Florida is well known as the Sunshine State, but did you know it’s also the state of butterflies? It has more than 33 Types of Butterflies in Florida, including some endangered species!
So whether you’re a butterfly enthusiast or enjoy watching beautiful creatures flutter, you’ll love reading this article about Florida’s many Types of Butterflies.
1. Gulf Fritillary
The Gulf Fritillary butterflies (Dione vanillae) are native to Florida but can also be found in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. These Types of Butterflies in Florida have a wingspan of 3-4 inches and a lifespan of about 10 weeks.
Males have more enormous wings, which is typical for most butterfly species. In addition, females typically live longer than males.
The Gulf Fritillary is an excellent mimic and poses as other insects, such as ants or leaf hoppers, to avoid predators such as spiders and birds.
2. White Peacock
The White Peacock is a beautiful butterfly with an iridescent white wing pattern. These types of Butterflies in Florida are members of the Nymphalidae family, including Monarch and Fritillary butterflies. The White Peacock has a wingspan ranging from 1 3/4 to 2 1/2 inches.
These enormous insects, also called Tiger Swallowtail Butterflies, are found throughout Central America, Mexico, and the Southern United States.
They are seen during summer but can also be found in spring and fall. The caterpillars feed on Passion Vine (Passiflora incarnata) and Wild Grape (Vitis cordifolia).
3. Monarch
The Monarch is a type of butterfly that you can find all over Florida. These types of butterflies in Florida are orange and black with wingspans of around five inches.
The females have an orange body with a black stripe on each wing, while the males have an orange body with white patches.
Monarchs do not live their entire life cycle in the United States and migrate to Mexico every winter. However, there are still plenty of them here during their breeding season from March through October.
So, if you want to learn more about these types of butterflies in Florida, visit your local butterfly garden or nature preserve this summer!
4. Zebra Longwing
The Zebra Longwing butterfly is a beautiful creature. It has black wings with white stripes and spots, which give it its distinctive name.
The Zebra Longwing is rare but can be seen in certain parts of Florida, like the Everglades and Ocala National Forest.
If you’re lucky enough to spot one, remember that they are endangered and should be respected as such. There are many different types of butterflies in Florida, so if you see any other types, take pictures and upload them on your blog or share them on social media for us all to see!
5. Common Buckeye
The Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia) is a widespread butterfly in North America. The adults have a wingspan of about 4 inches, with females slightly larger than males.
These butterflies in Florida are brown to reddish-brown with dark patches on their wings and pale brown undersides. The darker areas on their wings are called eye spots.
These types of Butterflies in Florida eye spots can be used for defense against predators by creating an illusion that they have large eyes, which may deter them from coming closer to the butterfly. Adults eat nectar from flowers and are often seen feeding on blooming trees or plants.
Female Common Buckeyes will lay eggs on plant leaves and near flowers, whereas e larvae will feed on leaves and pupate before emerging as adults.
6. Horace’s Duskywing
Horace’s Duskywing, scientific name Erynnis Horatius, is a common butterfly in Florida. These Types of Butterflies in Florida have brownish-gray bodies and wings with light brown patches on them. The male wing tips are black,k while the female wings do not have any black.
These Types of Butterflies in Florida can be seen flying around wet areas such as swamps and marshes, where they feed on small insects and nectar from plants. Other places to find this butterfly are gardens and fields, where they often rest during the day.
Females lay eggs that turn into caterpillars that live on the earth. It is best to identify this species by looking for its black-tipped wings and gray coloration.
7. Eastern Giant Swallowtail
The Eastern Giant Swallowtail, or Papilio cresphontes, is one of Florida’s most beautiful Butterflies.
It is sometimes called the Queen of Swallowtails because it is much larger than other swallowtails and has a long tail on its hindwing that can be up to two inches long.
The Eastern Giant Swallowtail will feed slants such as blackberry, azalea, euonymus, and viburnum. These Types of Butterflies in Florida are common throughout most of North America and Central America. It can often fly around meadows and fields with plentiful host plants.
