There are 92 species of butterflies you can find in Kent County, Rhode Island. Not all of them are common. In fact, some of the butterflies on our list are quite rare sights in Kent County. The butterflies on our list are grouped by the following categories:
Brush-footed Butterflies in Kent County, Rhode Island
‘Astyanax’ Red-spotted Purple
The ‘Astyanax’ Red-spotted Purple butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. The butterfly is mostly red, with a few white spots along the wings. The butterfly is found in the eastern United States, including Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina. The butterfly prefers open, sunny habitats, such as fields and meadows.
American Lady
The American Lady butterfly is a beautiful blue and white butterfly. They are found in open areas with plenty of flower nectar, such as fields, meadows, and gardens.
American Snout
The American Snout butterfly is a colorful butterfly with a long proboscis. It is found in the eastern United States and parts of Canada. It lives in open, sunny areas with plenty of flowers.
Appalachian Brown
The Appalachian Brown butterfly has a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. They are typically a light brown color with darker brown patches on their wings. They are found in open areas with lots of grass and flowers.
Baltimore Checkerspot
The Baltimore Checkerspot butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a distinctive checkerboard pattern on its wings. These butterflies live in warm, tropical climates, and are often found near streams and other moist areas.
Common Buckeye
The Common Buckeye butterfly is a beautiful, brightly colored butterfly that can be found in a number of different habitats, including forests, meadows, and gardens.
Common Ringlet
A Common Ringlet butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that can be found in a variety of habitats, including forests, meadows, and gardens.
Common Wood-Nymph
The Common Wood-Nymph butterfly is a small, brown butterfly with a characteristic straight black line down its center of the wings. They are typically found in open areas with plenty of sunlight, such as meadows, grasslands, and woodland.
Eastern Comma
Eastern Comma butterflies are small, brown and have a yellow and black border on their wings. They live in dry areas and can be found near flowers.
Great Spangled Fritillary
The Great Spangled Fritillary butterfly is one of the most sought-after butterflies in North America. They are predominantly found in deciduous and mixed forests, but can also be found in open fields and gardens. They are attracted to brightly-colored flowers, but will also visit other nectar sources.
Little Wood-Satyr
The Little Wood-Satyr butterfly is a small brown butterfly that is commonly found in woodlands and forest openings. They are often seen flitting around flowers.
Monarch
A Monarch butterfly is a beautiful creature with a wingspan of up to 3 feet. They are native to North America, but can be found anywhere there is wildflower growth. Monarchs love to feed on nectar, and can be found in many different types of habitats, including forests, meadows, and parks.
Mourning Cloak
A Mourning Cloak butterfly is dark brown with a pattern of white and black stripes across its wings. They are found in open habitats with lots of grass and flowers.
Northern Pearly-eye
The Northern Pearly-eye butterfly is a delicate, translucent-white butterfly with a dark brown eye. They are commonly found near bodies of water, such as streams and ponds, where they feed on nectar.
Painted Lady
The Painted Lady butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with bright colors. They are found in open habitats, such as fields and meadows.
Pearl Crescent
Pearl Crescent butterflies are typically a light pink or pale yellow with black markings on their wings. They are found in open areas, such as fields and meadows, and are attracted to nectar sources.
Question Mark
A Question Mark butterfly is typically a brown and white butterfly with a black band across its wings. They are found in open areas near streams, rivers and ponds.
Red Admiral
A Red Admiral butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright red wings and body. They are usually found in warm, dry habitats, such as gardens and parks.
Red-spotted Purple or White Admiral
The Red-spotted Purple or White Admiral butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that is found in tropical areas. They are usually seen flying around in groups. Their wings are bright red and their bodies are white. They prefer to live in areas with lots of flowers.
Regal Fritillary
A Regal Fritillary butterfly has a wingspan of about 3 inches. They are light brown with a dark brown band down the center of each wing. They like to live in open areas with lots of flowers, but can also be found in forests.
Silver-bordered Fritillary
The Silver-bordered Fritillary butterfly is a small butterfly that has a metallic sheen to its wings. It is found in open areas, including meadows, fields, and roadsides, and prefers habitats that are near water.
Variegated Fritillary
Variegated Fritillary butterflies live in open woodlands, meadows, and gardens. They are often seen flying around flowers.
Viceroy
A Viceroy butterfly is a colorful butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. They are found in tropical regions of the world and are known for their bright colors and large wings. They are often seen perched on flowers. Viceroy butterflies typically inhabit open habitats such as meadows and forests.
