Types of Butterflies in Iowa
Iowa, a midwestern U.S. state, is home to 118 species of butterflies, with 50 of those being relatively common. In the summer, the breeding of butterflies is highest as prairie flowers bloom, and plenty of nectar sources can feed them. The largest butterfly found in Iowa is the Giant Swallowtail that can have a wingspan of six inches.
Iowa does not have an officially designated state butterfly.
Brush-Footed (Nymphalidae)
- Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis)
- White Admiral (Limenitis arthemis arthemis)
- ‘Astyanax‘ Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis astyanax)
- Viceroy (Limenitis archippus)
- Common Mestra (Mestra amymone)
- Hackberry Emperor (Asterocampa celtis)
- Tawny Emperor (Asterocampa clyton)
- Goatweed Leafwing (Anaea andria)
- Aphrodite Fritillary (Speyeria aphrodite)
- Regal Fritillary (Speyeria idalia)
- Atlantis Fritillary (Speyeria atlantis)
- Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele)
- Meadow Fritillary (Boloria bellona)
- Silver-bordered Fritillary (Boloria selene)
- Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia)
- Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae)
- Monarch (Danaus plexippus)
- Queen (Danaus gilippus)
- American Snout (Libytheana carinenta)
- American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis)
- Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)
- Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
- California Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis californica)
- Compton Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis vaualbum)
- Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa)
- Eastern Comma (Polygonia comma)
- Gray Comma (Polygonia progne)
- Green Comma (Polygonia faunus)
- Question Mark (Polygonia interrogationis)
- Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos)
- Tawny Crescent (Phyciodes batesii)
- Silvery Checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis)
- Gorgone Checkerspot (Chlosyne gorgone)
- Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia)
- Milbert’s Tortoiseshell (Aglais milberti)
- Baltimore (Euphydryas phaeton)
Gossamer-Winged (Lycaenidae)
- Harvester (Feniseca tarquinius)
- American Copper (Lycaena phlaeas)
- Gray Copper (Lycaena dione)
- Bronze Copper (Lycaena hyllus)
- Purplish Copper (Lycaena helloides)
- Great Purple Hairstreak (Atlides halesus)
- Juniper Hairstreak (Callophrys gryneus)
- Henry’s Elfin (Callophrys henrici)
- Coral Hairstreak (Satyrium titus)
- Acadian Hairstreak (Satyrium acadica)
- Hickory Hairstreak (Satyrium caryaevorus)
- Edwards’ Hairstreak (Satyrium edwardsii)
- Banded Hairstreak (Satyrium calanus)
- Striped Hairstreak (Satyrium liparops)
- Red-banded Hairstreak (Calycopis cecrops)
- Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus)
- White-M Hairstreak (Parrhasius m-album)
- Marine Blue (Leptotes marina)
- Eastern Tailed-Blue (Cupido comyntas)
- Summer Azure (Celastrina neglecta)
- Silvery Blue (Glaucopsyche lygdamus)
- Reakirt’s Blue (Echinargus isola)
- Melissa Blue (Lycaeides melissa)
- Greenish Blue (Icaricia saepiolus)
Whites and Sulphurs (Pieridae)
- Olympia marble (Euchloe olympia)
- Cabbage white (Pieris rapae)
- Checkered white (Pontia protodice)
- Clouded sulphur (Colias philodice)
- Orange sulphur (Colias eurytheme)
- Southern dogface (Zerene cesonia)
- Cloudless sulphur (Phoebis sennae)
- Orange sulphur (Colias eurytheme)
- Little yellow (Eurema lisa)
- Sleepy orange (Eurema nicippe)
- Mexican Yellow (Eurema mexicana)
- Dainty sulphur (Nathalis iole)
Metalmark (Riodinidae)
- Swamp metalmark (Calephelis muticum)
Swallowtail (Papilionidae)
- Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes)
- Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus)
- Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes)
- Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus)
- Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor)
- Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus)
Skipper (Hesperiidae)
- Columbine Duskywing (Erynnis lucilius)
- Wild Indigo Duskywing (Erynnis baptisiae)
- Dreamy Duskywing (Erynnis icelus)
- Sleepy Duskywing (Erynnis brizo)
- Horace’s Duskywing (Erynnis horatius)
- Juvenal’s Duskywing (Erynnis juvenalis)
- Persius Duskywing (Erynnis persius)
- Mottled Duskywing (Erynnis martialis)
- Northern Cloudywing (Thorybes pylades)
- Southern Cloudywing (Thorybes bathyllus)
- Common Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus communis)
- Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus)
- Hayhurst’s Scallopwing (Staphylus hayhurstii)
- Hoary Edge (Achalarus lyciades)
- Common Sootywing (Pholisora catullus)
- Common Streaky-Skipper (Celotes nessus)
