- Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia)
Gossamer-Winged (Lycaenidae)
- Harvester (Feniseca tarquinius)
- American Copper (Lycaena phlaeas)
- Bronze Copper (Lycaena hyllus)
- Eastern Tailed-Blue (Cupido comyntas)
- Spring Azure (Celastrina ladon)
- Summer Azure (Celastrina neglecta)
- Appalachian Azure (Celastrina neglectamajor)
- Holly Azure (Celastrina idella)
- Hessel’s Hairstreak (Callophrys hesseli)
- Juniper Hairstreak (Callophrys gryneus)
- Brown Elfin (Callophrys augustinus)
- Frosted Elfin (Callophrys irus)
- Henry’s Elfin (Callophrys henrici)
- Eastern Pine Elfin (Callophrys niphon)
- Coral Hairstreak (Satyrium titus)
- Banded Hairstreak (Satyrium calanus)
- King’s Hairstreak (Satyrium kingi)
- Striped Hairstreak (Satyrium liparops)
- Red-banded Hairstreak (Calycopis cecrops)
- Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus)
- White-M Hairstreak (Parrhasius m-album)
Whites and Yellows (Pieridae)
- Clouded Sulphur (Colias philodice)
- Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme)
- Southern Dogface (Colias cesonia)
- Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae)
- Orange-barred Sulphur (Phoebis philea)
- Little Yellow (Eurema lisa)
- Sleepy Orange (Eurema nicippe)
- Cabbage White (Pieris rapae)
- Checkered White (Pontia protodice)
- Falcate Orangetip (Anthocharis midea)
Swallowtail (Papilionidae)
- Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes)
- Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus)
- Palamedes Swallowtail (Papilio palamedes)
- Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor)
- Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus)
- Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus)
Skipper (Hesperiidae)
- Zarucco Duskywing (Erynnis zarucco)
- Wild Indigo Duskywing (Erynnis baptisiae)
- Sleepy Duskywing (Erynnis brizo)
- Horace’s Duskywing (Erynnis horatius)
- Juvenal’s Duskywing (Erynnis juvenalis)
- Confusing Cloudywing (Thorybes confusis)
- Northern Cloudywing (Thorybes pylades)
- Southern Cloudywing (Thorybes bathyllus)
- Golden Banded-Skipper (Autochton cellus)
- Hayhurst’s Scallopwing (Staphylus hayhurstii)
- Hoary Edge (Achalarus lyciades)
- Long-tailed Skipper (Urbanus proteus)
- Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus)
- Common Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus communis)
- Common Sootywing (Pholisora catullus)