Gossamer-wing Butterflies in Kent County, Rhode Island
‘Northern’ Southern Hairstreak
A Northern Southern Hairstreak butterfly has a bright orange body with black markings on its wings. They live in open habitats like meadows and fields.
Acadian Hairstreak
The Acadian Hairstreak butterfly is a small, black and white butterfly with a distinctive orange patch on the underside of its wings. They are found in open, wooded areas throughout the eastern United States and Canada.
American Copper
The American Copper butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a metallic blue and black wings. They are found in open habitats such as fields, meadows, and forests.
Banded Hairstreak
The Banded Hairstreak butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a band of brown and black around its wings. It is found in open habitats with plenty of flowers, such as meadows, prairies, and forests.
Bog Copper
The Bog Copper butterfly is a brown and black butterfly with a wingspan of about 2 inches. They are found in wetlands and other moist habitats with flowers.
Brown Elfin
A Brown Elfin butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that is found in open, sunny areas near streams and rivers. They are usually seen flitting about in the sunshine, feeding on nectar from flowers.
Coral Hairstreak
A Coral Hairstreak butterfly is a beautiful, brightly-colored butterfly with a distinctive pattern of brown and black. They are typically found in open, dry areas with lots of flowers, such as prairies, meadows, and grasslands.
Eastern Pine Elfin
Eastern Pine Elfin butterflies are small, colorful butterflies that live in the pine forests of North America. They have richly patterned wings that are usually a dark color with a light band across the middle. They are usually seen flying around in groups, and their habitat is usually dense pine forests.
Eastern Tailed-Blue
The Eastern Tailed-Blue butterfly has a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. The wings are blue and the underside is a light blue. They live in open, grassy areas such as meadows and pastures.
Edwards’ Hairstreak
The Edwards’ Hairstreak butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that is found in the United States. It has a bright blue wings with black markings. It is most commonly found in wooded areas, but can also be found in open areas.
Frosted Elfin
A Frosted Elfin butterfly has a dark brown body with a white wingtip. It lives in damp forests.
Gray Hairstreak
Gray Hairstreaks are small, colorful butterflies that can be found in open areas like fields, meadows, and woodlands. They are often seen perched on low-hanging flowers or flying low over the ground.
Harvester
A Harvester butterfly has a wingspan of about 2-3 inches. It has a bright orange color on the front of its wings and a black border. The butterflies live in open areas with plenty of flowers.
Henry’s Elfin
A Henry’s Elfin butterfly is typically a pale blue or green color and has a wingspan of about one inch. They are found in meadows, forests, orchards, and agricultural areas near water.
Hessel’s Hairstreak
The Hessel’s Hairstreak butterfly is a brightly-colored butterfly found in the United States and southern Canada. The butterfly has a wingspan of about 2 inches. The butterfly is found in open areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows and fields.
Hickory Hairstreak
The Hickory Hairstreak butterfly is a small, tan and brown butterfly with a bright red patch on the wing. They are found in open, wooded areas and are often seen flitting around flowers.
Hoary Elfin
A Hoary Elfin butterfly is a beautiful creature with a wingspan of about one and a half inches. They are usually light brown or gray with a white or cream-colored waistband and a patch of dark brown on each wing. They are found in cold, temperate areas, such as the northern United States and Canada. They live near patches of grass and other flowering plants.
Juniper Hairstreak
The Juniper Hairstreak butterfly is a beautiful creature with a wingspan of up to three inches. The wings are a beautiful shade of blue, with a metallic sheen. The butterfly is found in open habitats, such as grasslands and prairies, and is often seen perched on the tips of tall plants.
Red-banded Hairstreak
The Red-banded Hairstreak is a small butterfly found in the eastern United States. It is typically found in open areas with plenty of flowers, including oak and pine forests.
Spring Azure
The Spring Azure butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright blue wingspan. They are found in open areas with plenty of flowering plants, such as prairies and meadows. They are migratory butterflies, so they will fly to warmer areas during the summer.
Striped Hairstreak
A Striped Hairstreak butterfly is a beautiful, colorful butterfly with a characteristic stripe on its wings. These butterflies prefer warm, sunny areas, such as forests and meadows, and can be found throughout much of North America. They are usually shy and difficult to spot, but they are an important part of the butterfly population.
Summer Azure
A Summer Azure butterfly is a colorful butterfly with a wingspan of about 2 inches. They are usually found near water sources, such as lakes, ponds, or streams.
Parnassian and Swallowtail Butterflies in Kent County, Rhode Island
Black Swallowtail
The Black Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with black wings and a yellow tail. They live in warm, tropical climates and are often seen flying around flowers.
Canadian Tiger Swallowtail
The Canadian Tiger Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a black and yellow wings. They usually live in open areas such as forests, but can also be found in parks. They are usually seen flying around during the day.
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterflies are beautiful creatures with bright colors and intricate patterns on their wings. They inhabit forests and other areas with lots of trees and flowering plants.
Giant Swallowtail
A Giant Swallowtail butterfly may have a blue-green or black body, with a yellow underside. They live in tropical forests, and often perch on high trees to hunt for prey.
Pipevine Swallowtail
The Pipevine Swallowtail butterfly is a colorful butterfly that is found in the eastern United States and parts of Canada. The butterfly has a wingspan of about 3 inches. The butterfly larva feeds on pipevine, which is a type of clover. The butterfly lives in open areas with lots of pipevine plants.
Spicebush Swallowtail
The Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright yellow or orange wings and a black band across the middle of its wings. They usually live in open areas with lots of Spicebushes, but can also be found in forests.
Zebra Swallowtail
The Zebra Swallowtail butterfly is colorful and has a wingspan of up to 2 inches. They are found in tropical and subtropical climates, and prefer open areas with abundant flowers.
Skipper Butterflies in Kent County, Rhode Island
Black Dash
The Black Dash butterfly is a small brown butterfly with black markings on its wings. They are found in open areas such as meadows and fields, and are common in the fall.
Broad-winged Skipper
Broad-winged Skippers are commonly found in open areas with plenty of flowers, such as fields and meadows. They are also found in gardens and other areas with plants that have nectar.
Clouded Skipper
A Clouded Skipper butterfly has a black body with a white triangle on its wingtips. They live in wet habitats, such as marshes and streams.
Cobweb Skipper
A Cobweb Skipper butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that is found in open landscapes such as fields, meadows, and forests. They are usually found near water sources such as streams, ponds, and lakes.
Common Roadside-Skipper
The Common Roadside-Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that is typically brown and black. They have a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. They live in meadows, pastures, and other open habitats, and are attracted to nectar.
Common Sootywing
A Common Sootywing butterfly is a large, black and brown butterfly with a distinctive pattern of orange and black on its wings. They are found in open habitats with lots of flowers, such as meadows and fields.
Crossline Skipper
A Crossline Skipper butterfly looks much like a common skipper butterfly, but has a distinctive crossline pattern on its wings. Crossline Skippers are found in open habitats, such as meadows and forests, where they can be found hunting for prey.
Delaware Skipper
The Delaware Skipper butterfly is a medium-sized butterfly with a wingspan of about 3 inches. The wings are light blue with a broad white band across the middle. The habitat of the Delaware Skipper butterfly is open fields and meadows, where they feed on nectar from flowers.
Dion Skipper
A Dion Skipper butterfly is a colorful butterfly with a wingspan of about 2 inches. They are common in the eastern United States and can be found in a variety of habitats such as forests, meadows, and gardens.
Dreamy Duskywing
The Dreamy Duskywing butterfly is a dark brown butterfly with a pale throat and wings. They are found in the eastern woodlands of North America. They feed on nectar from flowers.
Dun Skipper
A Dun Skipper butterfly is a small, tan and brown butterfly with long wings that look like a dunce cap. They are found in open habitats, like meadows and fields, and are common in the Midwest and Northeast.
Dusted Skipper
The Dusted Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that is mostly white with black markings. It frequents open areas such as meadows, prairies, and grasslands.
European Skipper
The European Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that is mostly black with a yellow band on its wings. The habitat of this butterfly is open fields and meadows.
Hoary Edge
A Hoary Edge butterfly is a brown and white butterfly that lives in the western US.
Hobomok Skipper
The Hobomok Skipper butterfly has a wingspan of about 1 1/2 inches. It is a colorful butterfly with a brown head, a light brown body and a white border around each wing. It is found in open areas, such as prairies, meadows and woods, and is attracted to flowers.
Horace’s Duskywing
Horace’s Duskywing butterflies are typically dark brown or black with a white band across the wings. They are found in open areas with woods and gardens, and can be seen flying around during the day.
Indian Skipper
The Indian Skipper is a small butterfly that is often seen flitting around in open spaces, such as meadows or fields. It has a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. The wings are a light brown, with a dark brown band running along the middle. The wings are also dotted with white spots. The Indian Skipper is a common butterfly in North America, and can be found in many different habitats, including forests, meadows, and fields.
