Types of Butterflies in Pennsylvania
There are about 146 species of butterflies that have been spotted in Pennsylvania, of which 24 have been seen a few times in the state and are considered rare visitors. The butterflies spotted here have vast differences, ranging from the small, brown skipper species with wingspans as little as a half-inch to the tiger swallowtail, which can have a wingspan of about 5 inches. The butterflies typically inhabit the woods of the Appalachian Mountains, lowlands and basins near Great Lakes, Delaware River, and many national forests.
This northeastern state has not designated any species as the state butterfly.
Brush-Footed (Nymphalidae)
- ‘Astyanax‘ Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis astyanax)
- Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis)
- Viceroy (Limenitis archippus)
- White Admiral (Limenitis arthemis arthemis)
- Hackberry Emperor (Asterocampa celtis)
- Tawny Emperor (Asterocampa clyton)
- Aphrodite Fritillary (Speyeria aphrodite)
- Atlantis Fritillary (Speyeria atlantis)
- Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele)
- Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae)
- Meadow Fritillary (Boloria bellona)
- Regal Fritillary (Speyeria idalia)
- Silver-bordered Fritillary (Boloria selene)
- Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia)
- Monarch (Danaus plexippus)
- American Snout (Libytheana carinenta)
- American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis)
- Baltimore (Euphydryas phaeton)
- California Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis californica)
- Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia)
- Compton Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis vaualbum)
- Eastern Comma (Polygonia comma)
- Gorgone Checkerspot (Chlosyne gorgone)
- Gray Comma (Polygonia progne)
- Green Comma (Polygonia faunus)
- Harris’ Checkerspot (Chlosyne harrisii)
- Milbert’s Tortoiseshell (Aglais milberti)
- Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa)
- Northern Crescent (Phyciodes cocyta)
- Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)
- Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos)
- Question Mark (Polygonia interrogationis)
- Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
- Silvery Checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis)
- Tawny Crescent (Phyciodes batesii)
Gossamer-Winged (Lycaenidae)
- Harvester (Feniseca tarquinius)
- Bronze Copper (Lycaena hyllus)
- American Copper (Lycaena phlaeas)
- Bog Copper (Lycaena epixanthe)
- Great Purple Hairstreak (Atlides halesus)
- Coral Hairstreak (Satyrium titus)
- Edwards’ Hairstreak (Satyrium edwardsii)
- White-M Hairstreak (Parrhasius m-album)
- Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus)
- Striped Hairstreak (Satyrium liparops)
- Oak Hairstreak (Satyrium favonius)
- Red-banded Hairstreak (Calycopis cecrops)
- Banded Hairstreak (Satyrium calanus)
- Acadian Hairstreak (Satyrium acadica)
- Olive (Juniper) Hairstreak (Callophrys gryneus)
- Brown Elfin (Callophrys augustinus)
- Frosted Elfin (Callophrys irus)
- Henry’s Elfin (Callophrys henrici)
- Eastern Pine Elfin (Callophrys niphon)
- Hoary Elfin (Callophrys polios)
- Hickory Hairstreak (Satyrium caryaevorus)
- Early Hairstreak (Erora laeta)
- Northern’ Southern Hairstreak (Satyrium favonius ontario)
- Marine Blue (Leptotes marina)
- Spring Azure (Celastrina ladon)
- Summer Azure (Celastrina neglecta)
- Eastern Tailed-Blue (Cupido comyntas)
- Eastern Pygmy-Blue (Brephidium exilis)
- Appalachian Azure (Celastrina neglectamajor)
- Holly Azure (Celastrina idella)
- Silvery Blue (Glaucopsyche lygdamus)
- Ceraunus Blue (Hemiargus ceraunus)
- Melissa Blue (Plebejus melissa)
- Northern Azure (Celastrina lucia)
- Dusky Azure (Celastrina nigra)
- Cherry Gall Azure (Celastrina serotina)
Whites and Sulphurs (Pieridae)
- Cabbage White (Pieris rapae)
- Checkered White (Pontia protodice)
- Olympia Marble (Euchloe olympia)
- Falcate Orangetip (Anthocharis midea)
- West Virginia White (Pieris virginiensis)
- Clouded Sulphur (Colias philodice)
- Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme)
- Southern Dogface (Colias cesonia)
- Dainty Sulphur (Nathalis iole)
- Little Yellow (Pyrisitia lisa)
- Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae)
- Pink-edged Sulphur (Colias interior)
- Orange-barred Sulphur (Phoebis philea)
- Sleepy Orange (Eurema nicippe)
- Little Yellow (Pyrisitia lisa)
Metalmark (Riodinidae)
- Northern Metalmark (Calephelis borealis)
Swallowtail (Papilionidae)
- Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes)
- Canadian Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio canadensis)
- 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)
- Columbine Duskywing (Erynnis lucilius)
- Common Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus communis)
- Common Sootywing (Pholisora catullus)
- Confusing Cloudywing (Thorybes confusis)
- 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)
- Southern Cloudywing (Thorybes bathyllus)
- Wild Indigo Duskywing (Erynnis baptisiae)
- Zarucco Duskywing (Erynnis zarucco)
