Types of Butterflies in North Carolina
This south-eastern US state is home to about 175 species of butterflies, of which most are native species and the rest flutter across the state during migration. The butterflies usually inhabit the piedmont forests, sandhill savannahs, wetlands, mountains, coastal dunes, and pocosins.
The Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is the official state butterfly of this state.
Brush-Footed (Nymphalidae)
- ‘Astyanax’ Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis astyanax)
- Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis)
- Viceroy (Limenitis archippus)
- Hackberry Emperor (Asterocampa celtis)
- Tawny Emperor (Asterocampa clyton)
- Goatweed Leafwing (Anaea andria)
- Aphrodite Fritillary (Speyeria aphrodite)
- Diana (Speyeria diana)
- Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele)
- Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae)
- Meadow Fritillary (Boloria bellona)
- Regal Fritillary (Speyeria idalia)
- Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia)
- Monarch (Danaus plexippus)
- Queen (Danaus gilippus)
- Soldier (Danaus eresimus)
- American Snout (Libytheana carinenta)
- American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis)
- Baltimore (Euphydryas phaeton)
- Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia)
- Compton Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis vaualbum)
- Eastern Comma (Polygonia comma)
- Gray Comma (Polygonia progne)
- Green Comma (Polygonia faunus)
- Milbert’s Tortoiseshell (Aglais milberti)
- Mimic (Hypolimnas misippus)
- Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa)
- Northern Crescent (Phyciodes cocyta)
- Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)
- Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos)
- Phaon Crescent (Phyciodes phaon)
- Question Mark (Polygonia interrogationis)
- Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
- Silvery Checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis)
- Tawny Crescent (Phyciodes batesii)
- White Peacock (Anartia jatrophae)
Gossamer-Winged (Lycaenidae)
- Harvester (Feniseca tarquinius)
- American Copper (Lycaena phlaeas)
- Great Purple Hairstreak (Atlides halesus)
- Olive (Juniper) Hairstreak (Callophrys gryneus)
- Hessel’s Hairstreak (Callophrys hesseli)
- Coral Hairstreak (Satyrium titus)
- Early Hairstreak (Erora laeta)
- White-M Hairstreak (Parrhasius m-album)
- Red-banded Hairstreak (Calycopis cecrops)
- Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus)
- Banded Hairstreak (Satyrium calanus)
- Striped Hairstreak (Satyrium liparops)
- Oak Hairstreak (Satyrium favonius)
- Edwards’ Hairstreak (Satyrium edwardsii)
- King’s Hairstreak (Satyrium kingi)
- Hickory Hairstreak (Satyrium caryaevorus)
- Frosted Elfin (Callophrys irus)
- Henry’s Elfin (Callophrys henrici)
- Brown Elfin (Callophrys augustinus)
- Eastern Pine Elfin (Callophrys niphon)
- Eastern Tailed-Blue (Cupido comyntas)
- Spring Azure (Celastrina ladon)
- Appalachian Azure (Celastrina neglectamajor)
- Holly Azure (Celastrina idella)
- Dusky Azure (Celastrina nigra)
- Summer Azure (Celastrina neglecta)
- Silvery Blue (Glaucopsyche lygdamus)
- Ceraunus Blue (Hemiargus ceraunus)
Whites and Sulphurs (Pieridae)
- Falcate Orangetip (Anthocharis midea)
- Olympia Marble (Euchloe olympia)
- Cabbage White (Pieris rapae)
- Checkered White (Pontia protodice)
- Great Southern White (Ascia monuste)
- West Virginia White (Pieris virginiensis)
- Dainty Sulphur (Nathalis iole)
- Southern Dogface (Colias cesonia)
- Clouded Sulphur (Colias philodice)
- Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme)
- Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae)