Juvenal’s Duskywing
The Juvenal’s Duskywing butterfly is a beautiful and brightly colored butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. They are commonly found in open areas such as fields, meadows, and marshes.
Least Skipper
The Least Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that is mostly black with a white stripe down the middle of its wings. They are found in open habitats with plenty of flowers to feed on.
Leonard’s Skipper
The Leonard’s Skipper butterfly is a beautiful insect that can be found in a variety of habitats, including forests, meadows, and fields. These butterflies are often seen flitting around flowers, and their vibrant colors and patterns make them a popular sight.
Little Glassywing
A Little Glassywing butterfly has a wingspan of about 1.5 inches and is light green with a light yellow and white band across the wing. They are found in mixed deciduous and coniferous forests, often near streams and rivers.
Long Dash
A Long Dash butterfly has a wingspan of about one and a half inches. It has a dark brown body with a light brown band across its wings. It lives in forests, and its diet consists mostly of caterpillars.
Mulberry Wing
A Mulberry Wing butterfly is a beautiful and brightly coloured butterfly. They are found in open woodland and shrubland, where they feed on nectar from flowers.
Northern Broken-Dash
The Northern Broken-Dash butterfly is a vibrant butterfly with a broken dash on the wing. They prefer open areas with lots of flowering plants, such as meadows and grasslands.
Northern Cloudywing
Northern Cloudywings are a small, delicate butterfly with a wingspan of about an inch. They have a gray or blue background with white markings, and they often fly in small groups. They are found in open areas with lots of flowering plants, including hemlocks and fir trees.
Peck’s Skipper
The Peck’s Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that has a dark blue wings and a white patch on the top of its wings. They live in meadows and other open areas with flowers.
Silver-spotted Skipper
A Silver-spotted Skipper butterfly has a wingspan of about 2 inches and is a light brown color with a metallic sheen. They are found in open areas, such as fields and meadows, and are attracted to light.
Sleepy Duskywing
A Sleepy Duskywing butterfly looks like a dark brown butterfly with a faint purplish sheen. They are found in open, grassy areas with a variety of trees nearby.
Southern Cloudywing
The Southern Cloudywing butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that can be found in the southeastern United States. It has a wingspan of about 2.5 inches. The butterflies prefer to live in moist, shady areas.
Swarthy Skipper
A Swarthy Skipper butterfly is a striking and colorful butterfly. They are typically a dark brown or black with bright yellow and orange markings. They are found in open, sunny areas such as meadows and fields.
Tawny-edged Skipper
A Tawny-edged Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly with a dark brown or black wings. They are usually found in open areas, such as meadows and fields, but can also be found near rivers and ponds. They are usually active during the day, but can be found flying around at night as well. Their habitat is usually grassy areas, but they can also be found in forests.
Two-spotted Skipper
The Two-spotted Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly with light brown wings and a dark brown spot on each wing. They are found in open habitats such as fields and meadows.
Wild Indigo Duskywing
The Wild Indigo Duskywing butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of about 2.5 inches. The butterfly is mainly a dark brown, but has a light blue band around the edge of each wing. The butterfly is found in open, grassy areas, especially near streams and ponds.
Zabulon Skipper
The Zabulon Skipper butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that is found in open habitat, such as fields, meadows, and woodlands.
White and Sulphur Butterflies in Kent County, Rhode Island
Cabbage White
A Cabbage White butterfly has a wingspan of about 1-1.5 inches. They are mostly light green, with a few brown and black spots. They are found in open, grassy areas near streams and lakes.
Clouded Sulphur
A Clouded Sulphur butterfly has a dark green body with a white stripe along its wing margin. It has a yellow head and yellow wings. It lives in open areas with lots of flowering plants.
Cloudless Sulphur
Cloudless Sulphur butterflies are small, brightly-colored butterflies that typically feed on nectar from flowers. They are found in open areas with plenty of flowering plants, such as meadows and forests.
Little Yellow
The Little Yellow butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that is found in warm, sunny areas. These butterflies are usually found near flowers, but they can also be found near trees or other plants.
Orange Sulphur
A Orange Sulphur butterfly is typically a bright orange color, with a wingspan of about two inches. They are found in warm parts of the world, such as the United States, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. They prefer warm, dry habitats, such as scrub or open fields.
Orange-barred Sulphur
The Orange-barred Sulphur butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright orange body and black wings. They live in open, grassy areas with some trees nearby, and are usually seen flitting around in the late morning or early afternoon.
That’s the end of our look at the butterflies in Kent County, Rhode Island. Interested in learning about more butterflies in Rhode Island? We have lists for each of the 5 counties in the state.