Types of Butterflies in Oklahoma

This US state is home to nearly 180 species of butterfly that include all the six butterfly families. Oklahoma designated the Black Swallowtail Butterfly (Papilio polyxenesis) as the official state butterfly since 1996. This species is highly abundant in Oklahoma from May to October. An adult butterfly species fed on nectar from flowers, especially red clover, milkweed, and thistles and found in open areas like fields, suburbs, marshes.

Butterflies in Oklahoma (OK)

Brush-Footed (Nymphalidae)

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)
  • Soapberry hairstreak (Phaeostrymon alcestis)
  • Coral hairstreak (Satyrium titus)
  • Behr’s hairstreak (Satyrium behrii)
  • Edwards’ hairstreak (Satyrium edwardsii)
  • Banded hairstreak (Satyrium calanus)
  • Striped hairstreak (Satyrium liparops)
  • Southern hairstreak (Fixsenia favonius)
  • Frosted elfin (Callophrys irus)
  • Henry’s elfin (Callophrys henrici)
  • Eastern pine elfin (Callophrys niphon)
  • Thicket hairstreak (Callophrys spinetorum)
  • Juniper hairstreak (Callophrys gryneus)
  • White M hairstreak (Parrhasius m-album)
  • Gray hairstreak (Strymon melinus)
  • Red-banded hairstreak (Calycopis cecrops)
  • Spring azure (Celastrina ladon)
  • Western pygmy-blue (Brephidium exile)
  • Cassius blue (Leptotes cassius)
  • Marine blue (Leptotes marina)
  • Reakirt’s blue (Echinargus isola)
  • Eastern tailed-blue (Cupido comyntas)
  • Spring azure (Celastrina ladon)
  • Summer azure (Celastrina neglecta)
  • Silvery blue (Glaucopsyche lygdamus)
  • Melissa blue (Plebejus melissa)
  • Lupine blue (Icaricia lupini)

Whites and Sulphurs (Pieridae)

  • Florida white (Appias drusilla)
  • Becker’s white (Pontia beckerii)
  • Spring white (Pontia sisymbrii)
  • Checkered white (Pontia protodice)
  • Cabbage white (Pieris rapae)
  • Large marble (Euchloe ausonides)
  • Olympia marble (Euchloe olympia)
  • Falcate orangetip (Anthocharis midea)
  • Clouded sulphur (Colias philodice)
  • Orange sulphur (Colias eurytheme)
  • Southern dogface (Zerene cesonia)
  • White angled-sulphur (Anteos clorinde)
  • Cloudless sulphur (Phoebis sennae)
  • Orange-barred sulphur (Phoebis philea)
  • Large orange sulphur (Phoebis agarithe)
  • Lyside sulphur (Kricogonia lyside)
  • Barred yellow (Eurema daira)
  • Mexican yellow (Eurema mexicana)
  • Little yellow (Eurema lisa)
  • Sleepy orange (Eurema nicippe)
  • Dainty sulphur (Nathalis iole)

Metalmark (Riodinidae)

  • Little metalmark (Calephelis virginiensis)
  • Northern metalmark (Calephelis borealis)

Swallowtail (Papilionidae)

Skipper (Hesperiidae)

  • Strecker’s Giant-Skipper (Megathymus streckeri)
  • Yucca Giant-Skipper (Megathymus yuccae)
  • Common Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus communis)
  • Common Sootywing (Pholisora catullus)
  • Common Streaky-Skipper (Celotes nessus)
  • Confusing Cloudywing (Thorybes confusis)
  • Dreamy Duskywing (Erynnis icelus)
  • Funereal Duskywing (Erynnis funeralis)
  • Golden Banded-Skipper (Autochton cellus)
  • 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)
  • Outis Skipper (Cogia outis)
  • Rocky Mountain Duskywing (Erynnis telemachus)
  • Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus)