Updated: Saturday November 02, 2024

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BUTTERFLY AND MOTH IMAGES CATALOG

For over 50 years I have explored nature, photographing what I discover. During most of that time I focused (pun intended) heavily on bird photography. But along the way a few photos of interesting "bugs" (e.g., butterflies, dragonflies, moths, etc.) were taken as well. After moving to the Rio Grande Valley in 2010, there was a little more emphasis on butterflies and dragonflies.

These pages contain images of 154 North American Butterfly Species (approximately 18 percent of the 859 documented North American butterfly species), and an additional 28 species from Colombia and Panama. A few photos date from as far back as 1968, but most were taken more recently.

Photographing North American Moths, however, is a daunting task, since there are approximately 12,000 North American Moth species! The few images here hardly begin to scratch the surface, but it is a beginning.

NOTE: Any comments on the identification of the species are most welcome. There are a number of "unknown" and "partially" identified (i.e., to Family or Genus only) species, particularly for photos taken outside North America. Thanks in advance for any help.

Use the links above to go directly to the beginning of the image listings, or use the taxonomic list below for a specific Family or Subfamily.

Butterfly Family and Subfamily Classification

• Family Papilionidae - Swallowtails
  • Subfamily Papilioninae - True Swallowtails
  • Subfamily Parnassiinae - Parnassians
  
  
• Family Pieridae - Whites and Yellows
  • Subfamily Pierinae - Whites, Marbles, and Orangetips
  • Subfamily Coliadinae - Sulphurs and Yellows
  
  
• Family Lycaenidae - Coppers, Harvester, Hairstreaks, and Blues
  • Subfamily Lycaeninae - Coppers
  • Subfamily Miletinae - Harvester
  • Subfamily Theclinae - Hairstreaks
  • Subfamily Polyommatinae - Blues
  
  
• Family Riodinidae - Metalmarks
  
  
• Family Nymphalidae - Brushfoots
  • Subfamily Heliconiinae - Heliconians and Fritillaries
  • Subfamily Nymphalinae - Patches/Checkerspots/Crescents, Anglewings/Ladies/et al
  • Subfamily Limenitidinae - Admirals et al
  • Subfamily Charaxinae - Leafwings
  • Subfamily Apaturinae - Emperors
  • Subfamily Libytheinae - Snouts
  • Subfamily Satyrinae - Satyrs
  • Subfamily Ithomiinae - Clearwings
  • Subfamily Danainae - Monarchs et al
  
  
• Family Hesperiidae - Firetips, Spreadwing Skippers (Cloudywings, Duskywings et al), Skipperlings, Grass-Skippers, and Giant Skippers
  • Subfamily Pyrrhopyginae - Firetips
  • Subfamily Pyrginae (Spreadwing Skippers) - Cloudywings and Duskywings et al
  • Subfamily Heteropterinae - Skipperlings
  • Subfamily Hesperiinae - Grass-Skippers
  • Subfamily Megathyminae - Giant Skippers

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BUTTERFLIES

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Family Papilionidae - Swallowtails and Parnassians

• Subfamily Papilioninae - True Swallowtails
  

  Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
  Eastern Tiger Swallowtail	[Papilio glaucus]	North America	1
  Canadian Tiger Swallowtail	[Papilio canadensis]	North America	1
  Two-tailed Swallowtail	[Papilio multicaudata]	North America	1
  Zebra Swallowtail	[Eurytides marcellus]	North America	1
  Pipevine Swallowtail	[Battus philenor]	North America	7
  Spicebush Swallowtail	[Papilio trailus]	North America	1
  Black Swallowtail	[Papilio polyxenes]	North America	5
  Palamedes Swallowtail	[Papilio palamedes]	North America	1
  Giant Swallowtail	[Papilio cresphontes]	North America	4
  Cattleheart sp.	[Parides sp.]	Panama	3

  
  
• Subfamily Parnassiinae - Parnassians
  
  
  • No images are currently available
    
    

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Family Pieridae - Whites and Yellows

