Blue butterflies in a field of red flowers

Butterflies in Ellis County, Texas

There are 62 species of butterflies you can find in Ellis County, Texas. Not all of them are common. In fact, some of the butterflies on our list are quite rare sights in Ellis County. The butterflies on our list are grouped by the following categories:

Brush-footed Butterflies in Ellis County, Texas

American Lady

The American Lady butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly found throughout much of the United States. They are commonly found in open areas, such as fields and gardens, but can also be found in forests.

American Snout

The American Snout butterfly is a large butterfly that is brown and black with a white stripe down its front. It is found in open areas, such as fields and meadows, where it feeds on nectar from flowers.

Bordered Patch

A Bordered Patch butterfly has a light brown body with a dark brown band running the length of its wings. The butterfly frequents moist habitats, such as forests, wetlands, and meadows.

Common Buckeye

The Common Buckeye butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly with a wingspan of around two inches. They are found in open areas, such as fields, meadows, and forests, and are active during the day. They feed on nectar from flowers, and can be found in colonies.

Common Mestra

The Common Mestra butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that can be found in many different habitats, including forests, meadows, and gardens. They are often seen flitting around flowers, and are sometimes mistaken for other butterflies.

Gemmed Satyr

A Gemmed Satyr butterfly has a wingspan of around 2 inches and its body is a bright yellow with black stripes. It is found in the forests of Central and South America where it feeds on nectar from flowers.

Goatweed Leafwing

The Goatweed Leafwing butterfly is a small, brown and white butterfly that is found in open areas near streams, rivers and lakes. They are attracted to the nectar of purple coneflowers, goldenrod and other flowers.

Gulf Fritillary

The Gulf Fritillary is a beautiful butterfly that can be found in warm climates. They typically reside in open areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows and prairies.

Hackberry Emperor

The Hackberry Emperor butterfly is a large butterfly with a wingspan of up to 3 inches. The butterfly is brown with a yellow band across the wings. The butterfly lives in the eastern United States, specifically in the Appalachian Mountains. The butterfly is attracted to hackberry trees, where it feeds on nectar.

Little Wood-Satyr

A Little Wood-Satyr butterfly is a small, brown and white butterfly that frequents mixed forests.

Monarch

The Monarch butterfly is a large, colorful butterfly that is found throughout North America. Monarchs are one of the most commonly seen butterflies in the United States, and can be found in a variety of habitats, including forests, meadows, and gardens.

Mourning Cloak

Mourning Cloak butterflies are typically dark brown or black and have a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. They are found in areas with a lot of vegetation, such as forests, and prefer to live near water.

Painted Lady

The Painted Lady butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that can be found in many different habitats. They are usually found in forests, but they can also be found in fields and parks. They are very active and fly around a lot.

Pearl Crescent

A Pearl Crescent butterfly has a light brown body with dark brown and white stripes on its wings. They live in forests, and feed on nectar from flowers.

Phaon Crescent

The Phaon Crescent butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that can be found in the habitat of open grasslands and prairies. It has a wingspan of about 2 inches and a bright blue color.

Queen

A Queen butterfly is a beautiful and colorful butterfly. They usually have a wingspan of around 2.5 inches. They are usually found in open areas with lots of flowering plants.

Question Mark

A Question Mark butterfly is a medium-sized butterfly with a wingspan of about 3 inches. The upperside of the wings is dark brown with a series of raised, white, comma-shaped markings. The underside of the wings is light brown with a series of white spots. The Question Mark butterfly is found in open, grassy areas throughout much of the eastern United States.

Red Admiral

The Red Admiral butterfly is a large, colorful butterfly. It has a wingspan of up to 2 inches. The habitat of a Red Admiral butterfly is open fields, meadows, and forests.

Silvery Checkerspot

The Silvery Checkerspot butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a metallic sheen. It is found primarily in montane forests in the north-central and northeastern United States.

Tawny Emperor

The Tawny Emperor butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright yellow wings and a black band down the middle of its wings. They live in moist forests in Central and South America.

