There are 109 species of butterflies you can find in Hernando County, Florida. Not all of them are common. In fact, some of the butterflies on our list are quite rare sights in Hernando County. The butterflies on our list are grouped by the following categories:
Brush-footed Butterflies in Hernando County, Florida
‘Astyanax’ Red-spotted Purple
The Astyanax Red-spotted Purple butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that is found in the Eastern United States. The butterfly has a wingspan of about 2.5 inches and is mostly red with a few spots of purple. The butterfly is usually found in moist woodlands and gardens, but can be found in other areas of the United States.
American Lady
The American Lady butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. The wings are a beautiful light blue with a white band running along the middle. The butterflies are found in open areas, such as meadows and fields, but can also be found in urban areas. They are active during the day and are attracted to light.
American Snout
The American Snout butterfly is a dark brown butterfly with a wide yellow band across its wings. It is found in the eastern United States, where it commonly rests on tree bark.
Appalachian Brown
The Appalachian Brown butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that can be found in the Appalachian Mountains. They are known to live in dense forests, and are very territorial.
Carolina Satyr
The Carolina Satyr butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright blue wingspan. They are found in humid, subtropical forests near streams and ponds.
Common Buckeye
The Common Buckeye butterfly is typically a light brown or tan color and has a wingspan of about one inch. They are found in a variety of habitats, from open fields and forests to urban gardens and parks.
Gemmed Satyr
Gemmed Satyr butterflies are colorful and have a wingspan of about two inches. They live in habitats such as rainforests and deciduous forests.
Georgia Satyr
The Georgia Satyr butterfly is a small, brown butterfly with a striped pattern on its wings. It is found in the southeastern United States, including Florida and Georgia. The Georgia Satyr butterfly prefers open, grassy areas, often near streams or rivers.
Goatweed Leafwing
A Goatweed Leafwing butterfly is a small, brown and white butterfly with a wingspan of about 2 inches. They are found in woodlands and open areas near streams and rivers.
Gulf Fritillary
The Gulf Fritillary butterfly is a delicate, colorful butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. The wings are a light blue, with a black and white pattern. The Gulf Fritillary butterfly is found in the Gulf Coast region of the United States, from Texas to Florida. The butterfly is found in open areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows, fields, and gardens.
Hackberry Emperor
A Hackberry Emperor butterfly looks like a colorful butterfly with a wingspan of up to three inches. The habitat of a Hackberry Emperor butterfly includes woodlands and shrubs in the eastern United States.
Intricate Satyr
The Intricate Satyr butterfly, also known as the Colias eurytheme, is a beautiful butterfly found in North America. It is a white butterfly with a blue and black pattern on its wings. It is a butterfly found in open areas such as prairies, meadows, and open woods.
Little Wood-Satyr
The Little Wood-Satyr butterfly is a small, brown butterfly that is commonly found in woodlands and forests.
Monarch
A Monarch butterfly is a beautiful creature with a wingspan of up to two feet. They are colorful and often seen flitting around in beautiful habitats such as forests and gardens.
Painted Lady
The Painted Lady butterfly is a beautiful monarch butterfly. They are mostly light green, with a purple or black band across the wings. They are found in open areas with lots of flowers, like meadows or fields.
Pearl Crescent
A Pearl Crescent butterfly is a beautiful and brightly coloured butterfly that is found in the tropics and subtropics. They are usually seen flying around flowers and are often mistaken for moths. They are usually found in open habitats such as meadows, forests, and gardens.
Phaon Crescent
The Phaon Crescent butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that can be found in the Palearctic ecozone. They are usually found near streams and rivers, and are often seen flitting around in search of nectar.
Queen
A Queen butterfly has a colorful wingspan and is often seen flitting around flowers. They are common in open areas such as fields and gardens.
Question Mark
A Question Mark butterfly has a black and white wings with a question mark pattern on them. They live in open areas with lots of flowers, like meadows. They eat mostly nectar, but also eat small insects.
Red Admiral
A Red Admiral butterfly is typically the largest butterfly in its range. It is a metallic blue with a reddish-orange band across the wings. The butterfly is found in tropical and subtropical areas of the world. They are usually found near water, and in open areas with lots of flowers.
Red-spotted Purple or White Admiral
A Red-spotted Purple or White Admiral butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a red spot on each wing. They live in open areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows and fields.