• Subfamily Pierinae - Whites, Marbles, and Orangetips
  

  Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
  Checkered White	[Pontia protodice]	North America	3
  Great Southern White	[Ascia monuste]	North America	3
  Giant White	[Ganyra josephina]	North America	2
  Common Melwhite	[Melete lycimnia]	North America	1
  Painted White	[Pieriballia viardi]	Panama	1
  Surprising White	[Pereute charops]	Colombia	1

  
  
• Subfamily Coliadinae - Sulphurs and Yellows
  

  Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
  Orange Sulphur	[Colias eurytheme]	North America	1
  Southern Dogface	[Zerene cesonia]	North America	2
  Cloudless Sulphur	[Phoebis sennae]	North America	4
  Large Orange Sulphur	[Phoebis agarithe]	North America	6
  Lyside Sulphur	[Kricogonia lyside]	North America	4
  Boisduval's Yellow	[Eurema boisduvaliana]	North America	2
  Mexican Yellow	[Eurema mexicana]	North America	1
  Tailed Orange	[Pyrisitia proterpia]	North America	3
  Little Yellow	[Pyrisitia lisa]	North America	4
  Sleepy Orange	[Abaeis nicippe]	North America	4
  Dainty Sulphur	[Nathalis iole]	North America	1

  
  

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Family Lycaenidae - Harvester, Coppers, Hairstreaks, and Blues

• Subfamily Miletinae - Harvester
  
  
  • No images are currently available
    
    
• Subfamily Lycaeninae - Coppers
  

  Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
  American Copper	[Lycaena phlaeas]	North America	1

  
  
• Subfamily Theclinae - Hairstreaks
  

  Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
  Gray Hairstreak	[Strymon melinus]	North America	4
  Red-banded Hairstreak	[Calycopis cecrops]	North America	1
  Great Purple Hairstreak	[Atlides halesus]	North America	2
  Marius Hairstreak	[Rekoa marius]	North America	3
  Silver-banded Hairstreak	[Chlorostrymon simaethis]	North America	1
  Tropical Greenstreak	[Cyanophrys herodotus]	North America	3
  Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak	[Strymon istapa]	North America	6
  Dusky-blue Groundstreak	[Calycopis isobeon]	North America	1
  Pearly-gray Hairstreak	[Siderus tephraeus]	North America	2
  Clytie Ministreak	[Ministrymon clytie]	North America	3
  Togama Stripestreak	[Arawacus togarna]	Panama	1

  
  
• Subfamily Polyommatinae - Blues
  

  Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
  Western Pygmy-Blue	[Brephidium exile]	North America	4
  Cassius Blue	[Leptotes cassius]	North America	2
  Marine Blue	[Leptotes marina]	North America	3
  Ceraunus Blue	[Hemiargus ceraunus]	North America	5
  Reakirt's Blue	[Echinargus isola]	North America	4
  Western Tailed Blue	[Cupido amyntula]	North America	2
  Melissa Blue	[Plebejus melissa]	North America	1

  
  

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Family Riodinidae - Metalmarks

Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
Fatal Metalmark	[Calephelis nemesis]	North America	3
Rounded Metalmark	[Calephelis perditalis]	North America	2
Red-bordered Metalmark	[Caria ino]	North America	3
Blue Metalmark	[Lasaia sula]	North America	5
Red-bordered Pixie	[Melanis pixe]	North America	7
Curve-winged Metalmark	[Emesis emesia]	North America	3
Walker's Metalmark	[Apodemia walkeri]	North America	4

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Family Nymphalidae - Brushfoots

• Subfamily Libytheinae - Snouts
  

  Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
  American Snout	[Libytheana carinenta]	North America	5

  
  
• Subfamily Heliconiinae - Heliconians and Fritillaries
  

  Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
  Gulf Fritillary	[Agraulis vanillae]	North America	3
  Banded Orange Heliconian	[Dryadula phaetusa]	North America	1
  Julia Heliconian	[Dryas iulia]	North America	4
  Zebra Heliconian	[Heliconius charithonis]	North America	5
  Erato Heliconian	[Heliconius erato]	North America	5
  Variegated Fritillary	[Euptoieta claudia]	North America	1
  Mexican Fritillary	[Euptoieta hegesia]	North America	1
  Great Spangled Fritillary	[Speyeria cybele]	North America	1
  Aphrodite Fritillary	[Speyeria aphrodite]	North America	1
  Hecale Longwing	[Heliconius hecale]	Panama	1

