Types of Butterflies in Wisconsin
About 130 butterfly species, comprising all the six butterfly families, are spotted fluttering over Wisconsin. The most common species in Wisconsin are the Monarch, Mourning Cloaks, Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Red-spotted Purple, Coral Hairstreak, and Dreamy Duskywing. They usually feed on black and pin cherry, wild plum, aspen and poplar leaves, black locust, and shrubby willows.
The state has not designated any species as its state butterfly, although the honeybee is regarded as the state insect.
Brush-Footed (Nymphalidae)
- Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis)
- ‘Astyanax‘ Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis astyanax)
- White Admiral (Limenitis arthemis arthemis)
- Viceroy (Limenitis archippus)
- Hackberry Emperor (Asterocampa celtis)
- Tawny Emperor (Asterocampa clyton)
- Goatweed Leafwing (Anaea andria)
- Aphrodite Fritillary (Speyeria aphrodite)
- Atlantis Fritillary (Speyeria atlantis)
- Regal Fritillary (Speyeria idalia)
- Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele)
- Meadow Fritillary (Boloria bellona)
- Bog Fritillary (Boloria eunomia)
- Freija Fritillary (Boloria freija)
- Frigga Fritillary (Boloria frigga)
- Silver-bordered Fritillary (Boloria selene)
- Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia)
- Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae)
- Monarch (Danaus plexippus)
- American Snout (Libytheana carinenta)
- American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis)
- Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
- Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)
- California Patch (Chlosyne californica)
- Silvery Checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis)
- Harris’ Checkerspot (Chlosyne harrisii)
- Gorgone Checkerspot (Chlosyne gorgone)
- Eastern Comma (Polygonia comma)
- Gray Comma (Polygonia progne)
- Green Comma (Polygonia faunus)
- Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa)
- Compton Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis vaualbum)
- Northern Crescent (Phyciodes cocyta)
- Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos)
- Question Mark (Polygonia interrogationis)
- Satyr Comma (Polygonia satyrus)
- Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia)
- Milbert’s Tortoiseshell (Aglais milberti)
- Baltimore (Euphydryas phaeton)
- Tawny Crescent (Phyciodes batesii)
Gossamer-Winged (Lycaenidae)
- Harvester (Feniseca tarquinius)
- Spring Azure (Celastrina ladon)
- Summer Azure (Celastrina neglecta)
- Silvery Blue (Glaucopsyche lygdamus)
- American Copper (Lycaena phlaeas)
- Brown Elfin (Calophyrus augustinus)
- Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus)
- Edward’s Hairstreak (Satyrium edwardsii)
- Striped Hairstreak (Satyrium liparops)
- Banded Hairstreak (Satyrium calanus)
- Coral Hairstreak (Satyrium titus)
Whites and Sulphurs (Pieridae)
- Cabbage White (Pieris rapae)
- Mustard White (Pieris napi)
- Olympia Marble (Euchloe olympia)
- Clouded Sulphur (Colias philodice)
- Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme)
- Little Yellow (Eurema lisa)
- Dainty Sulphur (Nathalis iole)
Metalmark (Riodinidae)
- Swamp Metalmark (Calephelis muticum)
Swallowtail (Papilionidae)
- Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes)
- Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus)
- Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes)
- Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus)
- Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor)
- Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus)
Skipper (Hesperiidae)
- Sleepy Duskywing (Erynnis brizo)
- Dreamy Duskywing (Erynnis icelus)
- Horace’s Duskywing (Erynnis horatius)
- Wild Indigo Duskywing (Erynnis baptisiae)
- Juvenal’s Duskywing (Erynnis juvenalis)
- Mottled Duskywing (Erynnis martialis)
- Persius Duskywing (Erynnis persius)
- Southern Cloudywing (Thorybes bathyllus)
- Northern Cloudywing (Thorybes pylades)
- Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus)
- Common Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus communis)
- Hoary Edge (Achalarus lyciades)
- Common Sootywing (Pholisora catullus)
