There are 100 species of butterflies you can find in Fort Bend County, Texas. Not all of them are common. In fact, some of the butterflies on our list are quite rare sights in Fort Bend County. The butterflies on our list are grouped by the following categories:
Brush-footed Butterflies in Fort Bend County, Texas
American Lady
The American Lady butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. It is usually dark brown or black with a yellow band across the middle of the wings. American Lady butterflies live in open areas near water, usually in woods or gardens.
American Snout
The American Snout butterfly is a brown and black butterfly with a yellow spot on its forehead. It feeds on nectar from flowers, and typically lives in open spaces near rivers and streams.
Arizona Sister
The Arizona Sister butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly that is usually blue or black with white markings. They are found in the southwestern United States, and their habitat is usually open, grassy areas.
Carolina Satyr
The Carolina Satyr butterfly is a small butterfly with a dark brown body and a light brown and white wings. They are found in North America, where they live in woodlands and open areas.
Common Buckeye
The Common Buckeye butterfly is a beautiful orange and black butterfly that can be found in many parts of North America. They are common in woodlands and other areas with lots of trees, but can also be found in gardens and other open areas. They are very active butterflies and are often seen flitting around.
Gemmed Satyr
The Gemmed Satyr butterfly is a colorful butterfly with a wingspan of about 2 inches. They are found in open woodlands and meadows with a lot of flowers.
Goatweed Leafwing
The Goatweed Leafwing butterfly is a small butterfly with a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. The butterfly has a green and brown body with white spots. They live in open, sunny areas with lots of nectar sources.
Gulf Fritillary
The Gulf Fritillary butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. Its wings are a beautiful blue-green and its body is a light yellow. It lives in and around the Gulf of Mexico.
Hackberry Emperor
The Hackberry Emperor butterfly is a large butterfly with a wingspan of up to three inches. They are found in dry, open woodlands and chaparral in California, Arizona, and New Mexico.
Julia Heliconian
Julia Heliconian butterflies are brightly-colored butterflies that live in the Heliconiaceae family. They have blue, green, and yellow wings and a yellow body. They live in open areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows and prairies.
Little Wood-Satyr
A Little Wood-Satyr butterfly is a small, brightly-colored butterfly with a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. They are found throughout North America, but are most common in the eastern half of the continent. They inhabit deciduous and mixed woods, and are most active early in the morning and late in the evening.
Monarch
A Monarch butterfly is a colorful butterfly that lives in the forests of North America. They are the largest Lepidoptera family and can have a wingspan of up to 3 inches. The Monarch butterfly is famous for its flight to Mexico to mate. They are attracted to the color red and are known to live in forested areas with lots of flowers.
Mourning Cloak
A Mourning Cloak butterfly looks like a dark brown or black butterfly with white stripes across its wings. They live in moist habitats, such as marshes and wet forests.
Painted Lady
The Painted Lady butterfly is typically a bright blue or purple color with a large, bright yellow and black band across its wings. They are found in open areas near woods, fields, and gardens, where they feed on nectar from flowers.
Pearl Crescent
Pearl Crescent butterflies are small and colorful. They have light brown wings with a light brown stripe down the middle. They live in tropical forests and gardens.
Phaon Crescent
The Phaon Crescent butterfly is a beautiful orange and black butterfly. They are found in the subtropical and tropical regions of the world. They are usually found in open areas with lots of flowers.
Queen
A Queen butterfly is a large, brightly coloured butterfly that can be seen in many parts of the world. They are commonly found in open habitats such as meadows, fields, and forests.
Question Mark
A Question Mark butterfly has a triangular wingspan and is mostly green with a white border. They are found in open areas such as fields, meadows, and prairies, and prefer to lay their eggs on hostplant flowers.
Red Admiral
The Red Admiral butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that can be found in warm climates near the water. They are often found near flowers, and their habitat includes woodlands, gardens, and meadows.
Red-spotted Purple or White Admiral
A Red-spotted Purple or White Admiral butterfly has bright purplish-red and white wings. They are found in open areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows or gardens.