Soldier
The Soldier butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that is found in North America. It has a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. The Soldier butterfly is a member of the family Nymphalidae. The Soldier butterfly is found in a variety of habitats, including woodlands, parks, and gardens.
Tawny Emperor
A Tawny Emperor butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a metallic sheen. They are found in tropical jungles and have a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. They are active during the day and can be found feeding on nectar from flowers.
Texan Crescent
The Texan Crescent butterfly is a colorful butterfly that lives in the grasslands of the American Southwest. It is a member of the Danaid family, which includes monarch butterflies.
Variegated Fritillary
The Variegated Fritillary is a beautiful butterfly with a variety of colors on its wings. It is found in open areas, such as fields and meadows, and can be seen flying around during the day.
Viceroy
The Viceroy butterfly is a large, brightly-colored butterfly with a wingspan up to three inches. They are found in tropical forests and are known to feed on nectar from flowers.
Viola’s Wood-Satyr
The Viola’s Wood-Satyr butterfly has a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. Its wings are light tan with dark brown markings. It is found in forests and woodlands in the eastern United States and eastern Canada.
White Peacock
A White Peacock butterfly has a wingspan of about 3.5 inches. They are dark brown with a lighter band along the middle of their wings. They are found in tropical areas, mainly in forests.
Zebra Heliconian
A zebra heliconian butterfly has a wingspan of about 2 inches. They are usually bright yellow, but can also be orange or brown. They are found in tropical and subtropical forests.
Gossamer-wing Butterflies in Hernando County, Florida
Banded Hairstreak
The Banded Hairstreak butterfly has a wingspan of about 3-4 inches and is a beautiful light brown with black bands. They are found in the Appalachian Mountains and other wooded areas throughout the eastern United States. They are attracted to flowers and nectar and are often seen flitting around a flower.
Cassius Blue
A Cassius Blue butterfly is a small butterfly that is blue in color. It is found in open areas such as fields and meadows.
Ceraunus Blue
The Ceraunus Blue butterfly is a small, blue butterfly with a white band across its wings. The butterfly breeds in open areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows and fields. The butterfly is found in the eastern United States and Canada.
Eastern Pygmy-Blue
Eastern Pygmy-Blue butterflies are typically the smallest butterflies in North America. They are mostly blue with black markings, and can be found in open habitats near water.
Gray Hairstreak
Gray Hairstreak butterflies are dark gray with a light gray or white band across the wings. They live in open areas such as meadows, woodlands, and fields, and are attracted to flowers.
Great Purple Hairstreak
The Great Purple Hairstreak is a beautiful butterfly that is found in the forests of North America. It is a medium-sized butterfly that has a wingspan of about 2 inches. The Great Purple Hairstreak is a beautiful butterfly that is found in the forests of North America. It is a medium-sized butterfly that has a wingspan of about 2 inches.
Harvester
A Harvester butterfly looks like a small, brown and white butterfly. They live in open areas, such as fields and meadows, and eat insects.
Henry’s Elfin
The Henry’s Elfin butterfly is a small butterfly that is typically found in open areas near water. They are usually seen flying around flowers.
Juniper Hairstreak
The Juniper Hairstreak butterfly is a small butterfly that is usually brown or black. They have bright blue wings with a white border. They are found in the eastern and central United States. They are usually found in open areas with lots of trees.
Oak Hairstreak
The Oak Hairstreak butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that typically has a deep red or burgundy color on its wings. They are usually found in wooded areas, but can also be found in open fields. They usually feed on nectar, but will also eat small insects.
Red-banded Hairstreak
Red-banded Hairstreaks are small butterflies with a bright red band across the top of their wings. They are found in open countries with plenty of flowers, such as meadows, fields, and forests.
Striped Hairstreak
A Striped Hairstreak butterfly has a blue and black wings with tan stripes. They live in open areas with lots of flowers.
Summer Azure
The Summer Azure butterfly is a beautiful blue butterfly with a white underside. They are usually found in meadows and gardens, but can also be found in forests.
White-M Hairstreak
A White-M Hairstreak butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a white body and brown wings. They live in open areas with plenty of flowers, such as meadows, fields, and forests.
Metalmark Butterflies in Hernando County, Florida
Little Metalmark
The Little Metalmark butterfly is a small butterfly that is typically brown and black. They are found in moist areas, including gardens and forests.
