Butterflies
Species Totals
- 23 species of butterfly
- 2 rare species
Introduction
Like birds, butterflies are brightly colored and easily spotted.
Unlike birds, butterflies go through two life stages, beginning life as
a caterpillar and then morphing into the adult butterfly. As a
result of this type of life cycle, each species of butterfly adult can
only be seen at certain times of year, which I have listed for each
species. I have also noted the habitat in which each adult
butterfly is typically found.
Adults feed primarily on nectar from a variety of species of flowers,
but the caterpillars of most species are much more picky, often eating
only one or two species of food plant. The food plants of each
butterfly's caterpillar are listed below since adults can often be seen
near these plants when they lay eggs or break out of their
chrysalises.
The property has one butterfly species on the Virginia Animal Watchlist
and
one on the Virginia Rare Animal List.
Species List
Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor)
April through September. Mostly
edges. Pipevines.
Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus)
March through June. Open fields
and woodlands. Pawpaws.
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio
glaucus)
April through September. Woods
and fields. Wild Black Cherry and Tulip-tree.
West Virginia White (Pieris
virginiensis)
April through May. Woods.
Toothworts. On the Virginia Watchlist with a
status of G3/G4, S3/S4.
Cabbage White (Pieris rapae)
Fairly common. April through
frost. Alien. Open areas and edges. Crucifers.
Falcate Orangetip (Anthocharis midea)
March through May. Open
woodlands. Crucifers.
Sulphur species
March through December. Open
areas.
Eastern Tailed-Blue (Everes comyntas)
April through October. Open
areas. Legumes.
Spring Azure (Celastrina ladon)
March through September. Woods
and open areas. Various food plants. There are several
other closely related species of azure which could possibly have been
seen here in addition to the Spring Azure.
Northern Metalmark (Calephelis
borealis)
June through July. Open areas
within limestone soil woodlands. Round-leaved Ragwort. On
the Virginia Rare Animal List, G3G4 S2S3
Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria
cybele)
June through September. Open
areas. Violets.
Question Mark (Polygonia
interrogationis)
Can be seen year-round since the
butterfly overwinters as an adult and flies on warm days. Woods
and edges. Nettles, elms, Hackberry.
Eastern Comma (Polygonia comma)
Can be seen year-round since the
butterfly overwinters as an adult and flies on warm days.
Woods. Elms and nettles.
Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa)
Can be seen year-round since the
butterfly overwinters as an adult and flies on warm days.
Woods. Willows and others.
Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
April through October. Open
areas. Nettles.
Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis
arthemis astyanax)
April through October. Woods and
open areas. Cherry and others.
Northern Pearly-Eye (Enodia anthedon)
March through October. Wood edges
near water. Grasses.
Monarch (Danaus plexippus)
April through November. Most
often seen during migration in September and October. Open
areas. Milkweeds.
Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus
clarus)
April through October. Open areas
and edges. Black Locust and other legumes.
Horace's Duskywing (Erynnis horatius)
April through September.
Woods. Oaks.
Wild Indigo Duskywing (Erynnis
baptisiae)
April through September. Open
areas. Crown Vetch and Wild Indigo.
Common Checkered Skipper (Pyrgus
communis)
April through October. Open
areas, usually disturbed. Mallow family.
Delaware Skipper (Anatrytone logan)
June through September. Open
areas. Grasses.
Further Study
My survey of the butterflies on the property was rather hit or
miss. I identified butterflies when I had time, but did not focus
on butterflies during times of high bird or plant activity.
Therefore, a more complete survey on the property would probably turn
up many more species.
Questions or comments?
Email:
Last updated 9/04.
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