Search results
- Red Admiral. Vanessa atalanta. Red Admirals have a wingspan of 1.75 to 2.5 inches. The coloring is dark brown with a reddish circular band and white spots.
- Painted Lady. Vanessa cardui. Painted Lady butterflies have a wingspan of 1.75 to 2.5 inches. The coloring is pinkish-orange, with dark brown to black markings near the wingtips and white spots inside the black markings.
- Monarch. Danaus plexippus. Monarch butterflies have a wingspan of 3.5 to 4 inches. Their recognizable coloring is a “stained glass” pattern of orange with black veins.
- American Lady. Vanessa virginiensis. American Lady Butterflies have a wingspan of 1.75 to 2.5 inches. The coloring of this species is a brilliant orange with dark borders and markings and white and purple spots.
- Little Yellow
- Common Buckeye
- Cabbage White
- Orange Sulphur
- Red-Banded Hairstreak
- American Lady
- American Snout
- Silver-spotted Skipper
- Horace’s Duskywing
- Falcate Orangetip
Scientific name: Eurema lisa The little yellow butterfly is mostly yellow with dark borders or splotches on their wings that span 1.25 to 1.75 inches. These butterflies live throughout the state, except for certain counties in the western and central regions. You can find them in dry, open habitats, such as abandoned or sandy fields. Caterpillar’s ...
Scientific name: Junonia coenia The common buckeye is mostly brown with various patterns, including orange bars and 6 eyespots. Four of the eyespots are large and multi-colored. Their wings span 1.62 to 2.75 inches. You can find these butterfliesthroughout the state in sunny, open habitats with bare ground and low vegetation. Caterpillars are black...
Scientific name: Pieris rapae The cabbage white is one of the most common white butterfly species found worldwide, including throughout North Carolina. They are overall white, with yellowish-green and grayish-green undersides and a wingspan of 1.74 to 2.25 inches. Their thin green caterpillars feed on plants in the mustard and caper families, while...
Scientific name: Colias eurytheme Despite their names, the orange sulphur butterfly has various colors, including white or yellow with orange overlaps, black borders, and yellow veins. They have wingspans of 1.37 to 2.75 inches. You can find them throughout the state in fields or meadows where their food sources are. Caterpillars feed on plants in ...
Scientific name: Calycopis cecrops The red-banded hairstreak gets their name from the line of reddish-orange on their brown or bluish wings. They are small butterflies with wings spanning 0.87 to 1.25 inches. You can find these butterflies throughout most of North Carolina when they migrate during the months of April to October from warmer states l...
Scientific name: Vanessa virginiensis During the summer months, the American lady butterflies are larger and brighter than winter ones in warmer states. They have yellow, brown, and orange patterns with two large eyespots on their hindwings. Their wingspans are 1.75 to 2.62 inches. You can find them throughout the state in habitats with low vegetat...
Scientific name: Libytheana carinenta The American snout is a brownish and dull-orange butterfly with white patterns. They get their name from the elongated part of their mouth, called a labial palpi, that resembles a snout. Their wingspans are between 1.37 and 2 inches. These butterflies can be found mostly in the southern, far western, and centra...
Scientific name: Epargyreus clarus There are 68 species of butterflies in the skippers family in North Carolina, and one of the most common species found throughout the state is the silver-spotted skipper. This butterfly gets their name from the gold spots and silver band on their brownish-black wings. Their wings grow between 1.75 to 2.62 inches. ...
Scientific name: Erynnis horatius Despite their name, the Horace’s duskywing butterfly is also a species of the skippers family. They are dark brown with light brown patterns. Their wings are 1.4 to 1.9 inches. You can find these butterflies throughout the state, except certain counties in the central-eastern region and at the state’s borders. They...
Scientific name: Anthocharis midea The falcate orangetip butterfly is mostly white with a hooked tip. However, only the males have orange on the tips. These butterflies can grow wing spanning between 1.37 to 1.75 inches. You can find them mostly in north and central North Carolina, with some populations in the southern, eastern, and western countie...
- Eastern Tiger Swallowtail. Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterflies (Papilio glaucus) are the state butterfly in North Carolina. The species is identified by its yellow and black colors with small blue patches.
- Monarch. Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) are some of the most common in North Carolina. This species is known for its contrasting orange and black colors.
- Silver-spotted Skipper. Silver-spotted Skippers (Epargyreus clarus) are some of the most common types of butterflies in the state despite being a target for Horse Guard Wasps.
- Red-spotted Admiral. Red-orange spots across the dorsal and ventral wings are the main reason this species (Limenitis arthemis) bears its name. Black colors dominate the upper side of the forewings while blue colors are seen on the hindwings.
- Little Yellow. Eurema lisa. 1 to 1.5 inches. 3 to 11 months. As evident from their name, Little Yellow butterflies are yellow with dark spots on their wings.
- Common Buckeye. Junonia coenia. 1.6 to 2.75 inches. 2 to 4 weeks. The Common Buckeye is a brown-colored butterfly species with beautiful patterns on its wings.
- Cabbage White. Pieris rapae. 1.75 to 2.25 inches. 1 to 3 weeks. Cabbage White is a common white butterfly species in North Carolina.
- Orange Sulphur. Colias eurytheme. 1.35 to 2.75 inches. 2 to 4 weeks. The name of Orange Sulphur may deceive you! These butterflies are not entirely orange but have various colors like yellow, white, and black.
- Painted Lady (Vanessa Cardui) The painted lady butterfly can be spotted in North Carolina in gardens, forests, fields, and around perennial plants as they are most common in those habitats.
- Red Admiral (Vanessa Atlanta) Whenever you are in North Carolina from anywhere between March through October, you will definitely see this type of butterfly in the gardens and fields.
- Viceroy (Limenitis Archippus) This is an interesting butterfly that has some varying characteristics compared to most other butterflies. One being they feed on fungus and dung as well as nectar.
- Spring Azure (Celastrina Ladon) You can easily find these butterflies anywhere in North Carolina, the Midwest, or in the East Coast (this butterfly is being including in the southwest and west zones just from an education standpoint).
Aug 4, 2024 · The Black Swallowtail Butterfly (Papilio polyxenes), common in North Carolina, displays distinctive yellow spots and vivid blue and red markings on its hindwings, with a wingspan of 6.9-8.4 cm. They inhabit meadows, fields, gardens, and roadsides, thriving in areas rich in nectar.
People also ask
What does a black butterfly look like in North Carolina?
How do you know if a butterfly is in North Carolina?
What is the state butterfly in North Carolina?
What butterflies live in North Carolina?
The American lady (Vanessa virginiensis) butterfly can be seen flying in North Carolina between April and November. It has orange-brown wings with black and white spotting. The forewings have two large orange patches and the hindwings are fringed in alternating black and white.