Parnassian and Swallowtail Butterflies in Hernando County, Florida
Black Swallowtail
The Black Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a black body, a yellow band across the middle of the wings, and a blue tail. They are native to the east coast of the United States and can be found in open forests, meadows, and gardens. They are usually seen flying around during the day.
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Eastern Tiger Swallowtails are colorful butterflies that have black and yellow wings. They are found in open areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows and gardens.
Giant Swallowtail
A Giant Swallowtail butterfly is typically a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of over two inches. They are usually found in forests, but can also be found in open areas near water. They are attracted to flowers and nectar, and are often seen flying around in large flocks.
Palamedes Swallowtail
The Palamedes Swallowtail butterfly is a colorful butterfly with a wingspan of up to two inches. They are found in open, dry areas such as grasslands and deserts.
Pipevine Swallowtail
The Pipevine Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of up to three inches. They are found in open areas with lots of flowering plants, such as prairies, meadows, and agricultural areas.
Polydamas Swallowtail
The Polydamas Swallowtail butterfly (Papilio polydamas) is a common butterfly found throughout the United States. It is a member of the Pieridae family and is a colorful butterfly with a distinctive swallowtail design. The butterfly is found in a variety of habitats, including forests, meadows, and gardens.
Spicebush Swallowtail
Spicebush Swallowtail butterflies are small and colorful with striped wings. They are found in the forests and woodlands of the eastern United States.
Zebra Swallowtail
A Zebra Swallowtail butterfly looks like a bright orange and black butterfly with black stripes on its wings. They are mostly found in open areas with lots of flowering plants, such as fields, gardens, and orchards.
Skipper Butterflies in Hernando County, Florida
Aaron’s Skipper
The Aaron’s Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly with a yellow and brown body. They live in open areas with lots of flowers, including lupine, thistle, and goldenrod.
Baracoa Skipper
The Baracoa Skipper butterfly is a small, black and brown butterfly with a yellow spot on its wing. They live in the Caribbean region and are found in warm, wet habitats. They feed on nectar from flowers.
Brazilian Skipper
The Brazilian Skipper butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly with a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. It is found in South America, where its habitat includes rainforest,chaparral, and other warm, moist areas.
Byssus Skipper
The Byssus Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that is found in open habitats near streams and lakes. They are commonly found near flowers.
Clouded Skipper
A Clouded Skipper butterfly has a wingspan of about 2 inches. They are a very common butterfly in North America. They are typically found in open areas with lots of sunshine, such as fields, meadows, and prairies.
Cofaqui Giant-Skipper
A Cofaqui Giant-Skipper butterfly looks like a large, brown butterfly with a black border around its wings. These butterflies live in the highlands of Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia. They are known to live in forests and grasslands, and feed on nectar from flowers.
Common Checkered-Skipper
The Common Checkered-Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly with a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. It is typically a light brown or gray, with lighter markings on its wings. The butterfly frequents open areas near water, such as meadows, marshes, and streams.
Confused Cloudywing
A Confused Cloudywing butterfly looks like a small, dark butterfly with a white stripe running down its side. They are found in warmer climates, typically near water. They are often found in dense forests or shrubland.
Crossline Skipper
A Crossline Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly with a dark brown body and wings. They live in open areas with plenty of flowers, such as prairies, meadows, and woodlands.
Delaware Skipper
The Delaware Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly with a wingspan of about 1-1.5 inches. The butterfly is light brown with a series of black markings across its wings. The butterfly is found in open areas with plenty of flowers, such as meadows and prairies.
Dorantes Longtail
The Dorantes Longtail butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a long tail. They live in open habitats with lots of flowers.
Dotted Skipper
The Dotted Skipper butterfly is a small, brown butterfly with a distinctive black dot on its forewing. They are found in open habitats, such as fields and meadows, throughout much of North America.
Dukes’ Skipper
The Dukes’ Skipper butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that frequents open spaces such as meadows and fields.
Dun Skipper
The Dun Skipper butterfly is small and dark, with a dark band running down its middle. It frequents grassy areas and flowery meadows, and can be found throughout much of North America.
Eufala Skipper
The Eufala Skipper butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly that is usually found in open, sunny areas such as meadows and fields. They are active during the day, but are also known to rest during the night.
