SPECIES

HOSTPLANTS

AREAS

SEASON

Abun-
dance

SWALLOWTAILS 

Pipevine Swallowtail 
(Battus philenor)

Pipevine (Aristolochia tomentosa)

Open woods;
Fields with flowers

Apr-Nov

C

Black Swallowtail
(Papilio polyxenes)

Wild parsley,
Queen Anne’s lace

Open fields; flowers. Flies low.

Mar-Oct

C

E. Tiger Swallowtail
(Papilio glaucus)

Green ash, others

Open fields, flowers. Flies high

Mar-Oct

C 

Giant Swallowtail
(Papilio cresphontes)

Prickly ash; hop tree; Ruta graveolens

Open fields; flowers

Mar-Oct

C

WHITES &  SULPHURS

Checkered White
(Pieris protodice)

Brassicaceae: mustards, pepper grass, etc.

Open sunny areas; flowers

Feb-Nov.

U

Cabbage White
(Pieris rapae

Brassicaceae: cabbage, mustards,
etc.

Open sunny areas; flowers

Feb-Nov

C

Falcate Orangetip 
(Anthocharis midea)

Rockcress 
(Arabis)

Open woods; fields

Feb-Apr

R

Olympia Marble
(Euchloe olympia)

Rockcress; hedge mustard

Open fields; flowers

Mar-Apr

R

Orange Sulphur
(Colias eurytheme)

Alfalfa, vetch. Medicago, etc.

Open fields; flowers

Jan-Dec

A

Southern Dogface
(Colias cesonia)

Partridge pea; other Senna

Open fields; flowers

Mar-Oct

U

Cloudless Sulphur 
(Phoebis sennae)

Cassia

Open fields, gardens, flowers

Apr-Nov

C

Large Orange Sulphur 
(Phoebis agarithe)

Cassia, other legumes

Open fields, gardens, flowers

July-Sept

R

Lyside Sulphur
(Kricogonia lyside)

A legume

Open areas; gardens

Mar-June

U

Little Sulphur
(Eurema lisa)

Pea family

Open areas; flowers

Mar-Oct

C

Mexican Yellow
(Eurema mexicana)

Partridge pea, others

Open areas; flowers

June-Oct

U

Sleepy Orange
(Eurema nicippe)

Two-leaf senna; partridge pea

Open areas; flowers

Jan-Dec

C

Dainty Sulphur
(Nathalis iola)

Greenthread
(Thelesperma)

Open fields; flowers. Flies low

Jan-Dec

A

GOSSAMER WINGS (Blues and Hairstreaks)

Harvester
(Feniseca tarquinius)

Carnivorous: woolly aphids.

Woodlands; often near streams

Mar-Sept

R  ***

Great Purple Hairstreak
(Atlides halesus)

Mistletoe

Woods; flowers

Mar-Nov

C

Soapberry Hairstreak
(Phaeostrymon alcestis)

Soapberry;
Mexican buckeye

Fields; open woodlands; flowers

Apr-June

C  

Coral Hairstreak
(Satyrium titus)

Wild plum

Open woods; flowers

May-June

R   ***

Banded Hairstreak
 (Satyrium calanus)

Oaks

Open woods; flowers

Apr-June

U

Oak Hairstreak
(Satyrium favonius)

Oaks

Open woods; flowers

Apr-June

U

Juniper Hairstreak
(Callophrys gryneus)

Juniper

Fields; flowers

Apr-Oct

U-C

Henry’s Elfin
(Callophrys henrici)

Redbud; bluebonnet; Mexican buckeye

Woods; fields

Feb-Apr

C

White M Hairstreak 
(Parrhasius m-album)

Oaks

Woodlands; flowers

Apr-Oct

U

Red-banded Hairstreak
(Calycopis cecrops)

Sumac (Rhus copalina); leaf litter

Open woods; fields

Apr-Oct

U

Dusky-blue Groundstreak
(Calycopis isobeon)

Leaf litter; detritus

Shaded woods

Apr-Sept

U

Gray Hairstreak
(Strymon melinus)

Buds and flowers 

Fields, gardens; flowers

Mar-Nov

A

Western Pigmy-Blue 
(Brephidium exile)

Saltbush; lambsquarters

Open fields; flowers

July-Oct

O

Marine Blue
(Leptotes marina)

Various pea family species

Open sunny areas; flowers

Apr-Sept

U

Ceraunus Blue
(Hemiargus ceraunus)

Peas, other legumes

Open sunny areas; flowers

Apr-Sept

U

Reakirt’s Blue
(Hemiargus isola)

Daleas, other legumes

Open sunny areas; flowers

May-Nov

A

Eastern Tailed-Blue 
(Everes comyntas)

Various pea and beans

Open sunny areas

Apr-Oct

C

Spring Azure
(Celastrina ladon)

Flowers, fruits of many plants

Open areas; flowers

Mar-Oct

R

BRUSH-FOOTED BUTTERFLIES

Monarch
(Danaus plexippus)

Milkweed
(Asclepias)

Open fields; flowers

Mar-June;
Sept-Oct

C

Queen
(Danaus gilippus)

Milkweed, including vines

Open fields; flowers

May-Oct

A

Question Mark
(Polygonia interrogationis)

Elms, hackberry

Open woods; gardens

Jan-Dec

C

Mourning Cloak 
(Nymphalis antiopa)

Willows, others

Open woods;

Jan-Apr
Nov-Dec

U

American Lady
(Vanessa virginiensis)

Cudweed, other composites

Open woods; fields, flowers

Mar-Nov

C

Painted Lady
(Vanessa cardui)

Thistles, other composites

Open woods, fields, flowers

Mar-Nov

C

Red Admiral
(Vanessa atalanta)

Nettle; false nettle

Open woods; flowers

Jan-Dec

C

Common Buckeye
(Junonia coenia)

Toadflax; gerardia; plantain

Open fields; sandy areas

Jan-Dec

C

Red-Spotted Purple 
(Limenitis arthemis astyanax)

Willows, cottonwood, etc.

Open woods; shady areas

Apr-Oct

U 

Viceroy
(Limenitis archippus)

Willows
(Salix)

Open areas; near waterways

Apr-Oct

U

California Sister
(Adelpha bredowii)

Oaks

Open areas. Flies high

Apr-Oct

R  ***

Common Mestra
(Mestra amymone)

[Tube-tongue] 
(not in this area)

Open fields and woods

 Sept-Oct

R  ***

Goatweed Leafwing 
(Anaea andria)

Croton

Wooded areas

Jan-Dec

C 

Gorgone Checkerspot 
(Chlosyne gorgone)

Cowpen daisy; sunflowers

Open areas; gardens; flowers

Apr-Oct

U

Silvery Checkerspot