Butterflies flying at dusk

Butterflies in Delaware County, Ohio

There are 83 species of butterflies you can find in Delaware County, Ohio. Not all of them are common. In fact, some of the butterflies on our list are quite rare sights in Delaware County. The butterflies on our list are grouped by the following categories:

Brush-footed Butterflies in Delaware County, Ohio

‘Astyanax’ Red-spotted Purple

The ‘Astyanax’ Red-spotted Purple butterfly is a striking butterfly with a bright red spot on its otherwise purple wings. They are found in warm, humid areas throughout the eastern United States and southern Canada. They prefer open woodlands and gardens, but can also be found in parks and other urban areas.

American Lady

The American Lady butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of about one inch. The butterfly has a light green body with a dark green stripe down its center. The butterfly lives in open fields and gardens, attracted to flowers.

American Snout

The American Snout butterfly is a colorful butterfly found in the eastern United States. It is a member of the lycaenid family and is distinguished by its snout-like profile. American Snout butterflies are most commonly found in moist areas near streams and rivers.

Aphrodite Fritillary

Aphrodite Fritillary butterflies are brightly colored and have a wingspan of about three inches. They are found in open, grassy areas near water sources, and are very active fliers.

Appalachian Brown

The Appalachian Brown butterfly is a large butterfly with brown wings and a brown body. They live in open areas with a lot of trees, such as the Appalachian Mountains. They are attracted to flowers, so they are found near gardens or in parks.

Common Buckeye

The Common Buckeye butterfly is a beautiful insect with a wingspan of about three inches. It is a common sight in the summertime in forested areas. The Common Buckeye butterfly is attracted to nectar from flowers.

Common Wood-Nymph

Common Wood-Nymph butterflies are small, white butterflies with brown edges on their wings. They are found in forests, but can also be found in gardens and other open habitats.

Eastern Comma

Eastern Comma butterflies have a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. They are predominantly black with a yellow band across the middle of their wings. They are found in open habitats, such as fields and meadows, but can also be found in forests.

Goatweed Leafwing

The Goatweed Leafwing butterfly is a small butterfly that is typically tan or brown with a yellow or orange band across its wings. They live in open areas, such as fields and meadows, and are active during the day.

Great Spangled Fritillary

The Great Spangled Fritillary is a beautiful butterfly that can be found in open country, such as fields and meadows. They are attracted to flowers and nectar, and are generally found in areas with plenty of flowering plants.

Hackberry Emperor

The Hackberry Emperor butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright orange wings and a black band on each wing. They are found in the forests of North America.

Little Wood-Satyr

The Little Wood-Satyr butterfly is a brown and black butterfly with a white line running down its middle. The habitat of the Little Wood-Satyr butterfly is forests.

Meadow Fritillary

A Meadow Fritillary butterfly has dark brown wings with a light brown band near the wingtip. They live in meadows and other areas with lots of flowers.

Milbert’s Tortoiseshell

A Milbert’s Tortoiseshell butterfly is a beautiful, delicate butterfly with a characteristic pattern of brown, cream, and yellow stripes on its wings. They are found in warm, dry areas of the United States and Mexico, often near oak and pine trees.

Monarch

Monarchs are large butterflies that have bright colors and long wings. They live in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. They are usually found near water, in forests, and near flowers.

Mourning Cloak

The Mourning Cloak butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly with a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. It is a dark brown or black with a white or cream band across the wings. It tends to live near water sources, especially in wet forests.

Northern Pearly-eye

The Northern Pearly-eye butterfly is a small, brightly-colored butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. It is found in open areas near water, such as meadows, prairies, and marshes.

Painted Lady

The Painted Lady butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that is known for its bright colors. They are generally seen in warm, tropical areas. They love to feed on plants that have nectar, and they can be found in a variety of habitats, including forests, gardens, and fields.

Pearl Crescent

The Pearl Crescent butterfly is a beautiful dark brown butterfly with a white band across the wing. They are found in forests and woodlands, and are usually seen close to water.

