Natalie Gagnon Books
Cart 0
Cart 0

Common Butterflies

Here are the 25 most common North American butterflies (in alphabetical order). Note that some butterflies have different patterns on each side of their wings. The top view is called the dorsal view; the side view is called the ventral view. 

1. Acmon Blue (Plebejus acmon)

Caterpillar Hosts: Naked buckwheat (Eriogonum nudum) and other buckwheats, coyotebrush (Baccharis), lupines (Lupinus), milkvetches (Astragalus), and bird's-foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus).

Adult Food: Flower nectar.

Range: Primarily California west of Sierra Nevada-Cascade Divide south to northern Baja California. Precise limits in neighboring Oregon and Nevada not ascertained.

14. Monarch (Danaus plexippus)

2. American Painted Lady (Vanessa virginiensis)

15. Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)

3. Baird's Swallowtail (Papilio bairdii)

16. Pygmy Blue (Brephidium exile)

4. Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes)

17. Red-spotted Purple/White Admiral (Limenitis arthemis )

5. Clouded Sulphur (Colias philodice)

18. Silver-Spotted Skipper (Epargyreus claris)

6. Coral Hairstreak (Satyrium titus)

19. Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus)

7. Dun Skipper (Euphyes vestris)

20. Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia)

8. Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus)

21. Viceroy (Limenitis archippus)

9. Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes)

22. Western Tailed Blue (Cupido amyntula)

10. Gray Comma (Polygonia progne)

23. Western Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio rutulus)

11. Great Purple Hairstreak (Atlides halesus)

24. Woodland Skipper (Ochlodes sylvanoides)

12. Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae)

25. Zebra Swallowtail (Protographium marcellus)

13. Henry's Elfin (Callophrys henrici)

Photo credits: Acmon Blue (1 & 2) Alan Schmierer, Public Domain; American Painted Lady (1 & 2) John Flannery, CC BY-SA 2.0; Baird's Swallowtail (1 & 2) Dave Rogers by permission; Black Swallowtail (1 & 2) Dean Morley, CC BY-ND 2.0; Clouded Sulphur (1) Meganmccarty, Public Domain; (2) John Flannery, CC BY-SA 2.0; Coral Hairstreak (1) Robb Hannawacker, Public Domain; (2) John Flannery, CC BY-SA 2.0; Dun Skipper (1) Don Loarie, CC BY 2.0; (2) Aaron Carlson, CC BY-SA 2.0; Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (1) dr.scott.mills, CC BY 2.0; (2) The Peanut Gallery, CC BY-SA 2.0; Giant Swallowtail (1) Thomas Bresson, CC BY 2.0; (2) Greg Gilbert, CC BY-SA 2.0; Grey Comma (1 & 2) Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren, CC BY 2.0; Gulf Fritillary (1 & 2) John Flannery, CC BY-SA 2.0 (recolored); Henry's Elfin John Flannery, CC BY-SA 2.0; Monarch & Painted Lady (1 & 2) John Flannery, CC BY-SA 2.0; Pygmy Blue (1) Alan Schmierer, Public Domain; (2) John Flannery, CC BY-SA 2.0; Red-spotted Purple/White Admiral (1 & 2) John Flannery, CC BY-SA 2.0 (3) Ano Lobb, CC BY 2.0; (4) wplynn, CC BY-ND 2.0 (resized); Silver-spotted Skipper (1) Kristine Paulus, CC BY 2.0; (2) John Flannery, CC BY-SA 2.0; Spicebush Swallowtail, Variegated Fritillary, & Viceroy (1 & 2) John Flannery, CC BY-SA 2.0; Western Tailed Blue (1 & 2) Five Acre Geographic, CC BY-ND 2.0; Western Tiger Swallowtail (1) M I K E M O R R I S, CC BY-SA 2.0, (2) siamesepuppy, CC BY 2.0; Woodland Skipper (1) Edward Rooks, CC BY-SA 2.0; (2) USFWS Mountain-Prairie, CC BY 2.0 (cropped & rotated); Zebra Swallowtail (1) Mark Spangler, CC BY 2.0; (2) John Flannery, CC BY-SA 2.0