8. Long-Tailed Skipper
The long-tailed skipper is one of the most commonly seen butterflies in Florida. It is brown with an orange stripe on its hind wings, a white stripe on its forewings, and a thick black line running down each side. Males are more brightly colored than females, but both have a long tail at the end of their names.
These types of Butterflies in Florida feed on flowers, including milkweed (which is why they’re sometimes called milkweed butterflies).
Their eggs are laid singly on various plants, including thistles, nettles, sunflowers, and crown vetch. Larvae hatch from eggs after four to five days and overwinter underground as pupae before emerging as adults in late summer or early fall.
Long-tailed Skippers inhabit woodland edges, forest openings, and wet meadows throughout much of Florida.
9. Fiery Skipper
The Fiery Skipper is a stunning butterfly with striking black, orange, and yellow wings. These types of butterflies in Florida have a color pattern that makes them easy to identify, and they are one of the most popular North American butterflies. They’re seen throughout all of Florida.
The Fiery Skipper is often mistaken for a Red Admiral because they look similar but are two different species.
The Red Admiral has a black head and thorax (top part) with white patches on the side wings and red bands on the bottom wings;
While the Fiery Skipper has just black on its head and thorax, if you see both species at once, you can distinguish them by looking at their antennae or tails; they are shaped differently between these two butterflies.
10. Queen
One of the types of butterflies in Florida is the Queen Butterfly, also called Queen Alexandra’s Sulphur.
These Types of Butterflies in Florida have a wingspan that ranges from 3.5 to 4 inches, and they can be found flying near flowers and through forested areas.
The Queen Butterfly is considered an endangered species, so it’s important not to disturb these beautiful butterflies when they’re out on their daily routine.
11. Spicebush Swallowtail
The Spicebush Swallowtail is a striking butterfly with black and red stripes on its wings. They are about 3 inches across and have a wingspan of 4 inches. Females will lay eggs on spicebush leaves, and the larvae will eat these leaves as they develop.
These Types of Butterflies in Florida are generally found in deciduous forests with spicebush plants near streams, wetlands, or other moist areas.
It can also be seen in gardens. These butterflies are common in southern Florida, but their numbers drop off as you head north.
The Eastern North American Spice Bush (Lindera benzoin) is the spicebush swallowtail’s main larval host plant. Like most swallowtails, it flies low to the ground with an erratic pattern when seeking nectar from flowers.
12. Monk Skipper
Monks are often confused with our other skipper, the Eastern Pondhawk. The primary difference between these two species is that Monk Skippers have a more prominent white stripe on the outer edge of their forewing, while Eastern Pondhawks do not.
To tell them apart, look at their wings. Monks always have dark spots on their wings, while Eastern Pondhawks never do. Monks also tend to be browner and less brightly colored than pondhawks.
13. Cloudless Sulphur
The cloudless sulphur is one of the smallest butterflies in North America, as it only measures about an inch long. These Types of Butterflies in Florida have a wingspan of 1.5 to 2 inches and are typically found near salt marshes or other wetlands.
This butterfly is considered one of the most common species in Florida but can also be found as far north as Nova Scotia and Quebec.
The cloudless sulphur can be identified by its pale yellow wings with black spots resembling a road map and its two-toned hind wing.
These Types of Butterflies in Florida are most commonly seen fluttering around flowers during the daytime, which is how they get their name, cloudless sulphur.
14. Barred Yellow
The barred yellow butterfly is small, typically about 2 inches across its wingspan. It is pale brown with white bars on each wing.
These Types of Butterflies in Florida are primarily found throughout Texas and Florida but can also be seen in Louisiana, Arkansas, and Georgia. While they are most active during the spring and summer, they can also fly year-round.
15. Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly is one of the most common butterflies in Florida. These butterflies are very Territo and will chase away other species that invade their space. However, the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly can be found throughout most of North America.
These types of Butterflies in Florida have a wingspan that ranges from 3 to 4 inches and are usually seen flying during the summer months.
Adults feed on nectar from flowers and use plants such as dandelions as a food source for their caterpillars when they’re young.
16. Great Southern White
The Great Southern White is one of the most common butterflies found in Florida. They are easy to identify because they have a white stripe on their wings and a red spot on each hindwing.
