Types of Butterflies in Rhode Island
Rhode Island is a small US state that has comparatively fewer species of butterflies than other US states. The main butterfly hotspots are Newport Butterfly Zoo, coastal beaches, and Jerimoth Hills.
Rhode Island has not designated any species as the state butterfly.
Brush-Footed (Nymphalidae)
- American Snout (Libytheana carinenta)
- Monarch (Danaus plexippus)
- Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia)
- Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele)
- Aphrodite Fritillary (Speyeria aphrodite)
- Regal Fritillary (Speyeria idalia)
- Atlantis Fritillary (Speyeria atlantis)
- Silver-bordered Fritillary (Boloria selene)
- Meadow Fritillary (Boloria bellona)
- Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis)
- White Admiral (Limenitis camilla)
- Astyanax’ Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis astyanax)
- Viceroy (Limenitis archippus)
- Hackberry Emperor (Asterocampa celtis)
- Silvery Checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis)
- Harris’ Checkerspot (Chlosyne harrisii)
- Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos)
- Northern Crescent (Phyciodes cocyta)
- Baltimore Checkerspot (Euphydryas phaeton)
- Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia)
- Question Mark (Polygonia interrogationis)
- Eastern Comma (Polygonia comma)
- Green Comma (Polygonia faunus)
- Gray Comma (Polygonia progne)
- Milbert’s Tortoiseshell (Aglais milberti)
- Compton Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis vaualbum)
- Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa)
- Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
- Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)
- American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis)
- Northern Pearly-eye (Enodia anthedon)
- Eyed Brown (Satyrodes eurydice)
- Appalachian Brown (Satyrodes appalachia)
- Common Ringlet (Coenonympha tullia)
- Little Wood-Satyr (Megisto cymela)
- Common Wood-Nymph (Cercyonis pegala)
Gossamer-Winged (Lycaenidae)
- Harvester (Feniseca tarquinius)
- American Copper (Lycaena phlaeas)
- Bronze Copper (Lycaena hyllus)
- Olive (Juniper) Hairstreak (Callophrys gryneus)
- Coral Hairstreak (Satyrium titus)
- Acadian Hairstreak (Satyrium acadica)
- Oak Hairstreak (Satyrium favonius)
- Edwards’ Hairstreak (Satyrium edwardsii)
- Hickory Hairstreak (Satyrium caryaevorus)
- Banded Hairstreak (Satyrium calanus)
- Striped Hairstreak (Satyrium liparops)
- Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus)
- White-M Hairstreak (Parrhasius m-album)
- Red-banded Hairstreak (Calycopis cecrops)
- Hessel’s Hairstreak (Callophrys hesseli)
- Henry’s Elfin (Callophrys henrici)
- Brown Elfin (Callophrys augustinus)
- Frosted Elfin (Callophrys irus)
- Eastern Pine Elfin (Callophrys niphon)
- Hoary Elfin (Callophrys polios)
- Eastern Tailed-Blue (Cupido comyntas)
- Spring Azure (Celastrina ladon)
- Summer Azure (Celastrina neglecta)
- Northern Azure (Celastrina lucia)
White and Sulphurs (Pieridae)
- Cabbage White (Pieris rapae)
- Mustard White (Pieris oleracea)
- Checkered White (Pontia protodice)
- Clouded Sulphur (Colias philodice)
- Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme)
- Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae)
- Orange-barred Sulphur (Phoebis philea)
- Sleepy Orange (Eurema nicippe)
- Little Yellow (Pyrisitia lisa)
Swallowtail (Papilioninae)
- Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes)
- Canadian Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio canadensis)
- Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus)
- Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes)
- Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor)
- Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus)
- Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus)
Skipper (Hesperiidae)
- Columbine Duskywing (Erynnis lucilius)
- Dreamy Duskywing (Erynnis icelus)
- 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)
- Common Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus communis)
- Common Sootywing (Pholisora catullus)
- Hoary Edge (Achalarus lyciades)
- Long-tailed Skipper (Urbanus proteus)
- Northern Cloudywing (Thorybes pylades)
- Southern Cloudywing (Thorybes bathyllus)
- Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus)
