ButterfliesNew

Butterflies	Over 34 species of butterflies have been identified in the park. This page shows a sample of them.
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	*Butterfly* *Descriptions - Click on picture to view it enlarged**
*Swallowtail Butterflies*
	*Black Swallowtail* A "garden" butterfly, widespread in east and in desert southwest. Found from sea level to mountains in a variety of habitats. Flies spring to fall, most of year in deep south (2-3 broods). Males are mostly black with yellow spots along wing edge and a sub-marginal yellow band of varying width. On females, this band is reduced to small spots on forewing and replaced by blue scaling on hind-wing . Hind-wing eyespot with black pupil usually centered and not touching margin. It is attracted to any plants in parsley family, including cultivated, weedy, and native species.

Giant Swallowtail, oblique view

This large, dark brown and yellow swallowtail is nearly always found in association with plants in the citrus family. It is equally at home in gardens and in natural wooded areas, and although it is common, the first sighting of one never fails to dazzle the observer. Ranges throughout most of the east; more limited distribution in the southwest, but has expanded into the Los Angeles basin within the past 20 years.

Giant Swallowtail

Considered a pest of ornamental citrus by growers, as its larvae feed on the foliage. Flight is a graceful series of strong flaps and short glides, usually flying at eye level or above. Adults are on the wing all year in southern Florida, most of year in deep south, spring to fall farther north.

Spicebush Swallowtail
An attractive eastern swallowtail, but most common in the south. It tends to stick close to wooded areas; flight is slow and close to the ground. Mimics Pipevine Swallowtail but more closely related to Palamedes Swallowtail. Flies from spring to fall, most of year in deep south (2-3 broods). Differs from most dark swallowtails by overall greenish appearance. Hindwings on males are especially flushed with green while on females this area is more bluish.

Gulf Fritillary, upperside
This dazzling beauty may be found in southern regions, northward. They are easily attracted to gardens containing passion vine. Flight is fast and usually well above the ground. Flies most of year in frost-free areas, spring to late fall elsewhere. Their colors are bright red-orange with black markings, with a few black-ringed white spots in forewing cell.

Monarch
This is the most famous butterfly in North America, perhaps in the world. Literally millions of Monarchs from eastern and central North America migrate to spend the winter in mountain forests of central Mexico. In early spring they begin to move north, pausing to breed where they find milkweeds. Their offspring continue north and also pause to breed, and by summer the next generation has populated much of the continent. The last brood of the summer begins to move south, forming big concentrations at some coastal and lakeside points, eventually arriving in central Mexico. The migration is all the more remarkable in that no one individual is likely to make the complete round trip, so that the Monarchs that "return" to the wintering grounds have never been there before, and they are somehow able to find these traditional sites by pure instinct.

Fiery Skipper, underside

Often noticed as "that little orange moth” by the public, it is found in lawns and gardens. It is common in southern regions, but strays north, especially in the east, finding its way to the Great Lakes and New England. It favors open habitats with Bermuda grass. It flies most of year in hot regions, spring to fall northward (multiple broods). Its antennae are short.

Fiery Skipper, upperside
From above, the male shows yellow-orange with black stigma; wings with black "toothed" margins. From below, its hind-wing is yellow-orange with small brown spots of varying intensity. The female is similar but more orange-brown above and below. Its larval food-plant is primarily Bermuda grass.

Buckeye
Although it is most common in southern regions, is it a familiar sight across much of the U.S. Buckeyes favor open habitats, from fields to roadsides to gardens. Often may be found on open bare ground, and males can be very territorial, darting out at anything that passes. In summer, the adults move northward, sometimes reaching southern Canada. In fall southward movements can be conspicuous, especially along the east coast, They are unmistakable over most of their North American range, with their striking pattern above including multicolored eyespots, pale forewing bar, orange bars across forewing cell and orange near wing margins. Its larval food plants are snapdragons, monkey flowers, and others.

Question Mark
They are wide-ranging and fairly common in woodland openings, city parks, backyards, and quiz shows. Adults regularly stray far from normal breeding areas, and some are migratory, especially in the east. Flies spring to fall (2 broods); second-brood adults hibernate, fly again in spring, and then mate. Their hindwing has a longer tail than other commas. Hindwing above orange and brown on winter brood, mostly black in summer. The below hindwing is either uniformly purplish brown or striped tan, brown, and blue, always with centered silvery comma and adjacent dot forming a question mark. Forming above has a black dash near tip, absent on other commas.

Texas Crescent
A black crescent of southern regions, it is common in open habitats, sometimes straying far north. Males patrol shaded gullies, often perching to await females. Flies most of year (multiple broods). It has a distinctive shape, with forewing indented below tip. Above mostly black with narrow white spot bands, reddish basally; brighter in the southeast, with larger white marks. Below fore-wing basal half orange, hindwing light tan with fine black lines, spots, and a white median band. The larval foodplant: is twin-seeds and relatives in acanthus family.

Tropical Checkered Skipper
The Tropical Checkered is the most common and widespread skipper in North America. Found in nearly all habitats from high to low elevations, and adapts well to disturbed areas. Flies all year round in southern regions (multiple broods), spring to fall northward (2 broods). Above checkered black and white, female with more black, male often with sparse blue hair basally. Below hindwing white with bands and spots of tan or olive. Larval foodplant: Mallows.

* Descriptions from Field Guide to Butterflies of North America, Jim P. Brock & Kenn Kaufman

Date of last edit: 03 Jun 2008

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