- Large Orange Sulphur (Phoebis agarithe)
- Orange-barred Sulphur (Phoebis philea)
- Sleepy Orange (Eurema nicippe)
- Barred Yellow (Eurema daira)
- Little Yellow (Pyrisitia lisa)
Metalmark (Riodinidae)
- Little Metalmark (Calephelis virginiensis)
Swallowtail (Papilionidae)
- Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes)
- Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus)
- Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes)
- Palamedes Swallowtail (Papilio palamedes)
- Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor)
- Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus)
- Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus)
Skipper (Hesperiidae)
- Cofaqui Giant-Skipper (Megathymus cofaqui)
- Yucca Giant-Skipper (Megathymus yuccae)
- Common Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus communis)
- Common Sootywing (Pholisora catullus)
- Confusing Cloudywing (Thorybes confusis)
- Dorantes Longtail (Urbanus dorantes)
- Dreamy Duskywing (Erynnis icelus)
- Golden Banded-Skipper (Autochton cellus)
- Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus centaureae)
- Hayhurst’s Scallopwing (Staphylus hayhurstii)
- Hoary Edge (Achalarus lyciades)
- Horace’s Duskywing (Erynnis horatius)
- Juvenal’s Duskywing (Erynnis juvenalis)
- Long-tailed Skipper (Urbanus proteus)
- Mottled Duskywing (Erynnis martialis)
- Northern Cloudywing (Thorybes pylades)
- Persius Duskywing (Erynnis persius)
- Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus)
- Sleepy Duskywing (Erynnis brizo)
- Least Skipper (Ancyloxypha numitor)
- Southern Cloudywing (Thorybes bathyllus)
- Tropical Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus oileus)
- Wild Indigo Duskywing (Erynnis baptisiae)
- Zarucco Duskywing (Erynnis zarucco)
- Least Skipper (Ancyloxypha numitor)
- Southern Skipperling (Copaeodes minimus)
- European Skipper (Thymelicus lineola)
- Brazilian Skipper (Calpodes ethlius)
- Salt Marsh Skipper (Panoquina panoquin)
- Ocola Skipper (Panoquina ocola)
- Pepper and Salt Skipper (Amblyscirtes hegon)
- Carolina Roadside-Skipper (Amblyscirtes carolina)
- Reversed Roadside-Skipper (Amblyscirtes reversa)
- Lace-winged Roadside-Skipper (Amblyscirtes aesculapius)
- Common Roadside-Skipper (Amblyscirtes vialis)
- Dusky Roadside-Skipper (Amblyscirtes alternata)
- Swarthy Skipper (Nastra lherminier)
- Eufala Skipper (Lerodea eufala)
- Clouded Skipper (Lerema accius)
- Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus)
- Leonard’s Skipper (Hesperia leonardus)
- Cobweb Skipper (Hesperia metea)
- Dotted Skipper (Hesperia attalus)
- Meske’s Skipper (Hesperia meskei)
- Indian Skipper (Hesperia sassacus)
- Peck’s Skipper (Polites peckius)
- Tawny-edged Skipper (Polites themistocles)
- Crossline Skipper (Polites origenes)
- Long Dash (Polites mystic)
- Whirlabout (Polites vibex)
- Southern Broken-Dash (Wallengrenia otho)
- Northern Broken-Dash (Wallengrenia egeremet)
- Little Glassywing (Pompeius verna)
- Sachem (Atalopedes campestris)
- Arogos Skipper (Atrytone arogos)
- Byssus Skipper (Problema byssus)
- Rare Skipper (Problema bulenta)
- Hobomok Skipper (Poanes hobomok)
- Zabulon Skipper (Poanes zabulon)
- Broad-winged Skipper (Poanes viator)
- Aaron’s Skipper (Poanes aaroni)
- Yehl Skipper (Poanes yehl)
- Delaware Skipper (Anatrytone logan)
- Palatka Skipper (Euphyes pilatka)
- Berry’s Skipper (Euphyes berryi)
- Dion Skipper (Euphyes dion)
- Dukes’ Skipper (Euphyes dukesi)
- Two-spotted Skipper (Euphyes bimacula)
- Dun Skipper (Euphyes vestris)
- Dusted Skipper (Atrytonopsis hianna)
- Crystal Skipper (Atrytonopsis quinteri)
- Twin-spot Skipper (Oligoria maculata)