Fiery Skipper
A Fiery Skipper butterfly is typically a bright orange or red color with a black band across its wings. They are found in open habitats such as meadows, fields, and gardens.
Hayhurst’s Scallopwing
The Hayhurst’s Scallopwing butterfly is a butterfly that is found in tropical forests. It has a wingspan of about two inches.
Horace’s Duskywing
The Horace’s Duskywing butterfly is dark brown with black markings and a cream-colored underside. They live in open areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows, forests, and fields.
Juvenal’s Duskywing
The Juvenal’s Duskywing butterfly is a dark brown butterfly with a black border around each wing. They live in open areas with scattered trees, such as prairies and meadows.
Least Skipper
The Least Skipper is a small butterfly that is typically brown and has a white band across the wings. Their habitat is often near water, and they are often seen flying around flowers.
Little Glassywing
A Little Glassywing butterfly is a small butterfly that is usually green or blue. They live in moist forests and gardens.
Long-tailed Skipper
The Long-tailed Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that is easily recognizable by its long tail. The butterfly is found in many different habitats, but is most commonly found in open areas with lots of flowers.
Meske’s Skipper
The Meske’s Skipper butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly with a wingspan of about one inch. It has a pointed tail and long, slender wings. The Meske’s Skipper butterfly lives in open, grassy areas, such as meadows, fields, and prairies.
Monk
Monk butterflies are medium-sized butterflies with a wingspan of about two feet. They are brightly coloured and have a wingspan of about two feet. They are found in tropical forests, where they feed on nectar.
Neamathla Skipper
The Neamathla Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that is mostly black with a yellow band across the middle of its wings. They are found in open areas with short grass and flowers.
Northern Broken-Dash
The Northern Broken-Dash butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a broken dash on the wings. This butterfly is found in open areas with lots of flowers.
Northern Cloudywing
Northern Cloudywing butterflies have a wingspan of about 2.5 inches. They are a dark brown color with lighter markings. They are found in meadows, woods, and other areas with large amounts of flowers.
Ocola Skipper
The Ocola Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that is typically brown and yellow, with a black band across its wings. They are found in temperate and tropical climates, and prefer grassy or herbaceous habitats.
Palatka Skipper
The Palatka Skipper butterfly is a small, brown butterfly with a wingspan of about three inches. They are commonly found in open habitats such as fields, gardens, and meadows.
Palmetto Skipper
The Palmetto Skipper butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that can be found in warm, dry habitats such as savannas and open woodlands.
Sachem
The Sachem butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that lives in the eastern United States. It has a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. The Sachem butterfly is a brightly colored butterfly with a brown and black pattern on its wings. It is usually found in open areas, such as fields and meadows, but it can also be found in forests.
Salt Marsh Skipper
A Salt Marsh Skipper butterfly is a small, brightly coloured butterfly that is found in coastal marshes and salt marshes. They are usually seen flying around near the water’s edge.
Silver-spotted Skipper
The Silver-spotted Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly with a metallic sheen on its wings. It is mostly grey or white with a few metallic spots. It is found in open areas with some flowers, but is also found in forests.
Sleepy Duskywing
A Sleepy Duskywing butterfly has a light brown body with a dark brown band across its wings. They are found in tropical forests and often perch on the tips of branches.
Southern Broken-Dash
The Southern Broken-Dash butterfly is a brightly-colored butterfly that is typically found in open, grassy areas and along river banks.
Southern Cloudywing
The Southern Cloudywing butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. It is a resident of the United States, and its habitat consists of open woods, thickets, and gardens.
Southern Skipperling
The Southern Skipperling butterfly is a small, brown butterfly that is often seen flitting around flowers in open areas. They are found in the southeastern United States, primarily in the Appalachian Mountains. Their habitat consists of open, sunny areas with flowers.
Swarthy Skipper
The Swarthy Skipper butterfly is a medium-sized butterfly with a wingspan of about 2 inches. The wings are a rich brown color with a reddish-brown stripe down the center. They are found in warm, moist habitats near bodies of water, such as pools and rivers.
Tawny-edged Skipper
The Tawny-edged Skipper butterfly has a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. It is a brown and white butterfly, with a reddish-orange band on the edge of each wing. The butterfly is found in open areas with lots of flowering plants, including blueberry bushes.
Tropical Checkered-Skipper
A Tropical Checkered-Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that is brightly colored and has checkered wings. They are found in the tropics, and prefer to live in brightly-colored flowers.