  
  
• Subfamily Nymphalinae - Checkerspots, Patches, Crescents, Anglewings, Ladies et al
  

  Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
  Theona Checkerspot	[Chlosyne theona]	North America	3
  Bordered Patch	[Chlosyne lacinia]	North America	7
  Crimson Patch	[Chlosyne janais]	North America	2
  Elada Checkerspot	[Texola elada]	North America	2
  Texan Crescent	[Anthanassa texana]	North America	5
  Pale-banded Crescent	[Anthanassa tulcis]	North America	3
  Vesta Crescent	[Phyciodes graphica]	North America	2
  Phaon Crescent	[Phyciodes phaon]	North America	5
  Pearl Crescent	[Phyciodes tharos]	North America	1
  Field Crescent	[Phyciodes pulchella]	North America	1
  Question Mark	[Polygonia interrogationis]	North America	3
  Mourning Cloak	[Nymphalis antiopa]	North America	3
  American Lady	[Vanessa virginiensis]	North America	4
  Painted Lady	[Vanessa cardui]	North America	6
  Red Admiral	[Vanessa atalanta]	North America	5
  Common Buckeye	[Junonia coenia]	North America	4
  Tropical Buckeye	[Junonia genoveva]	North America	1
  White Peacock	[Anartia jatrophae]	North America	8
  Banded Peacock	[Anartia fatima]	Panama	3
  Malachite	[Siproeta stelenes]	North America	4
  Three-banded Crescent	[Eresia alsina]	Panama	2
  Peacock Butterfly	[Aglais io]	Great Britain	1

  
  
• Subfamily Limenitidinae - Admirals et al
  

  Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
  White Admiral	[Limenitis arthemis]	North America	2
  Red-spotted Purple	[Limenitis arthemis]	North America	6
  Viceroy	[Limenitis archippus]	North America	2
  Weidemeyer's Admiral	[Limenitis weidermeyerii]	North America	1
  Lorquin's Admiral	[Limenitis lorquini]	North America	1
  Band-celled Sister	[Adelpha fessonia]	North America	1
  California Sister	[Adelpha californica]	North America	2
  Arizona Sister	[Adelpha eutalia]	North America	5
  Common Banner	[Epiphile adrasta]	North America	1
  Mexican Bluewing	[Myscelia ethusa]	North America	5
  Dingy Purplewing	[Eunica monima]	North America	2
  Florida Purplewing	[Eunica tatila]	North America	5
  Common Mestra	[Mestra amymone]	North America	3
  Red Rim	[Biblis hyperia]	North America	4
  Gray Cracker	[Hamadryas februa]	North America	3
  Guatemalan Cracker	[Hamadryas guatemalena]	North America	3
  Starry Cracker	[Hamadryas laodamia]	Panama	1
  Tailed Cecropian	[Historis acheronta]	North America	2
  Blomfild's Beauty	[Smyrna blomfildia]	North America	1
  Many-banded Daggerwing	[Marpesia chiron]	Colombia	1
  Ruddy Daggerwing	[Marpesia petreus]	North America	2
  Purple-stained Daggerwing	[Marpesia marcella]	Colombia	2
  Daggerwing sp. (PA1)	[Marpesia sp.]	Colombia	1
  88 Butterfly	[Diaethria sp.]	Colombia	1
  Oileus Owl Butterfly	[Caligo oileus]	Panama	1
  Teucer Giant Owl Butterfly	[Caligo teucer]	Panama	1
  Yellow-edged Giant Owl Butterfly	[Caligo atreus]	Panama	1

  
  