Silvery Checkerspot
The Silvery Checkerspot butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a metallic sheen on its wings. It is found in open areas, such as meadows, woodlands, and fields, and is usually seen near water.
Soldier
The Soldier butterfly is a large, brightly colored butterfly with a long tail. They are found in open habitats with lots of flowers.
Southern Pearly-eye
The Southern Pearly-eye butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that lives in the Southern United States. The butterfly has a wingspan of about 2 inches. The butterfly is a metallic blue with a white border. It is a solitary butterfly and commonly found in open areas such as meadows, fields, and woods.
Tawny Emperor
A Tawny Emperor butterfly is typically a bright orange or yellow color with black markings. They are commonly found in open areas such as meadows, pastures, and woodlands.
Texan Crescent
The texan crescent butterfly is a bright orange and black butterfly found in the Texas Hill Country. They are found near streams and rivers, in open woodlands and agricultural fields.
Tropical Leafwing
The Tropical Leafwing butterfly is a brightly-colored butterfly with a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. They are found in the forested areas of the tropics, where they feed on nectar and pollen from flowers.
Variegated Fritillary
A Variegated Fritillary butterfly has a wingspan of about three inches and is brightly colored with alternating bands of light and dark colors. They are found in open areas such as meadows, fields, and forests.
Vesta or Graphic Crescent
A Vesta or Graphic Crescent butterfly is a medium-sized butterfly that belongs to the family Nymphalidae. They are typically light brown or tan with a light yellow or cream band across their wings. They are found in open habitats such as meadows, fields, and forests.
Viceroy
A Viceroy butterfly is a beautiful dark brown or black butterfly that can be found in a variety of habitats including rainforests, meadows, and gardens. They are social butterflies and typically live in colonies. Viceroy butterflies are attracted to brightly coloured flowers, and are known as milkweed butterflies because they feed on nectar from milkweed plants.
Zebra Heliconian
A Zebra Heliconian butterfly has bright yellow and black wings with a distinctive white stripe down the center of each wing. They inhabit open habitats such as deserts, mountains, and grasslands.
Gossamer-wing Butterflies in Fort Bend County, Texas
Cassius Blue
The Cassius Blue butterfly is a blue butterfly with a white band across its wings. The butterfly is found in the US and Canada. It lives in open areas with lots of flowers.
Ceraunus Blue
The Ceraunus Blue butterfly is a small, blue butterfly with a white border around the wings. They are found in open, sunny areas, such as meadows and fields. They are also found in forests, but are more common in open areas.
Dusky-blue Groundstreak
The Dusky-blue Groundstreak butterfly is a medium-sized butterfly with a blue ground color and a black band across its wings. The butterfly is found in open, grassy areas with scattered trees, especially in the southern United States.
Eastern Tailed-Blue
The Eastern Tailed-Blue butterfly is a beautiful blue butterfly with a graceful tail. They live in forest habitats near water.
Gray Hairstreak
Gray Hairstreak butterflies look like small, delicate creatures with colorful wings. They are found in open, sunny areas near water, such as gardens and parks.
Great Purple Hairstreak
The Great Purple Hairstreak butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright purple wings and body. They are found in wooded areas and gardens throughout the United States.
Henry’s Elfin
Henry’s Elfin butterflies are beautiful, delicate creatures that can be found in moist, cool forests and meadows. They are members of the monarch butterfly family and are the smallest butterfly in North America. They are also the fastest fliers and can fly up to 40 miles per hour!
Oak Hairstreak
Oak Hairstreak butterflies are small with a brightly colored wings. They live in habitats with oak trees.
Reakirt’s Blue
The Reakirt’s Blue butterfly is a small butterfly that is typically blue, but can also be other colors. They are found in open areas, such as fields, meadows, and woods.
Red-banded Hairstreak
The Red-banded Hairstreak butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright red band across its wings. They are usually found in open, grassy areas with plenty of nectar sources.