Texan Crescent

The Texan Crescent butterfly has a wingspan of about 1 1/2 inches. The wings are a beautiful light brown with a white crescent on the front. The butterfly lives in open, sunny areas with lots of flowers.

Variegated Fritillary

A Variegated Fritillary butterfly is typically a light orange or yellow color with black spots. They are found in open areas such as fields, meadows, and forests.

Viceroy

A Viceroy butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that lives in tropical forests. They are usually brown and have yellow and black markings on their wings. They are very active and fly around a lot.

Gossamer-wing Butterflies in Ellis County, Texas

Ceraunus Blue

The Ceraunus Blue butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that is found in the mountains of North America. It is a blue butterfly with a white stripe down the middle of its wings. The butterfly lives in the mountains and is known to feed on wildflowers.

Dusky-blue Groundstreak

A Dusky-blue Groundstreak butterfly has a dark blue forewing with a white line running the length of it. They live in open areas with lots of tall grasses, or in forests.

Eastern Tailed-Blue

Eastern Tailed-Blue butterflies have a wingspan of about one and one-half inches. They have a blue-green color and a yellow stripe on their hindwings. They are found in open areas with lots of flowers, such as fields and meadows.

Gray Hairstreak

Gray Hairstreak butterflies are small, delicate creatures with richly colored wings. They are most commonly found in open, sunny areas such as meadows, but can also be found near forests.

Great Purple Hairstreak

A Great Purple Hairstreak butterfly is a beautiful, large butterfly with a bright purple wingspan. They are found in open areas near water, where they visit flowers to feed. They are usually seen in late summer and fall, but can be seen year-round in warmer areas.

Henry’s Elfin

Henry’s Elfin butterflies are small and colorful, with wings that are a different color on each side. They live in damp areas near rivers and streams, and eat insects.

Reakirt’s Blue

The Reakirt’s Blue butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright blue wing with black stripes. They are found in open areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows and fields.

Red-banded Hairstreak

The Red-banded Hairstreak butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright red band across its wings. They are found in open areas with plenty of flowering plants, such as prairies, meadows, and woodlands.

Parnassian and Swallowtail Butterflies in Ellis County, Texas

Black Swallowtail

A Black Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful, colorful butterfly with a long tail. They are usually found in open, sunny areas near water, such as fields, meadows, and gardens. They are attracted to flowers and nectar, and can be seen flitting from flower to flower.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterflies have bright colors and are found in open forests.

Giant Swallowtail

The Giant Swallowtail butterfly is a large butterfly that can be up to two inches wide. The wings are a bright red and the butterfly has a black band on its wings. The Giant Swallowtail butterfly lives in forests and can be found flying around flowers.

Pipevine Swallowtail

The Pipevine Swallowtail is a beautiful butterfly that is found in open areas with lots of flowering plants. They are usually found near water sources, such as creeks and rivers.

Skipper Butterflies in Ellis County, Texas

Brazilian Skipper

The Brazilian Skipper butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. The butterfly is usually light brown or tan with black markings on the wings. The butterfly is found in tropical rainforest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.

Clouded Skipper

A Clouded Skipper butterfly has a chocolate brown body with a purple and white striped wing. It lives in open areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows and prairies.

Common Checkered-Skipper

A Common Checkered-Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly with a dark body, a light band across the wings, and a bright checkered pattern on the wings. They are found in open areas with plenty of nectar sources, such as meadows, fields, and forests.

Delaware Skipper

The Delaware Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly with a bright yellow and black wings. They are found in open areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows and fields.

Dion Skipper

A Dion Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that is typically light brown and has a wingspan of about 1-1.5 inches. They are very common in open areas such as fields, meadows, and forests, and are often seen flitting around. They are very active and fast flyers, and are attracted to bright colors and patterns.

Dun Skipper

The Dun Skipper butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that can be found in open habitats with lots of flowers.

Fiery Skipper

A Fiery Skipper butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that is found in open, sunny areas near streams and rivers. They are attracted to light, so they are found near windows and other areas of light.