• Subfamily Charaxinae - Leafwings
  

  Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
  Tropical Leafwing	[Anaea aidea]	North America	5
  Goatweed Leafwing	[Anaea andria]	North America	1
  Angled Leafwing	[Anaea glycerium]	North America	3
  Achilles Blue Morpho Butterfly	[Morpho achilles]	Panama	1
  One-spotted Prepona	[Archaeoprepona demophon]	Panama	2

  
  
• Subfamily Apaturinae - Emperors
  

  Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
  Empress Leilia	[Asterocampa leilia]	North America	3
  Tawny Emperor	[Asterocampa clyton]	North America	3

  
  
• Subfamily Satyrinae - Satyrs
  

  Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
  Appalachian Brown	[Satyrodes appalachia]	North America	2
  Carolina Satyr	[Hermeuptychia sosybius]	North America	4
  Red Satyr	[Megisto rubricata]	North America	2

  
  
• Subfamily Danainae - Monarchs et al
  

  Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
  Monarch	[Danaus plexippus]	North America	5
  Queen	[Danaus gilippus]	North America	4
  Soldier	[Danaus eresimus]	North America	3

  
  
• Subfamily Ithomiinae - Clearwings
  
  
  • No images are currently available
    
    

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Family Hesperiidae - Firetips, Spreadwing Skippers (Cloudywings, Duskywings et al), Skipperlings, Grass-Skippers, and Giant Skippers

• Subfamily Pyrrhopyginae - Firetips
  

  Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
  Dull Firetip	[Apyrrothrix araxes]	North America	3

  
  
• Subfamily Pyrginae (Spreadwing Skippers) - Cloudywings and Duskywings et al
  

  Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
  Guava Skipper	[Phocides polybius]	North America	2
  Mercurial Skipper	[Proteides mercurius]	North America	1
  Silver-spotted Skipper	[Epargyreus clarus]	North America	1
  Hammock Skipper	[Polygonus leo]	North America	2
  White-striped Longtail	[Chioides albofasciatus]	North America	3
  Long-tailed Skipper	[Urbanus proteus]	North America	8
  Dorantes Longtail	[Urbanus dorantes]	North America	3
  Brown Longtail	[Urbanus procne]	North America	5
  Two-barred Flasher	[Astraptes fulgerator]	North America	3
  Yellow-tipped Flasher	[Astraptes anaphus]	North America	1
  Desert Cloudywing	[Achalarus casica]	North America	3
  Northern Cloudywing	[Thorybes pylades]	North America	1
  Potrillo Skipper	[Cabares potrillo]	North America	1
  Mazans Scallopwing	[Staphylus mazans]	North America	2
  Mimosa Skipper	[Cogia calchas]	North America	2
  Variegated Skipper	[Gorgythion begga]	Panama	1
  Hoary Skipper	[Carrhenes canescens]	North America	2
  Sickle-winged Skipper	[Eantis tamenund]	North America	10
  White-patched Skipper	[Chiomara georgina]	North America	3
  False Duskywing	[Gesta gesta]	North America	1
  Mournful Duskywing	[Erynnis tristis]	North America	2
  Funereal Duskywing	[Erynnis funeralis]	North America	2
  Juvenal's Duskywing	[Erynnis juvenalis]	North America	1
  Common Checkered-Skipper	[Pyrgus communis]	North America	3
  Tropical Checkered-Skipper	[Pyrgus oileus]	North America	7
  Erichson's White-Skipper	[Heliopetes domicella]	North America	1
  Northern White-Skipper	[Heliopetes ericetorum]	North America	1
  Laviana White-Skipper	[Heliopetes laviana]	North America	7
  Turk's-cap White-Skipper	[Heliopetes macaira]	North America	2
  Common Sootywing	[Pholisora catullus]	North America	1
  Common Ghost-Skipper	[Phanus marshallii]	Panama	2
  White-eyed Ruby-eye	[Cobalus calvina]	Panama	1
  Banded Skipper?	[Autochton itylus?]	Panama	1
  Scarlet-eye sp. (2)	[Nascus sp.]	Panama	1
  Black-topped Blue-Skipper	[Pythonides proxenus]	Panama	1

  
  