Question Mark

The Question Mark butterfly looks like a small, brown and white butterfly. It is found in open areas, such as meadows and prairies, where it feeds on nectar.

Red Admiral

A Red Admiral butterfly is one of the most beautiful butterflies in the world. They are usually neon orange or red, with black borders on the wings. They prefer warm, sunny areas, and are common in open landscapes, such as fields and meadows.

Red-spotted Purple or White Admiral

The Red-spotted Purple or White Admiral butterfly is a brightly coloured butterfly found in the tropics. They are usually found in open habitats with plenty of flowers to feed on.

Regal Fritillary

A Regal Fritillary butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright green body, white wings, and a black band across the middle of each wing. They are found in the open areas of forests, meadows, and grasslands.

Silvery Checkerspot

The Silvery Checkerspot butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a metallic sheen on its wings. They are common to find in open areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows and fields.

Tawny Emperor

The Tawny Emperor butterfly is a large, brightly colored butterfly found in a variety of habitats, including open country, forests, and gardens.

Variegated Fritillary

A Variegated Fritillary butterfly is typically a dark brown or black with a white and yellow pattern on its wings. They are found in open, grassy areas with some trees nearby.

Viceroy

A Viceroy butterfly is a beautiful, colorful butterfly that is found in the tropics. They usually have a dark border around their wings, and they are commonly seen perched on flowers. The habitat of a Viceroy butterfly is usually tropical rainforests.

Gossamer-wing Butterflies in Delaware County, Ohio

Acadian Hairstreak

The Acadian Hairstreak butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright orange and black wings. They are found in open areas with birch trees, and are often seen flitting around flowers.

American Copper

The American Copper butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that can be found throughout much of North America. They are commonly found in forests, but can also be found in parks and other open areas. They are very active and fly around frequently.

Banded Hairstreak

A Banded Hairstreak butterfly looks like a large, colorful butterfly with a band of dark brown across its wings. They are found in open, wooded areas, including gardens and parks.

Bronze Copper

A Bronze Copper butterfly is a beautiful, metallic-colored butterfly that can be found in open areas near streams and ponds. They are often found near flowers, and their habitat includes areas that have a lot of green vegetation.

Coral Hairstreak

A Coral Hairstreak butterfly looks much like a common hairstreak butterfly, but has a bright orange or red band across its wings. They are usually found in open habitats, such as fields and meadows, but can also be found in forested areas.

Eastern Tailed-Blue

Eastern Tailed-Blue butterflies have blue wings with a white stripe running down the center. They live in open habitats, such as fields and meadows, and are common in the eastern United States.

Gray Hairstreak

The Gray Hairstreak butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly with a gray coloration. They can be found in open, grassy areas with some trees nearby.

Harvester

The Harvester butterfly is a small butterfly that is typically brightly coloured. They live in open habitats, such as fields and meadows, and are attracted to flowers.

Hickory Hairstreak

and how it lives

The Hickory Hairstreak butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that lives in open areas with plenty of flowers. It is usually seen flitting around near trees or other flowering plants.

Oak Hairstreak

Oak Hairstreaks are small, colorful butterflies that can be found in open areas, such as forests and fields. They are attracted to flowers and are often seen perched on flowers, drinking nectar.

Purplish Copper

The Purplish Copper butterfly is a small butterfly that is found in North America. It has a wingspan of about 2 inches. The Purplish Copper is a common butterfly in the east, but is less common in the west. It prefers open areas, such as fields and meadows, where it can find flowers to feed on.

Spring Azure

A Spring Azure butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. They are often seen flitting around in open areas such as meadows, fields, and woods. They are also common in parks and gardens.

Striped Hairstreak

A Striped Hairstreak butterfly is typically a light brown or tan color with a series of thin, dark stripes running down its back. They are generally found in open areas, such as fields and gardens, but can also be found in forested areas. They feed on nectar from flowers and are attracted to light.

Summer Azure

The Summer Azure butterfly is a beautiful blue butterfly with a white border. They are found in open areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows, fields, and gardens.

