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- 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.
- Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
- Monarch
- Silver-spotted Skipper
- Red-Spotted Admiral
- Pipevine Swallowtail
- Common Buckeye
- Pearl Crescent
- Black Swallowtail
- Fiery Skipper
- American Lady
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterflies (Papilio glaucus) are the state butterfly in North Carolina. The species is identified by its yellow and black colorswith small blue patches. Caterpillars of the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail family are known for mimicking bird droppings to avoid predation. The caterpillar of the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail is brown ...
Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) are some of the most common in North Carolina. This species is known for its contrasting orange and black colors. Butterflies of this family are also known for having complex mating strategies. Males often chase females in flight. They force females to the ground where they try to mate. This strategy is largel...
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. Various types of bean crops can be affected by the Silver-spotted Skipper. However, the damage to these crops is considered small and the species is not seen as a major threat to soybean or kidney b...
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. This species has lighter blue coloring on the ventral side of the wings. Red to orange spots is seen all across the wings as wel...
Pipevine Swallowtails (Battus philenor) feed on many flowers such as pipevine. They store aristolochic acid which makes them taste bad for predators. This species has black dorsal wings with light blue marks on the hindwings. Its ventral wings are dominated by blue coloring with large circular orange spots that have black borders. Pipevine swallowt...
Common Buckeyes (Junonia coenia) are migratory butterflies that head South for winter. This species has a minor pollinator role among many types of flowers. Its caterpillars are commonly found on various plantains. The caterpillars live in groups on the same plane. Adults may also be seen feeding in groups without high levels of aggression. You can...
Pearl Crescent butterflies (Phyciodes tharos) have light brown and orange ventral coloring and orange with black dorsal colors. This species grows to a maximum wingspan of just over 30mm. They start life as caterpillars with a few broods per year. The Pearl Crescent caterpillar can also overwinter. This species of butterfly feeds on some of the mos...
Black Swallowtails (Papilio polyxenes) are some of the largest black butterflies in the state. You can see them in different dry habitats where they use plants of the carrot family as hosts. This includes mock bishopweed and water cowbane. Butterflies of this genus prefer these types of plants as they absorb toxins to have a foul taste. This is a p...
Fiery Skipper butterflies (Hylephila phyleus) are seen across the state, feeding on multiple types of wild grasses. Bermuda grass is the preferred host for the species but it’s seen on almost all types of grasses of the same family. These species of butterflies are some of the most common species in the state by the number of times people see them....
American Lady butterflies (Vanessa virginiensis) are one of the multiple migratory species within the state. These butterflies are seen flying over the state from Florida in the spring. However, there’s no known migration towards Florida in the fall. This might indicate the species has different migratory habits compared to other migratory butterfl...
- Little yellow. 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.
- Common buckeye. 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.
- Cabbage white. Scientific name: Pieris rapae. The cabbage white is one of the most common white butterfly species found worldwide, including throughout North Carolina.
- Orange sulphur. 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.
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.
- 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.
May 15, 2023 · Identifying Characteristics and Facts. The painted lady butterfly has a pale orange color dominant on the upper wings. The tip of the forewings is marked with black and white spots. The underside of their wings has brown, black, and gray color shadings.
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Mar 18, 2024 · Black and Dark-Colored Butterfly Identification. If you saw a black butterfly and you're wondering what kind it is, this guide can help. It has clear, easy-to-understand descriptions and useful photos that will help you identify the black or dark-colored butterfly you saw.
