Types of Butterflies in West Virginia
West Virginia is home to about 135 species of butterflies, out of which 21 are commonly spotted.
The state has designated the Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus) as the official state butterfly in 1995. An adult Monarch has a wingspan of 3.75-4 inches with an orange-brown or reddish upper surface with black stripes.
Brush-Footed (Nymphalidae)
- Viceroy (Limenitis archippus)
- ‘Astyanax‘ Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis astyanax)
- White Admiral (Limenitis arthemis arthemis)
- Hackberry Emperor (Asterocampa celtis)
- Tawny Emperor (Asterocampa clyton)
- Aphrodite Fritillary (Speyeria aphrodite)
- Atlantis Fritillary (Speyeria atlantis)
- Diana (Speyeria diana)
- Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele)
- Regal Fritillary (Speyeria idalia)
- Silver-bordered Fritillary (Boloria selene)
- Meadow Fritillary (Boloria bellona)
- Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia)
- Monarch (Danaus plexippus)
- American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis)
- Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
- Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)
- Compton Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis vaualbum)
- Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa)
- Eastern Comma (Polygonia comma)
- Question Mark (Polygonia interrogationis)
- Gray Comma (Polygonia progne)
- Green Comma (Polygonia faunus)
- Harris’ Checkerspot (Chlosyne harrisii)
- Gorgone Checkerspot (Chlosyne gorgone)
- Silvery Checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis)
- Northern Crescent (Phyciodes cocyta)
- Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos)
- Tawny Crescent (Phyciodes batesii)
- Baltimore (Euphydryas phaeton)
- Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia)
- Milbert’s Tortoiseshell (Aglais milberti)
Gossamer-Winged (Lycaenidae)
- Harvester (Feniseca tarquinius)
- American Copper (Lycaena phlaeas)
- Bronze Copper (Lycaena hyllus)
- Bog Copper (Lycaena epixanthe)
- Great Purple Hairstreak (Atlides halesus)
- Coral Hairstreak (Satyrium titus)
- Edwards’ Hairstreak (Satyrium edwardsii)
- Banded Hairstreak (Satryium calanus)
- Hickory Hairstreak (Satyrium caryaevorum)
- Striped Hairstreak (Satyrium liparops)
- Southern Hairstreak (Satyrium favonius)
- Brown Elfin (Callophrys augustinus)
- Hoary Elfin (Callophrys polios)
- Frosted Elfin (Callophrys irus)
- Henry’s Elfin (Callophrys henrici)
- Eastern Pine Elfin (Callophrys niphon)
- ‘Olive’ Juniper Hairstreak (Callophrys gryneus gryneus)
- Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus)
- Red-banded Hairstreak (Calycopis cecrops)
- Early Hairstreak (Erora laeta)
- Eastern Tailed-Blue (Everes comyntas)
- Spring Azure (Celastrina ladon)
- Appalachian Azure (Celastrina neglectamajor)
- Dusky Azure (Celastrina nigra)
- Silvery Blue (Glaucopsyche lygdamus)
Whites and Sulphurs (Pieridae)
- Checkered White (Pontia protodice)
- West Virginia White (Pieris virginiensis)
- Cabbage White (Pieris rapae)
- Olympia Marble (Euchloe olympia)
- Falcate Orangetip (Anthocharis midea)
- Clouded Sulphur (Colias philodice)
- Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme)
- Pink-edged Sulphur (Colias interior)
- Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae)
- Little Yellow (Eurema lisa)
- Sleepy Orange (Eurema nicippe)
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)
- Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor)
- Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus)
- Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus)
Skipper (Hesperiidae)
- Columbine Duskywing (Erynnis lucilius)
- Dreamy Duskywing (Erynnis icelus)
- Funereal Duskywing (Erynnis funeralis)
- Horace’s Duskywing (Erynnis horatius)
- Juvenal’s Duskywing (Erynnis juvenalis)
- Mottled Duskywing (Erynnis martialis)
- Sleepy Duskywing (Erynnis brizo)
- Wild Indigo Duskywing (Erynnis baptisiae)
- Common Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus communis)
- Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus centaureae)
- Northern Cloudywing (Thorybes pylades)
- Southern Cloudywing (Thorybes bathyllus)
- Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus)
- Common Sootywing (Pholisora catullus)
- Hoary Edge (Achalarus lyciades)
- Golden Banded-Skipper (Autochton cellus)
- Hayhurst’s Scallopwing (Staphylus hayhurstii)