Horace’s Duskywing

The Horace’s Duskywing butterfly has a dark brown body with a light brown band across the middle of its wings. They live in the Appalachian Mountains and other wooded areas.

Juvenal’s Duskywing

The Juvenal’s Duskywing butterfly is a dark brown butterfly with a white band across its wings. They are found in the eastern United States, where they are commonly seen flitting around flowers.

Least Skipper

The Least Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that is found in the United States and Canada. It is a common butterfly in the Midwest and Northeast, but is less common in the West. The Least Skipper butterfly is a brightly-colored butterfly that has a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. It is a member of the family Nymphalidae and has a distinctive black and white pattern on its wings. The Least Skipper butterfly is found in open areas, such as meadows and fields, which makes it quite common.

Long-tailed Skipper

The Long-tailed Skipper butterfly is a medium-sized butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. The wings are a bright green, with a broad black band running the length of each wing. The butterflies live in open areas such as meadows, fields, and gardens, and are quite common in the summertime.

Northern Sicklewing

Northern Sicklewing butterflies are typically light brown and have a wingspan of about 2-3 inches. They are found in deciduous and mixed woods in the eastern United States.

Sachem

A Sachem butterfly is a brightly colored butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. They are found in open, sunny areas near water, such as fields and gardens.

Silver-spotted Skipper

The Silver-spotted Skipper butterfly has a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. It has a metallic sheen to its wings and a distinctive silver spot on each wing. The butterfly is found in open forests and woodlands.

Tropical Checkered-Skipper

A Tropical Checkered-Skipper butterfly has a wingspan of about 2 inches. It is a colorful butterfly with a checkered pattern on its wings. The butterfly is found in tropical regions, often near water.

Yucca Giant-Skipper

Yucca Giant-Skipper butterflies are large butterflies with a wingspan of up to three inches. They are found in the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts of North America. They are active during the day and are attracted to flowers.

White and Sulphur Butterflies in Ellis County, Texas

Cabbage White

The Cabbage White butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. They are typically a light grey or light brown with small, white markings on their wings. They are common butterflies found in open, wooded areas throughout the eastern United States.

Checkered White

The Checkered White butterfly looks like a large, brightly colored butterfly with a complicated pattern of black and white stripes on its wings. They are common visitors to gardens and are found in open areas near flowers.

Cloudless Sulphur

A Cloudless Sulphur butterfly looks like a large, colorful butterfly with a wingspan of up to two inches. They are found in the tropical forests of Central and South America, where they feed on nectar and pollen. They are usually solitary, but can be found in small groups during the breeding season.

Dainty Sulphur

The Dainty Sulphur butterfly is a small butterfly that is mostly black, with a yellow or orange band across its wings. They live in open areas near streams and rivers, where they feed on nectar.

Falcate Orangetip

The Falcate Orangetip butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of up to 3.5 inches. The wings are a beautiful orange with black markings. The butterfly is found in tropical forests in Asia.

Large Orange Sulphur

A Large Orange Sulphur butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with bright orange wings. It is found in open areas with dense vegetation, such as forests and shrublands.

Little Yellow

The Little Yellow butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly with a yellow body and wings. They are usually found in open areas such as fields and meadows, but can also be found in gardens and parks.

Orange Sulphur

The Orange Sulphur butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright orange body and wings. The butterflies live in the tropical forests of Central and South America.

Sleepy Orange

Sleepy Orange butterflies are small, brown butterflies that typically have a dull color and a sleepy appearance. They are found in open areas, such as fields and meadows, and often feed on nectar.

Southern Dogface

The Southern Dogface butterfly is a small butterfly that typically has a yellow or orange body and black wings. They are found in open areas with plenty of flowers, such as meadows, fields, and forests. They are usually seen in the early morning or late afternoon.

Tailed Orange

The Tailed Orange butterfly has a black and orange stripe down its back. It lives in forests and meadows.

That’s the end of our look at the butterflies in Ellis County, Texas. Interested in learning about more butterflies in Texas? We have lists for each of the 254 counties in the state.