Metalmark Butterflies in Delaware County, Ohio

Northern Metalmark

A Northern Metalmark butterfly has a metallic sheen to its wings, and is typically found in open, high-elevation habitats such as meadows, mountains, and forests.

Parnassian and Swallowtail Butterflies in Delaware County, Ohio

Black Swallowtail

The Black Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with black wings and a yellow tail. They live in forests and gardens, and are attracted to nectar and pollen.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Eastern Tiger Swallowtails are beautiful butterflies that can be found in a variety of habitats, including forests, meadows, and prairies. They are usually seen flying around during the day, but they can also be seen at night.

Giant Swallowtail

A Giant Swallowtail butterfly is one of the largest butterflies in the world. They are usually light green and have a wingspan of over two inches. They are found in tropical forests and often feed on nectar.

Pipevine Swallowtail

A Pipevine Swallowtail butterfly is a brightly colored butterfly with a long tail. They are often seen flying around in open spaces near water, such as rivers and streams. They are usually found in deciduous or mixed forests.

Spicebush Swallowtail

Spicebush Swallowtail butterflies are colorful and have long tails. They are found in open areas with lots of Spicebush trees.

Zebra Swallowtail

A Zebra Swallowtail butterfly is colorful and has a long tail. They live in tropical forests.

Skipper Butterflies in Delaware County, Ohio

Black Dash

The Black Dash butterfly is a small, black butterfly that is commonly found near streams and rivers. They are often seen flitting around flowers near their habitat.

Common Checkered-Skipper

The Common Checkered-Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly with a checkered pattern on its wings. They are found in open areas, such as fields and meadows, and are usually seen flying around flowers.

Common Roadside-Skipper

The Common Roadside-Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly with a black and yellow wings. They are found in open areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows or woodlands.

Common Sootywing

The Common Sootywing butterfly is a small butterfly with a wingspan of about 2 inches. The butterfly has a brown body with a black and brown wing pattern. The butterfly is found in open areas with lots of flowers, such as fields and gardens.

Crossline Skipper

A Crossline Skipper butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly with crosslines on its wings. It is found in open habitats, such as meadows, prairies, and forests, and is often seen flying around flowers.

Delaware Skipper

The Delaware Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly with a dark brown wings and a white spot on the wingtip. They are found in open areas like fields, meadows, and gardens.

Dion Skipper

A Dion Skipper butterfly is typically a light brown or white butterfly with a small dark spot on its wing. They are found in damp areas, including meadows, marshes, and ponds.

Dukes’ Skipper

A Dukes’ Skipper butterfly is a medium-sized butterfly with black and orange wings. They are found in open areas with flowery gardens and forest, and are active during the day.

Dun Skipper

The Dun Skipper butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that is usually found near water. It has a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. The Dun Skipper butterfly is most commonly found in North America, but it has also been spotted in Europe and Asia. The Dun Skipper butterfly lives in wet areas, such as streams, rivers, and ponds.

European Skipper

The European Skipper butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that can be found throughout much of Europe. They are very common in open areas, such as fields and meadows, and can also be found in gardens and orchards. They are very active fliers, and can often be found flying around quickly.

Fiery Skipper

A Fiery Skipper butterfly looks like a colorful butterfly with a long tail. They live in habitats that have a lot of flowers and are usually found near water.

Hoary Edge

The Hoary Edge butterfly is a white butterfly with a speckled wingspan. They are found in open areas such as meadows and prairies, but can also be found in forests.

Hobomok Skipper

The Hobomok Skipper butterfly is a small, brown butterfly that can be found in open areas near streams and ponds. They are typically found near the water’s edge, where they feed on nectar from flowers.

Horace’s Duskywing

The Horace’s Duskywing butterfly is a small butterfly that is mostly black with a dusky strip across its wings. They are found in open areas with lots of flowering plants, such as fields, meadows, and woodlands.

Juvenal’s Duskywing

This butterfly is a brown and black butterfly with orange stripes on its wings. It lives in open areas such as fields and meadows.

