There are 101 species of butterflies you can find in Lee County, Florida. Not all of them are common. In fact, some of the butterflies on our list are quite rare sights in Lee County. The butterflies on our list are grouped by the following categories:
Brush-footed Butterflies in Lee County, Florida
American Lady
The American Lady butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that can be found throughout much of North America. They are typically found near water, in open habitats such as fields and gardens.
American Snout
The American Snout butterfly is mostly a light brown color with a black spot on its forehead. It has a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. It is found in open areas near streams and rivers in the eastern United States.
Carolina Satyr
A Carolina Satyr butterfly is a colorful butterfly that is found in the United States. They are usually seen in open areas, such as fields, forests, and meadows. They are also commonly seen in gardens.
Common Buckeye
The Common Buckeye butterfly is a warm-weather butterfly that lives in open areas, such as fields and meadows.
Cuban Crescent
A Cuban Crescent butterfly has a wingspan of about 2-3 inches. It is a beautiful light brown and is found in tropical regions. It lives in forests and prefers to live near water.
Florida Purplewing
A Florida Purplewing butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright purple wingspan. They prefer open habitats with plenty of flowering plants, such as prairies, meadows, and gardens. These butterflies are common visitors to Florida, where they often feed on nectar from flowers.
Georgia Satyr
The Georgia Satyr butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright yellow and black wings. They are found in the Appalachian Mountains and in the Southeast. They are most commonly found in deciduous and mixed woods, but can also be found in gardens and other open areas.
Gulf Fritillary
A Gulf Fritillary butterfly looks like a small, colorful butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. They are found in coastal areas of the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. They feed on nectar from flowers, and their habitat includes open fields, meadows, and forests.
Hackberry Emperor
The Hackberry Emperor butterfly is a large and colorful butterfly. They have a wingspan of about 2 feet. They are found in tropical and subtropical forests. They are attracted to flowers and fruit.
Julia Heliconian
A Julia Heliconian butterfly has a bright orange body with black markings and a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. The butterflies are found in open, sunny areas near water sources, such as streams and pools.
Malachite
A Malachite butterfly has a metallic green body with a purple and green border. They are found in the tropical forests of Central and South America.
Mangrove Buckeye
Mangrove Buckeye butterflies are typically green and brown with a white wingtip. They are found near tropical rainforests.
Monarch
Monarchs are large, colorful butterflies that can be found throughout North America. They typically reside in open, sunny areas with plenty of nectar and milkweed plants.
Painted Lady
The Painted Lady butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright yellow and black wings. They are found in open areas with plenty of nectar sources, such as gardens and orchards.
Pearl Crescent
The Pearl Crescent butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly found in the eastern United States and Canada. They are often seen perched on flowers near rivers or ponds. The butterfly’s wings are a bright yellow and its body is a light pink.
Phaon Crescent
The Phaon Crescent butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a blue and black wings. It lives in open habitats with lots of grasses and flowers.
Queen
A Queen butterfly is brightly colored with a wingspan of up to three inches. They are found in open areas near water, such as fields, meadows, and forests.
Question Mark
The Question Mark butterfly has a dark brown wings with a white design on each, and it lives in tropical forests.
Red Admiral
The Red Admiral butterfly is a large butterfly with a bright red wings and body. It is found in warm, sunny areas throughout the world. Its habitat includes forests, parks, and gardens.
Ruddy Daggerwing
The Ruddy Daggerwing butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright red body and wings. They are found in open habitats such as prairies, meadows, and open woods.
Soldier
Soldier butterflies are typically orange or red with black markings, and they are found in open areas such as fields and meadows. They are attracted to flowers, and their larvae feed on plants, including those in the daisy family.
Tawny Emperor
The Tawny Emperor butterfly has a bright orange body with black and white stripes. They live in tropical forests and gardens.
Variegated Fritillary
Variegated Fritillaries are colorful butterflies that typically have a range of bright colors on their wings. They are found in open spaces near forests, gardens, and meadows.
Viceroy
A Viceroy butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that is typically found in tropical climates. They are frequently seen flitting about in brightly coloured wings. Viceroy butterflies are usually found in areas with lots of flowering plants.
White Peacock
The White Peacock butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of up to 2 inches. Its body is a deep blue with a white stripe down the center of its wings. The butterfly lives in warm, tropical areas, typically near water.
Zebra Heliconian
A Zebra Heliconian butterfly has a wingspan of about 2 inches, a light brown body with black stripes and orange spots, and a wingspan that makes it look like a zebra. They are found in open habitats, such as meadows and fields, and are active during the day.
Gossamer-wing Butterflies in Lee County, Florida
Atala
The Atala butterfly is a brightly coloured butterfly that is found in tropical and subtropical areas. It is a member of the Lycaenidae family and is known for its long wingspan. The Atala is found in open habitats, including rainforest and scrub.
Cassius Blue
The Cassius Blue butterfly is a beautiful blue butterfly that can be found in many different habitats, including forests and meadows.
Ceraunus Blue
A Ceraunus Blue butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with blue wings and a white body. They are found in open, sunny areas such as meadows and prairies.
Eastern Pygmy-Blue
Eastern Pygmy-Blue butterflies are small, blue butterflies with black stripes on their wings. They are found in open habitats with lots of flowers, such as meadows, fields, and forests.
Fulvous Hairstreak
The Fulvous Hairstreak butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that can be found in a variety of habitats, including forests, meadows, and gardens. It is a migrant butterfly that comes to the United States in the fall to overwinter. The Fulvous Hairstreak butterfly is a smaller butterfly that is mostly black with a yellow tip on its wings.
Gray Hairstreak
The Gray Hairstreak butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a gray body and wings. They are usually found in damp areas, such as forests, but can also be found in gardens. They are usually seen flitting around in the air.
Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak
The Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak butterfly is a small butterfly with a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. It has a bright orange patch on the front of its wings and a brown band on the hindwings. The butterfly lives in scrubby areas near marshes and streams.
Martial Scrub-Hairstreak
A Martial Scrub-Hairstreak butterfly looks like a small, blue and white butterfly with a long tail. They are found in open areas, such as fields and meadows, where they feed on nectar from flowers. They are known to live in habitats that have a lot of scrub brush.
Miami Blue
A Miami Blue butterfly is bright blue with black markings on the wings. They are found in open, sunny areas such as fields, gardens, and parks.
Oak Hairstreak
An Oak Hairstreak butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that is found in oak forests. They are common in North America and are known for their bright colors and large wings. They prefer open areas with plenty of oak trees and flowers, and are not found in dense forested areas.
Red-banded Hairstreak
A Red-banded Hairstreak butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright red band across its wings. They are found in open areas such as meadows and fields, and prefer to live near water sources.
White-M Hairstreak
The White-M Hairstreak butterfly is a large, orange butterfly with a white fringe on the wings. It is found in open areas, including fields, meadows, and forests, and is most commonly seen in the late spring and early summer.
Metalmark Butterflies in Lee County, Florida
Little Metalmark
The Little Metalmark butterfly is a small, brown butterfly that lives in open areas such as fields and meadows.
Parnassian and Swallowtail Butterflies in Lee County, Florida
Black Swallowtail
The Black Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful insect with black and yellow wings. They are found in open habitats like fields and forests.
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterflies have large wings that are a beautiful royal blue. They live in forests and often perch on tree branches.
Giant Swallowtail
A Giant Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of up to three inches. They are commonly found in open habitats such as fields, meadows, and forests.
Palamedes Swallowtail
The Palamedes Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful insect that comes in a variety of colors, including blue, green, black, and yellow. They are usually found in open areas such as fields, meadows, and forests, but can also be found in gardens and orchards. They feed on nectar from flowers, and are known to be fast fliers.
Pipevine Swallowtail
Pipevine Swallowtail butterflies are slender and brightly coloured with a wingspan of some 2-3 feet. They typically inhabit open areas with plenty of flowers, such as fields, meadows, and woodlands.
Polydamas Swallowtail
The Polydamas Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful creature that is found in open areas with lots of flowers. They are usually seen flying close to the ground, and are very active fliers.
Spicebush Swallowtail
The Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that is found in the eastern United States. It has a bright orange and black wings and is often seen flitting around flowering trees. The habitat of the Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly is moist woodlands and forests.
Zebra Swallowtail
A Zebra Swallowtail is a beautiful butterfly with black and yellow stripes on its wings. They are most commonly found in open areas, such as meadows, but can also be found in forests. They are active during the day, but are also known to fly at night.
Skipper Butterflies in Lee County, Florida
Aaron’s Skipper
The Aaron’s Skipper butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly with a wingspan of about one inch. It is found in the eastern United States, from Maine to Florida, and west to Texas. The butterfly is generally found in open, sunny areas, such as fields, meadows, and gardens.
Brazilian Skipper
The Brazilian Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly with a wingspan of about 3.5 inches. The wings are a light blue with black markings. The butterfly is found in tropical forests and gardens.
Clouded Skipper
Clouded Skipper butterflies are small, colorful creatures that live in warm areas of the world. They have wings that are mostly black with a few bright spots. They feed on nectar and pollen from flowers.
Cofaqui Giant-Skipper
The Cofaqui Giant-Skipper butterfly is a large butterfly that is found in the Andes Mountains. It is a member of the swallowtail family and has a dark brown body with a yellow and white band across its wings. The butterfly is found in mountains and forests where it feeds on nectar from flowers.
Common Checkered-Skipper
The Common Checkered-Skipper butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that can be found throughout much of the United States. They are most commonly seen in open areas with plenty of flowers, such as meadows and prairies.
Delaware Skipper
The Delaware Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that is brightly colored and has a wingspan of about 1 inch. It is found in open areas such as fields, meadows, and forests.
Dorantes Longtail
The Dorantes Longtail butterfly is a colorful butterfly that inhabits the forests of Central and South America. The butterfly has a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. The wings are decorated with a series of black and white stripes. The butterfly feeds on nectar from flowers.
Dotted Skipper
The Dotted Skipper butterfly has a brown body with black and white dots on its wings. They live in open areas with lots of flowers, such as fields and meadows.
Dun Skipper
The Dun Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly with a wingspan of about 2 inches. It has a dark brown body with a white stripe running down its center. It is found in the eastern United States and in parts of Canada. Its habitat is forests and woodlands.
Dusted Skipper
The Dusted Skipper butterfly is a small, brown butterfly that frequents open, sandy areas.
Eufala Skipper
The Eufala Skipper butterfly is a small brown and black butterfly that is often seen flying around flowers. They are usually found in open areas near water, such as meadows, marshes, and streams.
Fiery Skipper
The Fiery Skipper butterfly is a beautiful, colorful butterfly that lives in the tropics. They are usually seen fluttering around in groups, and their wings are very brightly colored. They are usually found in warm, humid environments, such as rain forests or plantations.
Hammock Skipper
The Hammock Skipper butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that typically inhabits hammocks. These butterflies are often seen flying around in groups, and are known for their attractive markings.
Hayhurst’s Scallopwing
The Hayhurst’s Scallopwing butterfly is a small butterfly with a wingspan of about 2.5 inches. Its wings are a deep purple with a yellow stripe running the length of each wing. The butterfly lives in warm, humid forests in the southern United States.
Horace’s Duskywing
A Horace’s Duskywing butterfly is a beautiful dark brown butterfly with a white band across its wings. They are commonly found in open areas such as fields, meadows, and forests.
Juvenal’s Duskywing
The Juvenal’s Duskywing butterfly is a large butterfly with a dusky brown body and wings. They are found in open areas with plenty of sunshine, such as meadows, prairies, and forests.
Least Skipper
The Least Skipper butterfly is a small, brown butterfly that frequents open, grassy areas and meadows.
Long-tailed Skipper
The Long-tailed Skipper butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that is found in the tropics. It has a wingspan of about 3 inches. The wings are light blue with a brown or blackish outline. The wingspan and outline make it easy to identify as a Long-tailed Skipper. The habitat of the Long-tailed Skipper butterfly is tropical rainforest.
Mangrove Skipper
The Mangrove Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that is typically green and brown in color. They are found in coastal areas, such as the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean, and are usually found near mangroves.
Monk
Monk butterflies are typically small, colorful creatures that can be found in a variety of habitats, including forests, grasslands, and deserts. They are usually peaceful, but can be territorial when they need to be.
Neamathla Skipper
The Neamathla Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that is mainly brown with black stripes down its wings. It is found in open forests and fields in the Australian outback.
Northern Cloudywing
Northern Cloudywing butterflies are typically a dusty brown color with darker patches on their wings. They are commonly found in open areas near streams or in forests.
Obscure Skipper
The Obscure Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that is usually brown or black. It has a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. The habitat of the Obscure Skipper butterfly is usually wet areas, such as streams and lakes.
Ocola Skipper
The Ocola Skipper butterfly is a small, brown butterfly with a yellow border and two yellow stripes on its wings. This butterfly lives in open, grassy areas near lakes or ponds.
Palatka Skipper
The Palatka Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that is usually found in open areas such as fields, meadows, and gardens. They are usually seen flying around during the day.
Palmetto Skipper
The Palmetto Skipper butterfly is a small, brown butterfly with a distinctive red and black band on its wings. They are found in the south-east United States, where they live in open woodlands and gardens.
Sachem
A Sachem butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly with a wingspan of about 2 inches. They are found in moist, deciduous forests and woodlands throughout eastern North America.
Salt Marsh Skipper
A Salt Marsh Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that is found in salt marshes. They are typically green and have a wingspan of about 2 inches. They are attracted to light and often fly near the water’s edge.
Silver-spotted Skipper
The Silver-spotted Skipper butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that is commonly seen flitting around flowers in open areas. They are usually found in areas with lots of flowers, but can also be found in open fields or suburbs.
Southern Broken-Dash
The Southern Broken-Dash butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a broken dash on its wings. They are found in the southern United States, primarily in the Appalachian Mountains. They are also found in the Ozark Mountains. They live in open woodland, but can also be found near streams and in gardens.
Southern Skipperling
The Southern Skipperling butterfly has a wingspan of about 2 1/2 inches. The wings are light brown with a pattern of black and white. The butterfly is found in open woodland and meadows, in areas with plenty of flowers.
Swarthy Skipper
The Swarthy Skipper butterfly is a brown and black butterfly that is found in the eastern U.S. The habitat of the Swarthy Skipper butterfly is forests, but they can also be found in open areas.
Tawny-edged Skipper
A Tawny-edged Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that is usually brown or black with a yellow stripe down its middle. They live in open habitats, such as meadows and fields, and are common in the eastern United States.
Three-spotted Skipper
A Three-spotted Skipper butterfly is a small, brightly-colored butterfly with three spots on its wings. They are found in open habitats, such as fields and meadows, and are often seen hovering near flowers.
Tropical Checkered-Skipper
The Tropical Checkered-Skipper butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that is found in tropical areas. It has a checkered pattern on its wings and is usually seen hovering around flowers.
Twin-spot Skipper
The Twin-spot Skipper butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly with a bright blue-green wingspan. They are usually seen flying around flowers in open areas such as meadows and fields.
Whirlabout
A Whirlabout butterfly has a wingspan of about 2-3 inches. They are mostly brown with a white band across the middle of their wings. They are found in tropical forests and often perch on tree branches.
White Checkered-Skipper
The White Checkered-Skipper butterfly is a small, brightly-colored butterfly that can be found in open areas and gardens throughout the eastern United States. They are most commonly found near water and feed on nectar from flowers.
Zarucco Duskywing
The Zarucco Duskywing butterfly is a dark brown butterfly with a white spot on the underside of its wing. They are found in the eastern United States and Canada. They are usually found near water, in areas with dense vegetation.
Zestos Skipper
A Zestos Skipper butterfly is a small black and orange butterfly with a zigzag pattern on its wings. They are found in open habitats, such as meadows, fields, and gardens.
White and Sulphur Butterflies in Lee County, Florida
Barred Yellow
The Barred Yellow butterfly is a beautiful insect with a wingspan of about 2 inches. It has bright yellow wings with black tips and a yellow band across the middle. The butterfly lives in open areas, such as fields and meadows, and is attracted to flowers.
Cabbage White
The Cabbage White butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly with a white body and black wings. They are found in open areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows, fields, and gardens.
Checkered White
The Checkered White butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a checkered pattern on its wings. They are usually found in open areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows, gardens, and fields.
Cloudless Sulphur
A Cloudless Sulphur butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of about 2 inches. It is a common sight in the forest, but can also be found near streams and lakes. They are usually seen flitting around in the sunshine.
Dainty Sulphur
The Dainty Sulphur butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly that is found in the eastern United States. It is difficult to see because it is very light in color and has a fast flight. The Dainty Sulphur butterfly lives in open areas, such as meadows, fields, and forests.
Great Southern White
The Great Southern White butterfly is a beautiful, large butterfly. It has a wingspan of up to 2 inches. The habitat of the Great Southern White butterfly is open, sunny areas.
Large Orange Sulphur
A Large Orange Sulphur butterfly is a orange and black butterfly that lives in open spaces with lots of flowering plants.
Little Yellow
A Little Yellow butterfly is typically a small, delicate creature with a wingspan of about one inch. They are typically a light yellow color with a few brown or black spots. They are typically found in open areas near water sources, such as streams and rivers.
Orange Sulphur
The Orange Sulphur butterfly is a small, orange-coloured butterfly that can be found in open areas near water, such as meadows and marshes. They are usually found in close proximity to other butterfly species, so they are likely to be found in areas with high populations of these insects.
Orange-barred Sulphur
The Orange-barred Sulphur butterfly is a dark brown butterfly with a distinctive orange band across its wings. They are found in open habitats, such as scrub and grasslands, and are quite common in the northeastern United States.
Sleepy Orange
A Sleepy Orange butterfly is small and has a dark brown body with a light orange wing. They are found in open areas with plenty of nectar and flowers, such as meadows and prairies.
Southern Dogface
The Southern Dogface butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that is found in the southern United States. It has a wingspan of about 2 inches. The habitat of the Southern Dogface butterfly is open fields, woodland, and gardens.
Statira Sulphur
The Statira Sulphur butterfly is a small, black and orange butterfly that is common in open, grassy areas.
Yellow Angled-Sulphur
The Yellow Angled-Sulphur butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a yellow and black striped wings. They are found in open habitats such as fields and meadows.
That’s the end of our look at the butterflies in Lee 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