The Great Southern White can feed on flowers, nectarine at rotting fruit, and more. They migrate during the winter for warmer climates, but during these times, these Types of Butterflies in Florida may be seen as far north as Canada.
17. Atala
The Atala is a large butterfly found in Florida. These Types of Butterflies in Florida are usually black, with white and brown markings on the underside. The wingspan is about four inches long.
One of the most distinctive features of this butterfly is that it has two very long filaments on the antennae, which are used to detect pheromones from other butterflies. The Atala has one offspring per season.
18. Phaon Crescent
The Phaon Crescent butterfly is a brush-footed butterfly found in Central and South America’s tropical and subtropical regions.
These Types of Butterflies in Florida are commonly spotted along coastal areas, where their larvae feed on plants such as mangroves, tussock grasses, and saltworts.
The antennae are black with a white band, while the body ranges from brown to yellowish-orange or reddish-brown. Adults eat nectar from flowers and drink sap from damaged trees.
In Southern Texas, these Types of Butterflies in Florida can fly over dunes during daytime hours.
19. Black Swallowtail
The black swallowtail is also known as Papilio polyxenes. It is a large and strikingly colored butterfly that is common throughout much of North America, Central America, and South America.
These Types of Butterflies in Florida have a wingspan of up to 5 inches wide, making them one of the giant butterflies in the United States.
The black swallowtail has dark blue on its upper wings and red or yellow-spotted white on its lower wings.
20. Ceraunus Blue
Ceraunus Blue butterflies are one of the most recognizable types because they have long, spiky tails. They are often confused with Swallowtails because both types have tails, but Ceraunuses are less brightly colored and have more blue and black markings.
These types of Butterflies in Florida also fly high in the air, while Swallowtails prefer to stay closer to ground level.
Ceraunus Blues live all over Florida, so you might see them on your next trip to Disney World or even in your backyard.
21. Palamedes Swallowtail
Palamedes Swallowtail butterflies are large, with a wingspan that ranges from 2.5 to 3.5 inches long. These Types of Butterflies in Florida are usually brown on top and yellow or orange on their undersides.
Palamedes Swallowtails can be found throughout Florida, and they sometimes visit flowers while feeding on nectar.
The Palamedes Swallowtail is often seen in the southern parts of Florida, but the. Still, they are seen as far north as Gainesville and Jacksonville, where it’s more common to see these Types of Butterflies in Florida during migration seasons.
22. Cassius Blue
The Cassius Blue butterfly is native to Florida and can be found throughout the state. The males are predominantly blue with a streaky appearance, but females have a more solid appearance.
These Types of Butterflies in Florida are known for their unusual flight pattern, where they fly low to the ground and then quickly flutter upwards before diving back down again.
These butterflies in Florida are also among the few that use pheromones to communicate.
23. Julia Heliconian
The Julia Heliconian butterfly is a part of the Nymphalidae family. It is also called the Swamp Milkweed Butterfly, as it feeds on this plant and can be found throughout Florida.
However, Julia Helicons are one of only two species that feed on milkweeds. These Types of Butterflies in Florida have a wingspan of about 4 inches and are usually orange, yellow, or red with black markings.
24. Viceroy
The most common among the types of Butterflies in Florida is the Viceroy. These Types of Butterflies in Florida range from dark brown to light yellow-brown, with a row of black spots running down their wings. The Viceroy is strikingly similar to another type of butterfly found in Florida, the Monarch.
However, some distinct features set these two butterflies apart. For example, a critical difference between these two butterflies is their antennae. The antennae on a Viceroy have three segments, whereas Monarch antennae have four.
25. Whirlabout
Whirlabouts are medium-sized butterflies with a wingspan from 3.5 to 4 inches. The underside of the forewings is pale brown, and the top surface is a mix of tan, brown, and yellow.
Whirlabouts are usually found near woodland edges and areas with flowers or other nectar sources. These Types of Butterflies in Florida feed on tiny snails or slugs, sometimes eating them whole.
26. Zebra Swallowtail
The Zebra Swallowtail butterfly is one of the most common and easiest to identify. It can usually be found on flowers, shrubs, and trees from April through October. These Types of Butterflies in Florida have light-colored wings with black stripes running across them.