Twin-spot Skipper
The Twin-spot Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that has a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. It is primarily found in the eastern and central United States, but is also found in the south. The habitat of the Twin-spot Skipper butterfly includes open woods, fields, and gardens.
Whirlabout
A Whirlabout butterfly is a small butterfly that is typically brown or black with a yellow or white band across the middle of its wings. They are found in warm climates throughout the world, and are often seen flitting around flowers. They are often associated with rain forests, as their habitat is full of flowers and other plants that produce nectar.
White Checkered-Skipper
The White Checkered-Skipper butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that can be seen flying around in forests and other open areas. The butterfly is mostly white with checkered wings.
Yucca Giant-Skipper
Yucca Giant-Skipper butterflies are large and colorful with a wingspan up to three inches. They are found in the desert Southwest of the United States. They are typical butterflies that live in open areas with lots of flowers.
Zabulon Skipper
The Zabulon Skipper butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that frequents open areas near streams and rivers. They are common in the eastern United States and Canada.
Zarucco Duskywing
A Zarucco Duskywing butterfly is a beautiful metallic blue butterfly with a black outlined band across the wings. They are found in the North American boreal forests, where they are usually found in dense, moist woods.
White and Sulphur Butterflies in Hernando County, Florida
Barred Yellow
A Barred Yellow butterfly is a small, brightly colored butterfly with a black border around its wings. They are found in open areas with plenty of flowers, such as meadows, fields, and gardens.
Cabbage White
The Cabbage White butterfly is a small butterfly that is mostly white, with a small black spot on the wing. They live in warm, dry areas, such as forests, fields, and gardens.
Checkered White
A Checkered White butterfly looks like a large, colorful butterfly with alternating white and black bands. They are found in open, grassy areas near water, and prefer to stay in close proximity to other butterflies.
Cloudless Sulphur
A Cloudless Sulphur butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that can be found in grasslands and meadows.
Dainty Sulphur
Dainty Sulphur butterflies are small, colorful butterflies that can be found in areas with large amounts of sulfur. They are usually found near streams and rivers, and are often seen feeding on nectar.
Great Southern White
The Great Southern White butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. It is a common butterfly found in open areas and meadows throughout the southern United States.
Little Yellow
A Little Yellow Butterfly is a small, light-yellow butterfly that can be found in open habitats throughout the United States. They are common in fields, meadows, and open woods, but are also found near urban areas.
Orange Sulphur
The Orange Sulphur butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that can be found in the wild in areas with orange or yellow flowers. They are usually found in gardens and other places with flowering plants.
Orange-barred Sulphur
The Orange-barred Sulphur butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright orange wingspan. They are common in open, sunny areas with plenty of nectar sources.
Sleepy Orange
A Sleepy Orange butterfly has light orange wings that are marked with black and white stripes. They live in forests and can be found near the ground.
Southern Dogface
The Southern Dogface butterfly has a wingspan of about 2 inches. The wings are a reddish-brown color and have a series of black markings. The butterfly is found in open areas, such as meadows and fields, and is often seen flitting around flowers.
That’s the end of our look at the butterflies in Hernando County, Florida. Interested in learning about more butterflies in Florida? We have lists for each of the 67 counties in the state.
- Alachua
- Baker
- Bay
- Bradford
- Brevard
- Broward
- Calhoun
- Charlotte
- Citrus
- Clay
- Collier
- Columbia
- DeSoto
- Dixie
- Duval
- Escambia
- Flagler
- Franklin
- Gadsden
- Gilchrist
- Glades
- Gulf
- Hamilton
- Hardee
- Hendry
- Hernando
- Highlands
- Hillsborough
- Holmes
- Indian River
- Jackson
- Jefferson
- Lafayette
- Lake
- Lee
- Leon
- Levy
- Liberty
- Madison
- Manatee
- Marion
- Martin
- Miami-Dade
- Monroe
- Nassau
- Okaloosa
- Okeechobee
- Orange
- Osceola
- Palm Beach
- Pasco
- Pinellas
- Polk
- Putnam
- Santa Rosa
- Sarasota
- Seminole
- St. Johns
- St. Lucie
- Sumter
- Suwannee
- Taylor
- Union
- Volusia
- Wakulla
- Walton
- Washington