Silver-banded Hairstreak
The Silver-banded Hairstreak butterfly is a medium-sized butterfly that has a metallic sheen to its wings. It is most commonly found in open, brushy areas near streams and rivers, but can also be found in more urban areas. The habitat of the Silver-banded Hairstreak butterfly is important for its survival as it provides areas for the butterfly to feed and mate.
Soapberry Hairstreak
The Soapberry Hairstreak butterfly is typically a dark brown or black butterfly with a bright red upperside. They are found in open, sunny areas with lots of flowers, typically in woods or forests.
Spring Azure
A Spring Azure butterfly has a bright blue wings with a white band along the middle. They are found in open areas such as meadows, fields, and woods. They are attracted to flowers and nectar.
Striped Hairstreak
The Striped Hairstreak butterfly is a colorful butterfly with a boldly striped wing pattern. They are found in open areas such as fields, meadows, and forests, where they feed on nectar from flowers.
Summer Azure
Summer Azure butterflies are typically blue with a white tail. They are found in open meadows, prairies, and other prairie-like habitats.
White-M Hairstreak
A White-M Hairstreak butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright white body and brown wings. The butterfly is found in open areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows and fields.
Parnassian and Swallowtail Butterflies in Fort Bend County, Texas
Black Swallowtail
The Black Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a black body and yellow wings. They prefer to live in open, sunny areas, such as gardens and parks.
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterflies have a metallic green wings with brown and yellow stripes. They usually inhabit open areas, such as fields and meadows, but can also be found in forests. They are attracted to flowers, and can be found hunting for nectar during the day.
Giant Swallowtail
The Giant Swallowtail butterfly is a large butterfly with a wingspan of up to 3.5 inches. They are mostly black with a yellow band across the middle of their wings. They are found in open woodland and grasslands, and are attracted to nectar from flowers.
Palamedes Swallowtail
A Palamedes Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that is found in the tropical forests of Central and South America. They are small butterflies that have a wingspan of about 2.5 inches. They are light brown with a bright yellow stripe down the middle of their wings. They are usually found on the ground feeding on nectar.
Pipevine Swallowtail
The Pipevine Swallowtail butterfly is a colorful butterfly that is found in open areas such as fields, meadows, and forests. They are attracted to flowers, and can be found flying around during the day.
Polydamas Swallowtail
The Polydamas Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of up to three inches. Its wings are a deep purple with black markings. The Polydamas Swallowtail butterfly is found in the tropical rainforest.
Spicebush Swallowtail
The Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly is a colorful butterfly that can be found in the eastern United States. They prefer open areas with plenty of flowers, such as spicebushes.
Two-tailed Swallowtail
A Two-tailed Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful insect with a wingspan of up to three inches. They are commonly found in open spaces near water, such as meadows and forests, but can also be found in urban areas. They are members of the swallowtail family and are known for their unique two tails.
Skipper Butterflies in Fort Bend County, Texas
Brazilian Skipper
The Brazilian Skipper butterfly is a small, brightly colored butterfly with a wingspan of about one inch. The habitat of a Brazilian Skipper butterfly is open fields and gardens, where they feed on nectar from flowers.
Broad-winged Skipper
A Broad-winged Skipper butterfly has a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. It has a pale green body with black stripes and a yellowtail on its wings. It is found in open grasslands, meadows, and forests, but is also common in gardens.
Celia’s Roadside-Skipper
The Celia’s Roadside-Skipper butterfly is a small, black and white butterfly. It has a wingspan of about one inch. It is found in open areas, such as fields and meadows, where it feeds on nectar from flowers.
Clouded Skipper
Clouded Skipper butterflies are typically small, with a wingspan of only a few inches. They are mostly black, with a scattering of white markings. They are commonly found in open, sunny areas, such as meadows and fields.
Common Checkered-Skipper
The Common Checkered-Skipper butterfly is a colorful butterfly that can be found in open areas such as fields, meadows, and woodlands.
Common Sootywing
A Common Sootywing butterfly is dark brown with black markings on the wings. They are found in open habitats with lots of flowers.
Dorantes Longtail
The Dorantes Longtail butterfly is a beautiful brown and black butterfly with a long tail. They are found in tropical forests and enjoy flowers and nectar.
Dun Skipper
The Dun Skipper butterfly is a small, brown butterfly with a yellow and black band across its wings. They live in wet areas, such as marshes and streams, and are usually seen flitting around in the sunshine.
Eufala Skipper
The Eufala Skipper butterfly is a colorful butterfly that can be found in open areas such as woods, fields, and pastures. They are attracted to flowers and nectar and can be found near streams and waterfalls.
Fiery Skipper
A Fiery Skipper butterfly has a bright orange, black, and yellow wings. They live in open areas with lots of flowers.
Funereal Duskywing
The Funereal Duskywing butterfly is a black and yellow butterfly with a brown head and thorax. It is found in the eastern United States and parts of Canada. Its habitat includes deciduous and coniferous forests.
Horace’s Duskywing
The Horace’s Duskywing butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that is found in the eastern United States. It is a metallic green butterfly with a dark brown band across the wings. It migrates to the south in the fall and winter. It lives in open areas with lots of bushes and flowers.
Juvenal’s Duskywing
The Juvenal’s Duskywing butterfly is a small butterfly with brown wings and a dusky hindwing. They live in open areas with plenty of flowers, such as meadows and fields.
Laviana White-Skipper
The Laviana White-Skipper is a butterfly with a wingspan of about 2 inches. It is a small, delicate butterfly with a white wings and a blue-green body. The Laviana White-Skipper is found in open, grassy areas in the Caribbean and South America. It is active during the day, flying around looking for flowers to feed on.
Least Skipper
The Least Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly with a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. It has a stocky build and is light brown in color with a dark brown band across its wings. The Least Skipper butterfly lives in open areas such as meadows, fields, and forests, and is commonly seen flying around during the day.
Little Glassywing
The habitat of a Little Glassywing butterfly is open woodland.
Long-tailed Skipper
The Long-tailed Skipper butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of up to 3 inches. It is a common sight in open areas such as fields and meadows, but can also be found in woodlands and gardens. The butterfly is attracted to light and can be seen flying around during the day.
Mazans Scallopwing
The Mazans Scallopwing butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that is found in the forests of the eastern United States. The butterfly has a wingspan of about 2 inches. The butterfly is mostly blue with a white border around the wings. The butterfly is found in forests, meadows, and gardens.
Neamathla Skipper
The Neamathla Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly with black wings and a yellow and black striped tail. They live in the Australian outback where they feed on nectar from flowers.
Northern Broken-Dash
A Northern Broken-Dash butterfly is a beautiful, colorful butterfly. They are usually found in open, grassy areas such as meadows and prairies.
Northern Cloudywing
The Northern Cloudywing butterfly is a large butterfly with a wingspan of about 2 inches. It is mostly light brown with a few spots of white and a dark brown band across the wings. It lives in open areas with lots of tall grass, such as fields and meadows.
Ocola Skipper
A Ocola Skipper butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly with a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. They are found in open, sunny areas with lots of flowers.
Sachem
The Sachem butterfly is a large butterfly with a wingspan of up to 2 inches. The wings are a dark brown with a light brown border. They are found in the eastern United States, from Maryland to Florida, and in the south to Texas. They are typically found in open areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows and fields.
Southern Broken-Dash
The Southern Broken-Dash butterfly has a bright orange hindwing with black spots and a black tail. The butterfly is found in the Appalachian Mountains and in the Southeast. The butterfly’s habitat is open woodland and meadows.
Southern Cloudywing
The Southern Cloudywing butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that can be found in the south-central and southeastern US. They are typically found near forests and other areas with dense vegetation.
Southern Skipperling
The Southern Skipperling butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly that is predominately found in open, grassy areas. They can be found throughout much of the southern United States, but are particularly common in the Florida panhandle and the southwestern United States. They are typically seen in small flocks, and are known to be attracted to light.
Swarthy Skipper
The Swarthy Skipper butterfly is a dark brown butterfly with black markings on its wings. They are found in open areas, such as fields and meadows, where they feed on nectar.
Tawny-edged Skipper
A Tawny-edged Skipper butterfly is an orange and brown butterfly with a yellow border around its wings. They live in open areas, such as meadows, fields, and forests, and are active during the day.
Tropical Checkered-Skipper
A Tropical Checkered-Skipper butterfly has a wingspan of about 2 inches and is light brown with dark brown and white checkered patterns. They are found in warm, tropical climates and prefer to fly around in open areas near water.
Turk’s-cap White-Skipper
The Turk’s-cap White-Skipper butterfly is a large butterfly that is found in open areas and forests. It is a member of the swallowtail family and has a wingspan of about 2 inches. The butterfly has a white cap and a brown body.
Whirlabout
The Whirlabout butterfly, Eudonia mercurialis, is a small, colorful butterfly found in warm, humid areas throughout the Americas. Adult Whirlabouts have a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. They are recognizable by their distinctive “whirl” or “jig” flight pattern. The habitat of the Whirlabout butterfly is diverse, including forests, swamps, and meadows.
White-striped Longtail
The White-striped Longtail butterfly is a small butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. The wings are mostly white, with a few pale yellow stripes. The butterflies live in tropical areas, and prefer to live near water.
Wild Indigo Duskywing
The Wild Indigo Duskywing butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a dusky blue wings and brown margins. They are found in North America, and are most commonly found in the eastern United States. They are often found in open areas with rich vegetation, such as meadows and forests.
White and Sulphur Butterflies in Fort Bend County, Texas
Cabbage White
A Cabbage White butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly with a predominantly white wingspan. They are commonly found in open habitats near streams and waterfalls.
Checkered White
The Checkered White butterfly is a small butterfly that is usually found in open areas with plenty of flowers.
Clouded Sulphur
The Clouded Sulphur butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of about three inches. It is a member of the Sulphuridae family, which is a large family of butterflies. The Clouded Sulphur butterfly lives in open areas with lots of flowers, principally milkweed, Queen Anne’s Lace, and Blue Flag.
Cloudless Sulphur
A Cloudless Sulphur butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with blue wings and a yellow and black stripe across the middle of each wing. They are found in open areas with lots of sunshine, such as fields and meadows.
Dainty Sulphur
The Dainty Sulphur butterfly is a delicate butterfly with a yellow and black wings. They are found in the eastern United States, from North Carolina to Florida. They like to live in clusters in the understory of the woods.
Falcate Orangetip
The Falcate Orangetip butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. It is usually orange or yellow with black markings on the wings. It is usually found in tropical rainforests.
Great Southern White
The Great Southern White butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that can be found in the southern United States. They are usually found in open areas with lots of flowers, such as fields, gardens, and meadows. They are not very common, so you may have to look for them for a while to find one.
Large Orange Sulphur
A Large Orange Sulphur butterfly is a large orange and black butterfly with a wingspan of up to 2 inches. They are found in open spaces and sometimes in gardens, preferring to feed on nectar.
Little Yellow
A Little Yellow butterflies have a wingspan of about 1.5 inches and a body that is mostly yellow with black patches. They are found in meadows, fields, and gardens, and are attracted to nectar from flowers.
Orange Sulphur
The Orange Sulphur butterfly is a medium-sized butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. The wings are a bright orange with black markings. The butterflies prefer warm, dry climates with plenty of flowers. They are commonly found in the US, but can also be found in parts of Mexico.
Sleepy Orange
Sleepy Orange butterflies are typically orange with black tips on their wings. They are found in warm, temperate areas of the world. They are usually found in open areas with flowers, but can also be found in forests.
Southern Dogface
A Southern Dogface butterfly has a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. The butterfly is mostly tan with a black band across the wings. They are found in the southern United States, but have been spotted as far north as New York. They are usually found near water sources, such as ponds and rivers.
Yellow Angled-Sulphur
The Yellow Angled-Sulphur butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that is found in the United States. It has a yellow wingspan and a yellow and black striped body. It is found in open areas such as fields, meadows, and forests.
That’s the end of our look at the butterflies in Fort Bend County, Texas. Interested in learning about more butterflies in Texas? We have lists for each of the 254 counties in the state.
- Anderson
- Andrews
- Angelina
- Aransas
- Archer
- Armstrong
- Atascosa
- Austin
- Bailey
- Bandera
- Bastrop
- Baylor
- Bee
- Bell
- Bexar
- Blanco
- Borden
- Bosque
- Bowie
- Brazoria
- Brazos
- Brewster
- Briscoe
- Brooks
- Brown
- Burleson
- Burnet
- Caldwell
- Calhoun
- Callahan
- Cameron
- Camp
- Carson
- Cass
- Castro
- Chambers
- Cherokee
- Childress
- Clay
- Cochran
- Coke
- Coleman
- Collin
- Collingsworth
- Colorado
- Comal
- Comanche
- Concho
- Cooke
- Coryell
- Cottle
- Crane
- Crockett
- Crosby
- Culberson
- Dallam
- Dallas
- Dawson
- Deaf Smith
- Delta
- Denton
- DeWitt
- Dickens
- Dimmit
- Donley
- Duval
- Eastland
- Ector
- Edwards
- El Paso
- Ellis
- Erath
- Falls
- Fannin
- Fayette
- Fisher
- Floyd
- Foard
- Fort Bend
- Franklin
- Freestone
- Frio
- Gaines
- Galveston
- Garza
- Gillespie
- Glasscock
- Goliad
- Gonzales
- Gray
- Grayson
- Gregg
- Grimes
- Guadalupe
- Hale
- Hall
- Hamilton
- Hansford
- Hardeman
- Hardin
- Harris
- Harrison
- Hartley
- Haskell
- Hays
- Hemphill
- Henderson
- Hidalgo
- Hill
- Hockley
- Hood
- Hopkins
- Houston
- Howard
- Hudspeth
- Hunt
- Hutchinson
- Irion
- Jack
- Jackson
- Jasper
- Jeff Davis
- Jefferson
- Jim Hogg
- Jim Wells
- Johnson
- Jones
- Karnes
- Kaufman
- Kendall
- Kenedy
- Kent
- Kerr
- Kimble
- King
- Kinney
- Kleberg
- Knox
- La Salle
- Lamar
- Lamb
- Lampasas
- Lavaca
- Lee
- Leon
- Liberty
- Limestone
- Lipscomb
- Live Oak
- Llano
- Loving
- Lubbock
- Lynn
- Madison
- Marion
- Martin
- Mason
- Matagorda
- Maverick
- McCulloch
- McLennan
- McMullen
- Medina
- Menard
- Midland
- Milam
- Mills
- Mitchell
- Montague
- Montgomery
- Moore
- Morris
- Motley
- Nacogdoches
- Navarro
- Newton
- Nolan
- Nueces
- Ochiltree
- Oldham
- Orange
- Palo Pinto
- Panola
- Parker
- Parmer
- Pecos
- Polk
- Potter
- Presidio
- Rains
- Randall
- Reagan
- Real
- Red River
- Reeves
- Refugio
- Roberts
- Robertson
- Rockwall
- Runnels
- Rusk
- Sabine
- San Augustine
- San Jacinto
- San Patricio
- San Saba
- Schleicher
- Scurry
- Shackelford
- Shelby
- Sherman
- Smith
- Somervell
- Starr
- Stephens
- Sterling
- Stonewall
- Sutton
- Swisher
- Tarrant
- Taylor
- Terrell
- Terry
- Throckmorton
- Titus
- Tom Green
- Travis
- Trinity
- Tyler
- Upshur
- Upton
- Uvalde
- Val Verde
- Van Zandt
- Victoria
- Walker
- Waller
- Ward
- Washington
- Webb
- Wharton
- Wheeler
- Wichita
- Wilbarger
- Willacy
- Williamson
- Wilson
- Winkler
- Wise
- Wood
- Yoakum
- Young
- Zapata
- Zavala