The hindwings are typically a bit darker than the forewings. Zebra Swallowtails feed on nectar plants such as dogbane, milkweed, and grapefruits. They also eat other sugar sources such as fruit juice, honeydew melons, or rotting fruit.
27. Dainty Sulphur
The Dainty Sulphur is a small butterfly with a wingspan ranging from 1 1/2 to 2 3/4 inches. These Types of Butterflies in Florida are primarily found in Mexico and Central America but have been spotted as far north as Arizona.
Dainty Sulphurs are most active at dawn and dusk. The larvae feed on alfalfa, citrus, sweet clover, and wisteria.
This species is listed as near threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which lists this species as near threatened because its population is decreasing due to habitat loss.
28. Tropical Checkered-Skipper
The tropical checkered-skipper is among the types of butterflies in Florida, and it has a wingspan that can measure up to three inches across.
Males and females are very similar, with males distinguished by their more prominent eyespots on the hindwings.
Tropical checkered-skippers can be found from central Texas to southern Florida and south through Mexico, Central America, and South America as far south as Ecuador.
The larvae feed exclusively on plants in the family Apocynaceae. Adults nectar at flowers, including those from the morning glory family (Convolvulaceae).
29. Pearl Crescent
The pearl crescent has a wingspan that is about 3 inches long. The coloration of this butterfly is a combination of black, white, and brown.
The males are mostly black with brown on their wings. Females are brown with two rows of white spots on their forewings.
One row goes from the top to the bottom,m, and one starts at the bottom edge and goes to the top. Pearl crests like swamps, marshes, and wet meadows live in moist soil.
You can find these Types of Butterflies in Florida, east of the Mississippi River, and north of North Carolina.
30. Gray Hairstreak
The Gray Hairstreak is a small butterfly found throughout North America. This butterfly is often identified by its gray color and the thin black line across its wings.
The Gray Hairstreak has a life cycle that lasts about two weeks and can be found feeding on small flowers such as aster, clover, chicory, dandelion, goldenrod, and thistle.
These Types of Butterflies in Florida are common in rural settings but rarely seen near human-populated areas. As a result, gray hairstreaks are listed as threatened or endangered in some states.
Threats to the population are most likely from habitat loss due to the development or alteration of natural habitats, fire suppression, pesticides (particularly those used for tansy ragwort), overgrazing, invasion of non-native plants or animals, climate change, and other factors.
The Gray Hairstreak does not have a specialized habitat requirement, so it can live just about anywhere that provides enough survival food.
31. Carolina Satyr
The Carolina Satyr, also known as the Hag Moth or Old Lady Moth, is an enormous giant with a wingspan reaching up to 5 inches.
Females are grayish-brown, and males have black and white stripes on their forewings. Males will fly around females with erratic flight patterns to attract them for mating.
It is not uncommon for male Types of Butterflies in Florida to fly in front of car headlights at night as the light attracts the males, who only live about two weeks after mating and die soon after depositing eggs on plants.
The eggs hatch into caterpillars that look like brown furry mops with yellow heads and black eyespots on their back, sucking fluids from plants while they grow.
32. Red-Banded Hairstreak
The Red-Banded Hairstreak is among Florida’s most gorgeous types of Butterflies, with a wingspan reaching 1.5 inches. The upper side of its wings is typically a greenish-blue colored band, and its underside is a yellowish orange.
The caterpillar stage can take anywhere from 2 to 4 weeks, and the pupal stage takes about 12 days, with adults emerging roughly 10-14 days later.
The Red-Banded Hairstreak is mainly found throughout Florida and Alabama but can also be seen in Texas, Central America, and South America.
33. Dorantes Longtail
The Dorantes Longtail butterfly is an endangered species with a population of less than 1,000 and has been found only in Miami-Dade County.
This butterfly is dark brown with reddish-brown and white markings on its wings. It feeds mainly on plants and comes from trees or fruit juices.
The Dorantes Longtail can be found at any time during the year. These Types of Butterflies in Florida do not fly very high and can often be near flowers looking for nectar to drink. If you are lucky enough to spot one, please don’t get close, as this could scare them off!