Least Skipper

The Least Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that is usually brown or black in color. They have a wingspan of around 1.5 inches. They are usually found in open areas such as meadows, fields, and forests.

Little Glassywing

The Little Glassywing is a small butterfly that is found in open, sunny areas such as meadows and pastures.

Long Dash

A Long Dash butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that can be found in open habitats such as meadows, fields, and forests. They are often seen darting around in search of nectar.

Northern Broken-Dash

Northern Broken-Dash butterflies have a wingspan of about 2.5 inches. They are mostly black with a broken-dash pattern on their wings. They live in open country, such as prairies, meadows, and woodlands, and are usually seen flying around during the day.

Peck’s Skipper

The Peck’s Skipper butterfly has a green and brown body with white spots on the wings. They are found in open areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows and fields.

Sachem

A Sachem butterfly is a small, brown and white butterfly that can be found in open habitat such as fields, meadows and forests. They are attracted to light and can be found near streams and rivers.

Silver-spotted Skipper

The Silver-spotted Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly with a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. The butterfly has a bright silver spot on each wing. The butterfly is found in open habitats such as fields, meadows, and woods.

Sleepy Duskywing

A Sleepy Duskywing butterfly looks like a dark black butterfly with a dusky blue center. They live in habitats with dense understory, such as forests, and are common in cooler climates.

Southern Cloudywing

The Southern Cloudywing butterfly is a small butterfly with a wingspan of about 2.5 inches. The wings are a light blue color with a few white clouds scattered throughout. The butterfly is found in the southeastern United States, where it lives in open areas with a lot of trees and brush.

Tawny-edged Skipper

A Tawny-edged Skipper butterfly has a dark brown or black body with a light brown or yellow edge. They are found in open areas, such as meadows and pastures, where they feed on nectar from flowers.

Wild Indigo Duskywing

The Wild Indigo Duskywing butterfly is a striking butterfly with a dusky purple coloration on its wings. It is found in the eastern part of the United States and parts of Canada. The butterfly is found in open, forested areas with a lot of brushy vegetation.

Zabulon Skipper

A Zabulon Skipper butterfly is typically a small, brown butterfly with a yellow and black band across its wings. They are found in open country, near water, and in areas with a lot of flowers.

White and Sulphur Butterflies in Delaware County, Ohio

Cabbage White

A Cabbage White butterfly is a delicate butterfly with a wingspan of about 2 inches. They are usually light brown with black markings and a white “butterfly” on their wings. They are found in open areas with plenty of flowers, such as fields, meadows, and gardens.

Checkered White

A Checkered White butterfly is a delicate butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. The wings are light blue with darker blue and white stripes. They live in meadows, forests, and other warm climates.

Clouded Sulphur

The Clouded Sulphur butterfly is a large butterfly with a wingspan of up to 3.5 inches. The butterfly has a dark brown body and wings with a light brown border. The Clouded Sulphur butterfly is found in the tropics and subtropics, and is most common in the Amazon and Andes regions. The butterfly feeds on nectar from flowers, and is believed to be a pollinator.

Dainty Sulphur

A Dainty Sulphur butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly with a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. They are usually found in open areas with lots of plants and flowers, such as meadows and gardens.

Orange Sulphur

The Orange Sulphur butterfly is a small, orange/yellow butterfly that is found in open, dry areas such as deserts and grasslands.

Sleepy Orange

Sleepy Orange butterflies are small and brown with a bright orange band around their wings. They are found in open areas with plenty of flowering plants, such as meadows and fields.

Southern Dogface

The Southern Dogface butterfly is typically a light brown or yellow and has brown dots along the margins of its wings. It is found in the southeastern United States and is most common in the Appalachian Mountains. Its habitat consists of open woods and meadows.

West Virginia White

West Virginia White butterflies are a beautiful light green color with a wingspan of about 2 inches. They typically reside in open areas near water, such as meadows and fields.

That’s the end of our look at the butterflies in Delaware County, Ohio. Interested in learning about more butterflies in Ohio? We have lists for each of the 88 counties in the state.