Types of Butterflies in Virginia
About 102 butterfly species are observed in this south-eastern US state. Among them, a wide variety of species inhabit the Applachian Mountains and coastal areas only. These butterflies can be frequently spotted between mid-April and mid-October when the weather is warm.
The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) was designated as the official state butterfly of Virginia in 1991.
Brush-Footed (Nymphalidae)
- Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis)
- Viceroy (Limenitis archippus)
- ‘Astyanax‘ Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis astyanax)
- White Admiral (Limenitis arthemis arthemis)
- Ruddy Daggerwing (Marpesia petreus)
- Hackberry Emperor (Asterocampa celtis)
- Tawny Emperor (Asterocampa clyton)
- Goatweed Leafwing (Anaea andria)
- Aphrodite Fritillary (Speyeria aphrodite)
- Atlantis Fritillary (Speyeria atlantis)
- Diana (Speyeria diana)
- Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele)
- Regal Fritillary (Speyeria idalia)
- Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae)
- Meadow Fritillary (Boloria bellona)
- Silver-bordered Fritillary (Boloria selene)
- Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia)
- Zebra Heliconian (Heliconius charithonius)
- Monarch (Danaus plexippus)
- American Snout (Libytheana carinenta)
- American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis)
- Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)
- Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
- Eastern Comma (Polygonia comma)
- Gray Comma (Polygonia progne)
- Question Mark (Polygonia interrogationis)
- Green Comma (Polygonia faunus)
- Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa)
- Compton Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis vaualbum)
- Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos)
- Northern Crescent (Phyciodes cocyta)
- Phaon Crescent (Phyciodes phaon)
- Tawny Crescent (Phyciodes batesii)
- Silvery Checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis)
- White Peacock (Anartia jatrophae)
- Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia)
- Baltimore (Euphydryas phaeton)
Gossamer-Winged (Lycaenidae)
- Harvester (Feniseca tarquinius)
- American Copper (Lycaena phlaeas)
- Coral Hairstreak (Satyrium titus)
- Banded Hairstreak (Satyrium calanus)
- Striped Hairstreak (Satyrium liparops)
- Southern (Oak) Hairstreak (Satyrium favonius)
- Brown Elfin (Callophrys augustinus)
- Henry’s Elfin (Callophrys henrici)
- Eastern Pine Elfin (Callophrys niphon)
- Olive (Juniper) Hairstreak (Callophrys gryneus)
- White “M” Hairstreak (Parrhasius m-album)
- Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus)
- Red-banded Hairstreak (Calycopis cecrops)
- Eastern Tailed-Blue (Cupido comyntas)
- Summer Azure (Celastrina neglecta)
- Spring Azure (Celastrina ladon)
- Appalachian Azure (Celastrina neglectamajor)
Whites and Sulphurs (Pieridae)
- Checkered White (Pontia protodice)
- Cabbage White (Pieris rapae)
- Falcate Orangetip (Anthocharis midea)
- Clouded Sulphur (Colias philodice)
- Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme)
- Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae)
- Little Yellow (Eurema lisa)
- Sleepy Orange (Eurema nicippe)
- West Virginia White (Pieris virginiensis)
- Olympia Marble (Euchloe olympia)
- Pink-edged Sulphur (Colias interior)
Metalmark (Riodinidae)
- Little Metalmark (Calephelis virginiensis)
- Northern Metalmark (Calephelis borealis)
Swallowtail (Papilionidae)
- Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes)
- Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus)
- Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes)
- Palamedes Swallowtail (Papilio palamedes)
- Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus)
- Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor)
- Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus)
Skipper (Hesperiidae)
- Yucca Giant-Skipper (Megathymus yuccae)
- Columbine Duskywing (Erynnis lucilius)
- Horace’s Duskywing (Erynnis horatius)
- Juvenal’s Duskywing (Erynnis juvenalis)
- Sleepy Duskywing (Erynnis brizo)
- Wild Indigo Duskywing (Erynnis baptisiae)
- Persius Duskywing (Erynnis persius)
- Zarucco Duskywing (Erynnis zarucco)
- Dreamy Duskywing (Erynnis icelus)
- Mottled Duskywing (Erynnis martialis)
- Common Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus communis)
- Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus centaureae)
- Northern Cloudywing (Thorybes pylades)
- Southern Cloudywing (Thorybes bathyllus)
- Confusing Cloudywing (Thorybes confusis)
- Dorantes Longtail (Urbanus dorantes)
- Long-tailed Skipper (Urbanus proteus)
- Golden Banded-Skipper (Autochton cellus)
- Common Sootywing (Pholisora catullus)
- Hayhurst’s Scallopwing (Staphylus hayhurstii)
- Hoary Edge (Achalarus lyciades)
- Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus)