Butterflies in Franklin County, Ohio | Facts About Butterflies

There are 101 species of butterflies you can find in Franklin County, Ohio. Not all of them are common. In fact, some of the butterflies on our list are quite rare sights in Franklin County. The butterflies on our list are grouped by the following categories:

Brush-footed
Gossamer-wing
Metalmarks
Parnassians and Swallowtails
Skippers
Whites and Sulphurs

Brush-footed Butterflies in Franklin County, Ohio

‘Astyanax’ Red-spotted Purple

The Astyanax red-spotted purple butterfly is a small butterfly that is typically bright blue with red spots on its wings. This butterfly is found in the eastern United States, where it lives in open areas near streams and rivers.

American Lady

A American Lady butterfly is typically a bright orange or yellow color with a wingspan of about 1 1/2 inches. They prefer to live in open areas such as meadows, prairies, and fields.

American Snout

The American Snout butterfly has a black and brown body with yellow highlights. They are found in open areas with lots of flowers.

Aphrodite Fritillary

Aphrodite Fritillary butterflies are typically a light brown or tan color with a long, slender body and pointed wings. They are found in open areas near water, such as meadows, fields, and forests.

Atlantis Fritillary

The Atlantis Fritillary butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of about 2.5 inches. They are usually seen flying around in open areas such as meadows, fields, and woodlands. They are attracted to flowers, but can also be found drinking nectar from other plants.

Baltimore Checkerspot

The Baltimore Checkerspot butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with blue and yellow wings. They are found in open areas, such as fields and meadows, and are attracted to flowers.

Common Buckeye

The Common Buckeye butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that is found in many different habitats across North America. They are most commonly found in deciduous and mixed woods, but they are also found in a variety of other types of habitats, such as meadows and fields.

Common Wood-Nymph

A Common Wood-Nymph butterfly has a wingspan of about 2 inches. They are mostly brown with a white band across their wings. They live in open areas such as forests and meadows.

Compton Tortoiseshell

The Compton Tortoiseshell butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with markings that are similar to those of a tortoise. It is found in habitats that include open fields, woodlands, and gardens.

Diana Fritillary

The Diana Fritillary butterfly is a beautiful insect with a metallic blue and green wings. They live in the mountains of North America and Europe. They are usually found in meadows and forests, where they feed on nectar.

Eastern Comma

Eastern Comma butterflies are typically small, with a wingspan of about one inch. They are mostly black and white, but have a bright yellow comma on their wings. They are found in open, grassy areas, where they sip nectar from flowers.

Goatweed Leafwing

The Goatweed Leafwing butterfly is a small butterfly with a wingspan of about 2 inches. The wings are a light brown with a white band across the top. They are found in open areas such as fields, meadows, and forests. They are usually found near flowers, but will also feed on nectar from other plants.

Gray Comma

The Gray Comma butterfly is a small butterfly that is often seen flying around in open areas such as grasslands or forests. They are usually light brown or gray in color and have a small, black comma-shaped mark on their wings. They are usually found in warm climates, but can also be found in colder areas during the winter.

Great Spangled Fritillary

A Great Spangled Fritillary butterfly looks like a beautiful, colorful butterfly with wingspans up to three inches. These butterflies are found in temperate and sub-tropical regions of North America, Europe, and Asia. They prefer open areas with plenty of nectar sources, such as meadows, fields, and gardens.

Hackberry Emperor

The Hackberry Emperor butterfly is a beautiful, large butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. They are found in the eastern United States, particularly in the Appalachian Mountains. They are also found in the southern parts of the United States. They are usually found in open, wooded areas, and prefer areas with lots of hackberry trees.

Little Wood-Satyr

The Little Wood-Satyr butterfly is a small butterfly that is usually brown or black with white markings on its wings. The butterfly is found in warm, wooded areas across North America.

Meadow Fritillary

A Meadow Fritillary butterfly has a bright green body with brown and white markings. They live in meadows and grasslands, and are attracted to flowers.

Milbert’s Tortoiseshell

The Milbert’s Tortoiseshell butterfly is a large, colorful butterfly with a broad wingspan. They are usually found in open, grassy areas near streams and rivers, but can also be found in suburban areas. They feed on nectar from flowers.

Monarch

Monarchs are beautiful, colorful butterflies that reside in tropical rainforests. They are the largest butterflies in the world, and their wingspan can be up to 3 feet! They are distinguished by their long, sweeping wings, and their distinctive black and yellow markings. Monarchs are incredibly fast fliers and can easily travel long distances in search of food. They typically feed on nectar from flowers, but they will also eat small insects.

Mourning Cloak

The Mourning Cloak butterfly is typically a light brown or black, with a wingspan of about one and a half inches. They are found in open habitats, such as fields, meadows, and forests.

Northern Pearly-eye

A Northern Pearly-eye butterfly is a beautiful, delicate butterfly with a velvety black and white wing pattern. They are found in moist woodlands and gardens, and are usually seen flitting around flowers.

Painted Lady

A painted lady butterfly has a wingspan of about 3 inches. It is a colorful butterfly with a bright orange band across each wing. The butterfly is found in open areas with plenty of flowering plants, such as lily pads and daffodils.

Pearl Crescent

The Pearl Crescent butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a metallic sheen on its wings. It is found in tropical rainforest environments.

Queen

The Queen butterfly is the largest butterfly in North America. It is a colorful butterfly with a wingspan of up to 2.5 inches. The Queen butterfly lives in open areas such as fields, prairies, and meadows.

Question Mark

A Question Mark butterfly is typically light brown with a darker brown band across each wingtip. They are usually seen near water, in meadows, or near forests.

Red Admiral

A Red Admiral butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a red, black and white wings. They are found in warm areas of the world, such as Australia, North America and Europe. They prefer areas with lots of flowers, but can also be found in forests.

Red-spotted Purple or White Admiral

The Red-spotted Purple or White Admiral butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wide range of colors. They can be light purple or white, with red spots all over their wings. They are common butterflies found in a variety of habitats, from forests to fields to gardens. They especially like to live near water, where they can find nectar and pollen.

Silver-bordered Fritillary

The Silver-bordered Fritillary butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a metallic sheen on its wings. The butterfly lives in open areas with plenty of flowers, and is known to be attracted to light.

Silvery Checkerspot

The Silvery Checkerspot butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with shades of silver on its wings. They are usually found in open areas with lots of flowers, such as fields, meadows, and forests.

Tawny Emperor

The Tawny Emperor butterfly is a large butterfly with a reddish brown wings and a yellow and black border. They are found in the tropical forests of Central America and South America. They are attracted to flowers, but are also known to feed on nectar from other insects.

Variegated Fritillary

A Variegated Fritillary butterfly looks like a colorful butterfly with a spotted pattern on its wings. Variegated Fritillary butterflies live in woodlands and gardens, and often perch on flowers. They hunt for prey by flying quickly around trees.

Viceroy

A Viceroy butterfly is one of the most beautiful butterflies in the world. They are usually light brown or gray but can have a variety of colors including blue, yellow, and orange. They are found in warm climates around the world, but are especially common in North America. They are often found in dry areas with lots of flowers, but can also be found in forests.

Gossamer-wing Butterflies in Franklin County, Ohio

Acadian Hairstreak

The Acadian Hairstreak butterfly is a brightly colored butterfly with a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. They are found in open woodlands and agricultural areas in the eastern United States. The butterfly is most common in the southern and mid-western United States, but has also been seen in the northeast. They are attracted to flowers, but can also be found hunting insects on the ground.

American Copper

The American Copper butterfly is a medium-sized butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. The wings are a deep copper color with a metallic sheen. American Copper butterflies live in a variety of habitats, including deciduous and coniferous forests, meadows and gardens.

Banded Hairstreak

Banded Hairstreak butterflies are colorful and have a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. They live in open habitats such as prairies, meadows, and forests.

Bronze Copper

Bronze Copper butterflies are beautiful and brightly coloured butterflies. They are found in warm, dry habitats such as prairies, grasslands and deserts.

Coral Hairstreak

A Coral Hairstreak butterfly is a beautiful, brightly-colored butterfly with a wingspan of about 2 inches. They are found in coastal areas of the United States, Mexico, and Central America. They like to frequent open areas with lots of flowers, but can also be found in gardens and other areas with nice vegetation.

Eastern Tailed-Blue

The Eastern Tailed-Blue butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a blue wingspan. They are found in open, sunny areas such as meadows, fields, and gardens.

Edwards’ Hairstreak

The Edwards’ Hairstreak butterfly is a small, brown butterfly that is found in open areas with lots of flowers. They are most commonly found in the eastern United States, but have been found as far west as Texas. The habitat of the Edwards’ Hairstreak butterfly is open fields, meadows, and forest edges.

Gray Hairstreak

A gray hairstreak butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a gray body and wings. They are found in open areas with plenty of grass, flowers, and trees, and are usually seen in late summer and fall.

Harvester

The Harvester butterfly is a large butterfly with brightly coloured wings. It is found in open country, such as agricultural land, grasslands and pastures, and sometimes in forests.

Hickory Hairstreak

The Hickory Hairstreak butterfly is a small butterfly with a black and brown wings. They are found in open areas with lots of trees and grass, such as in the forests of the eastern United States.

Oak Hairstreak

The Oak Hairstreak is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of about 2 inches. They are usually seen in open areas with lots of sunlight, such as meadows and fields.

Red-banded Hairstreak

A Red-banded Hairstreak butterfly is a brightly-colored butterfly with a band of red across the middle of its wings. They are found in warm, sunny areas, especially in forests. They feed on nectar from flowers.

Spring Azure

A Spring Azure butterfly has a bright blue wings and a white underside. They live in open areas, such as meadows and forests, and eat insects.

Striped Hairstreak

A Striped Hairstreak butterfly has a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. It has a light brown, striped body with a dark brown and light brown stripe running down the middle of its wings. It is most commonly found in open, disturbed areas such as forests, meadows, gardens, and fields.

Summer Azure

A Summer Azure butterfly is a beautiful, colorful butterfly with a wingspan of about 2 inches. They are found in open, sunny areas near water, such as meadows and gardens.

White-M Hairstreak

The White-M Hairstreak butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that is found in the United States and Canada. They are usually seen on flowers such as dandelions, clover, and asters. They are also found in open fields and gardens.

Metalmark Butterflies in Franklin County, Ohio

Northern Metalmark

Northern Metalmark butterflies look like metallic green and black butterflies. They live in areas with lots of trees, such as the Appalachian Mountains. They feed on nectar from flowers.

Parnassian and Swallowtail Butterflies in Franklin County, Ohio

Black Swallowtail

The Black Swallowtail is a beautiful butterfly that can be found throughout the United States. They prefer warm, dry habitats like forests and fields.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright yellow and black wings. They are found in open areas with plenty of flowers, such as fields, meadows, and forests.

Giant Swallowtail

A Giant Swallowtail butterfly is a large, colorful butterfly found in tropical and subtropical regions. They are frequently seen perched on trees or flying close to the ground. Their habitat consists of forests, gardens, and other areas with plenty of flowers.

Pipevine Swallowtail

A Pipevine Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful black and orange butterfly with a long tail. They live in open areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows, prairies, and woodlands.

Spicebush Swallowtail

The Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright blue wingspan. They are commonly found in open areas with lots of Spicebushes, but can be found in other types of woodland as well. These butterflies are usually active during the day, but can be seen flying around at night as well.

Zebra Swallowtail

The Zebra Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that is found in the tropical rainforests of Central and South America. These butterflies are very colorful and have a wingspan of up to 3 inches. They are attracted to flowers, and are known for their fast flight and graceful movements.

Skipper Butterflies in Franklin County, Ohio

Black Dash

A Black Dash butterfly is typically a dark brown or black color with a yellow band across its wings. They are usually found in open areas such as meadows and forests, but can also be found in urban areas. They are usually active during the day, but can be found flying around at night as well.

Common Checkered-Skipper

The Common Checkered-Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly with a predominantly black and white pattern. They are found in open areas, such as meadows and pastures, where they feed on nectar.

Common Roadside-Skipper

A Common Roadside-Skipper butterfly is typically small, with a wingspan of about two inches. They are typically light gray or brown with a reddish-brown border around each wing. They are found in open areas with tall grasses and flowers, such as meadows and fields.

Common Sootywing

The Common Sootywing butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with black and red wings. They are usually found in forested areas, but can also be found in parks. They are a migratory butterfly, and can be found in many different parts of the world.

Crossline Skipper

The Crossline Skipper butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that can be found in a variety of habitats, including forests, meadows, and parks.

Delaware Skipper

The Delaware Skipper butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that is found in open areas such as meadows, woodlands, and pastures. This butterfly is common in the eastern United States, but is also found in Canada. The habitat of the Delaware Skipper butterfly is open areas where there is plenty of sunlight and flowers to feed on.

Dion Skipper

A Dion Skipper butterfly is a small, brown and orange butterfly that is found in open habitat, such as meadows and fields.

Dun Skipper

The Dun Skipper butterfly is a small, brown butterfly that is usually found in open areas such as meadows, fields, and forests.

European Skipper

The European Skipper butterfly is a colorful butterfly with a wingspan of about 1 1/2 inches. It is found in meadows, gardens, and other open areas near streams and lakes.

Fiery Skipper

The Fiery Skipper butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly with a distinctive pattern of yellow, orange, and red on the wings. They are found in open, sunny areas, such as meadows and fields, and are often seen flitting around flowers.

Funereal Duskywing

A Funereal Duskywing butterfly looks like a dark brown butterfly with a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. They are found in open areas such as fields, meadows, and forests, but are also found in urban areas. Funereal Duskywings are known to feed on nectar from a variety of plants, but are particularly fond of clover.

Hayhurst’s Scallopwing

A Hayhurst’s Scallopwing butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that can be found in grasslands, meadows, and forests. They are usually seen flying around during the day, and are known to reside in North America.

Hoary Edge

The Hoary Edge butterfly is a large, brightly colored butterfly found in the northern United States and Canada. It is sometimes called the “Queen of the Northern Forest”. The Hoary Edge butterfly is found in a wide variety of habitats, including forest, meadows, and prairies.

Hobomok Skipper

The Hobomok Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly with a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. It is mostly light brown with a few light blue and white spots. Its wings are edged in light brown and it has a light brown stripe down its center. The Hobomok Skipper butterfly lives in open areas with lots of grass and flowers.

Horace’s Duskywing

A Horace’s Duskywing butterfly looks like a dark brown butterfly with a white band across its wings. They live in open areas with lots of bushes and trees, such as meadows, prairies, and savannas.

Juvenal’s Duskywing

The Juvenal’s Duskywing butterfly has a distinctive dark brown and black wing pattern. They are found in open, grassy areas with some scattered trees.

Least Skipper

Least Skippers are small, colorful butterflies that live in open areas like fields and meadows.

Leonard’s Skipper

The Leonard’s Skipper butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly with a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. The wings are a light blue, with black and white markings. They live in meadows and prairies, and are commonly found near streams.

Little Glassywing

The Little Glassywing butterfly is a small butterfly that is found in the southern United States. It has a wingspan of about 2 inches. The Little Glassywing butterfly is usually found in open areas near water, such as meadows and fields.

Long Dash

The Long Dash butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that lives in open, sunny areas. It is a member of the family Nymphalidae and has a wingspan of about 2 inches.

Long-tailed Skipper

A Long-tailed Skipper butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a long tail. They are found in open habitats, such as fields, gardens, and meadows.

Mulberry Wing

The Mulberry Wing butterfly has a wingspan of about two inches. It is a brown and black butterfly with a white band running along the middle of each wing. The butterfly is found in open habitats, such as fields and meadows, and is usually seen flitting around flowers.

Northern Broken-Dash

Northern Broken-Dash butterflies are typically dark brown or black with light brown or white markings across their wings. They are found in open fields, meadows, and prairies, and prefer habitats with plenty of flowers.

Northern Cloudywing

Northern Cloudywings are a large, black and white butterfly found in North America. They are found in open areas with plenty of flowers, such as fields and meadows.

Ocola Skipper

The Ocola Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that has a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. The butterfly has a light brown body with dark brown markings. They live in open areas, such as meadows and fields, where they feed on nectar from flowers.

Peck’s Skipper

The Peck’s Skipper butterfly is a small, black and orange butterfly that frequents open spaces such as fields and meadows.

Sachem

A Sachem butterfly has a wingspan of about 2 inches. They are dark brown with a white band across the middle of their wings. Sachem butterflies are found in the eastern United States and Canada. They live in areas with lots of flowering plants.

Silver-spotted Skipper

The Silver-spotted Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that is typically light brown or yellow in color with a number of distinctive silver spots on its wings. They are found in open, grassy areas near water sources, and are often seen flitting around flowers.

Sleepy Duskywing

Sleepy Duskywings are a small butterfly that is mostly black with a dusky center. They are common in open areas with dense vegetation, such as fields and woods.

Southern Cloudywing

Southern Cloudywing butterflies look like small, white butterflies with dark markings on their wings. They typically inhabit open, grassy areas with scattered trees, but can also be found in gardens and other areas with some vegetation.

Swarthy Skipper

The Swarthy Skipper butterfly is a black and brown butterfly that frequents open areas and forests.

Tawny-edged Skipper

The Tawny-edged Skipper butterfly has a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. The butterfly has a pale yellow and brown wings, with a reddish-brown band running across the wings. The butterfly is found in a variety of habitats, including deciduous and coniferous forests, meadows, and gardens.

Two-spotted Skipper

A Two-spotted Skipper butterfly has two spots on its wings. This butterfly lives in open areas, such as fields and meadows, where it hunts for prey.

Wild Indigo Duskywing

The Wild Indigo Duskywing butterfly is a dark brown butterfly with a distinctive indigo band across its wings. They are found in open areas with plenty of flowering plants, such as meadows, fields, and forests.

Zabulon Skipper

The Zabulon Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly with a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. It is a colorful butterfly with light brown, black, and yellow stripes on its wings. It is found in warm, dry areas in the southern United States, Mexico, Central America, and South America.

White and Sulphur Butterflies in Franklin County, Ohio

Cabbage White

The Cabbage White butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. It has a white body with brown markings, and a wingspan of about two inches. The Cabbage White butterfly is found in a variety of habitats, including gardens, forests, and meadows.

Checkered White

A Checkered White butterfly has a wingspan of about one inch. It is a common butterfly found throughout the United States. The butterfly is usually seen flying around flowers, but can also be found in forests and fields.

Clouded Sulphur

Clouded Sulphur butterflies are typically blue or black, with white wings and tails. They are found in open areas with plenty of sunlight, such as meadows and fields.

Cloudless Sulphur

A Cloudless Sulphur butterfly has a bright orange body with black borders. They are often seen hovering over streams and wetlands. They are usually found in the southern United States.

Dainty Sulphur

A Dainty Sulphur butterfly is a small, delicate looking butterfly with a yellow and black wing pattern. They are found in the eastern US and Canada, where they are often seen perched on flowers. Dainty Sulphur butterflies live in meadows, woodland, and gardens, where they feed on nectar.

Falcate Orangetip

The Falcate Orangetip butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly with a distinctive falcate (sickle-shaped) wingspan. It is found in tropical forests and other warm, leafy habitats.

Little Yellow

Little Yellow butterflies are small and have bright yellow or orange wings. They live in open areas, such as parks and gardens, and usually fly in groups.

Orange Sulphur

The Orange Sulphur butterfly is a beautiful orange and black butterfly. They live in the eastern United States, but can be found in other parts of the country. They are usually found in open areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows, fields, and forests.

Sleepy Orange

A Sleepy Orange butterfly is typically a light orange color with black markings on the wings. It is typically found in open areas such as meadows, fields, and forests.

Southern Dogface

A Southern Dogface butterfly is typically a dull brown or tan color, with a broad, cream-colored band across its wings. They are mostly found in prairies, pastures, and other open areas in the southern United States, but are also found in a few scattered locations in the northern part of their range. Southern Dogface butterflies are often seen flitting around flowers or drinking nectar.

West Virginia White

West Virginia White butterflies are very small, delicate creatures that are often difficult to spot. They are mostly white, with occasional black markings, and they often fly around in clusters. Their habitat is often disturbed areas, such as abandoned buildings, forest edges, and power lines, and they are often found near water.

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