• Subfamily Heteropterinae - Skipperlings
  
  
  • No images are currently available
    
    
• Subfamily Hesperiinae - Grass-Skippers
  

  Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
  Julia's Skipper	[Nastra julia]	North America	2
  Fawn-spotted Skipper	[Cymaenes odilia]	North America	2
  Clouded Skipper	[Lerema accius]	North America	7
  Orange Skipperling	[Copaeodes aurantiaca]	North America	1
  Southern Skipperling	[Copaeodes minima]	North America	3
  European Skipper	[Thymelicus lineola]	North America	1
  Fiery Skipper	[Hylephila phyleus]	North America	7
  Whirlabout	[Polites vibex]	North America	1
  Southern Broken-Dash	[Wallengrenia otho]	North America	2
  Sachem	[Atalopedes campestris]	North America	2
  Common Mellana	[Quasimellana eulogius]	North America	1
  Eufala Skipper	[Lerodia eufala]	North America	5
  Brazilian Skipper	[Calpodes ethlius]	North America	2
  Obscure Skipper	[Panoquina panoquinoides]	North America	1
  Ocola Skipper	[Panoquina ocala]	North America	3
  Purple-washed Skipper	[Panoquina lucas]	North America	1

  
  
• Subfamily Megathyminae - Giant Skippers
  
  
  • No images are currently available
    
    

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Unknown Butterflies - comments on the ID are most welcome!

Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
Butterfly sp. (PA6)	[Manerebia sp.?]	Colombia	1
Butterfly sp. (PA3)	[Pedaliodes sp.?]	Colombia	1
Butterfly sp. (PA5)	[??]	Colombia	1
Butterfly sp. (PA7)	[??]	Colombia	1
Butterfly sp. (PA26)	[??]	Colombia	1
Skipper sp. (1)	[??]	Panama	1

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MOTHS

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Moths - North American

Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
8-spotted Forester Moth	[Alypia octomaculata]	North America	1
Ailanthus Webworm Moth	[Atteva aurea]	North America	1
Luna Moth	[Actias luna]	North America	2
Polyphemus Moth	[Antheraea polyphemus]	North America	1
Cecropia Moth	[Hyalophora cecropia]	North America	1
Nevada Buck Moth	[Hemileuca nevadensis]	North America	1
Tersa Sphinx Moth	[Xylophanes tersa]	North America	1
White-lined Sphinx Moth	[Hyles lineata]	North America	1
Walnut Sphinx Moth	[Amorpha juglandis]	North America	1
Leopard Moth	[Zeuzera pyrina]	North America	1
Black Witch Moth	[Ascalapha odorata]	North America	2
Satin White Moth	[Palpita flegia]	North America	1
Hawaiian Beet Webworm Moth	[Spoladea recurvalis]	North America	1
Tulip Tree Beauty	[Epimecis hortaria]	North America	1

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Moths - Colombia

Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
Amastus sp. Moth (PA8)	[Amastus sp.]	Colombia	1
Epimecis sp. Moth (PA14)	[Epimecis sp.]	Colombia	1
Epimecis sp. Moth (PA19)	[Epimecis sp.]	Colombia	1
Epimecis sp. Moth (PA20)	[Epimecis sp.]	Colombia	1
Geometridae sp. Moth (PA13)	[Geometridae sp.]	Colombia	2

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Moths - Panama

Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
Urania Swallowtail Moth	[Urania fulgens]	Panama	1

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Moths - Colombia Unknown

Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
Moth sp. (PA10)	[??]	Colombia	1
Moth sp. (PA11)	[??]	Colombia	1
Moth sp. (PA12)	[??]	Colombia	1
Moth sp. (PA15)	[??]	Colombia	1
Moth sp. (PA16)	[??]	Colombia	1
Moth sp. (PA18)	[??]	Colombia	1
Moth sp. (PA21)	[??]	Colombia	1
Moth sp. (PA22)	[??]	Colombia	1
Moth sp. (PA25)	[??]	Colombia	1
Moth sp. (PA9)	[??]	Colombia	2

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Last Updated: Saturday November 02, 2024 - 03:30:03 PM CDT