Types of Butterflies in Louisiana
About 153 species of butterflies have been reported in Louisiana. Their habitats range from the coastal prairies through the swamplands to the northern piney woods. People in Louisiana now spot some butterflies pretty much throughout the year, as their peak season has stretched from late February to early November.
There is no designated state butterfly for this southeastern U.S. state.
Brush-Footed (Nymphalidae)
- Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis 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)
- Diana (Speyeria diana)
- Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele)
- Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae)
- Julia Heliconian (Dryas julia)
- Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia)
- Zebra Heliconian (Heliconius charithonius)
- Monarch (Danaus plexippus)
- Queen (Danaus gilippus)
- American Snout (Libytheana carinenta)
- American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis)
- Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)
- Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
- Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos)
- Texan Crescent (Phyciodes texana)
- Phaon Crescent (Phyciodes phaon)
- Eastern Comma (Polygonia comma)
- Question Mark (Polygonia interrogationis)
- Gorgone Checkerspot (Chlosyne gorgone)
- Silvery Checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis)
- Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa)
- Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia)
Gossamer-Winged (Lycaenidae)
- Harvester (Feniseca tarquinius)
- Frosted Elfin (Callophrys irus)
- Henry’s Elfin (Callophrys henrici)
- Eastern Pine Elfin (Callophrys niphon)
- Banded Hairstreak (Satyrium calanus falacer)
- Great Purple Hairstreak (Atlides halesus)
- Red-banded Hairstreak (Calycopis cecrops)
- Juniper Hairstreak (Callophrys gryneus)
- Striped Hairstreak (Satyrium liparops strigosum)
- Oak Hairstreak /’Northern’ Southern Hairstreak (Satyrium favonius ontario)
- Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak (Strymon istapa)
- King’s Hairstreak (Satyrium kingi)
- Dusky-bllue Groundstreak (Calycopis isobeon)
- Western Pygmy-Blue (Brephidium exilis)
- Eastern Pygmy-Blue (Brephidium exilis)
- Cassius Blue (Leptotes cassius)
- Marine Blue (Leptotes marina)
- Ceraunus Blue (Hemiargus ceraunus)
- Reakirt’s Blue (Echinargus isola)
- Eastern Tailed-Blue (Cupido comyntas)
- Spring/Summer Azure (Celastrina neglecta)
Metalmark (Riodinidae)
- Little Metalmark (Calephelis virginiensis)
Whites and Sulphurs (Pieridae)
- Checkered White (Pontia protodice)
- Cabbage White (Pieris rapae)
- Falcate Orangetip (Anthocaris midea)
- Falcate Orangetip (Anthocaris midea)
- Florida White (Appias drusilla)
- 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)
- Lyside Sulphur (Kricogonia lyside)
- White Angled-Sulphur (Anteos clorinde)
- Sleepy Orange (Eurema nicippe)
- Mexican Yellow (Eureuma mexicanum)
- Dainty Sulphur (Nathalis iole)
- Barred Yellow (Eurema daira)
- Mexican Yellow (Eurema Mexicana)
Swallowtail (Papilionidae)
- Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes)
- Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus)
- Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes)
- Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus)
- Palamedes Swallowtail (Papilio palamedes)
- Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor)
- Polydamas Swallowtail (Battus polydamas)
- Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus)
Skipper (Hesperiidae)
- Strecker’s Giant-Skipper (Megathymus streckeri)
- Yucca Giant-Skipper (Megathymus yuccae)
- Common Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus communis)
- Tropical Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus oileus)
- White Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus albescens)
- Confusing Cloudywing (Thorybes confusis)
- Northern Cloudywing (Thorybes pylades)
- Southern Cloudywing (Thorybes bathyllus)
- Dorantes Longtail (Urbanus dorantes)
- Long-tailed Skipper (Urbanus proteus)
- Funereal Duskywing (Erynnis funeralis)
- Horace’s Duskywing (Erynnis horatius)
- Juvenal’s Duskywing (Erynnis juvenalis)
- Mottled Duskywing (Erynnis martialis)
- Persius Duskywing (Erynnis persius)
- Sleepy Duskywing (Erynnis brizo)
- Wild Indigo Duskywing (Erynnis baptisiae)
- Zarucco Duskywing (Erynnis zarucco)
- Hayhurst’s Scallopwing (Staphylus hayhurstii)
- Hoary Edge (Achalarus lyciades)
- Common Sootywing (Pholisora catullus)
- Common Streaky-Skipper (Celotes nessus)
- Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus)