Butterflies in Marion County, Florida

There are 111 species of butterflies you can find in Marion County, Florida. Not all of them are common. In fact, some of the butterflies on our list are quite rare sights in Marion County. The butterflies on our list are grouped by the following categories:


Brush-footed Butterflies in Marion County, Florida

‘Astyanax’ Red-spotted Purple

The ‘Astyanax’ Red-spotted Purple butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright red spot on each wing. They are found in warm, subtropical habitats throughout the Americas.

American Lady

The American Lady butterfly is a black and yellow butterfly that resides in open areas such as fields, meadows, and gardens.

American Snout

The American Snout butterfly is a medium-sized butterfly with a black and yellow head and thorax. It is found in the eastern and central United States, south to Florida and Texas. The habitat is open, sunny areas with plenty of flowers.

Appalachian Brown

The Appalachian Brown butterfly is a large butterfly with dark brown wings. They are found in open areas with lots of flowering plants, such as fields and meadows.

Carolina Satyr

Carolina Satyrs are small, colorful butterflies that can often be seen flitting around flowers in warm, subtropical habitats. They are known for their distinctive spots and stripes on their wings, as well as their long tails.

Common Buckeye

The Common Buckeye butterfly is a large, orange and black butterfly. They are found in the Appalachian Mountains and other wooded areas of the eastern United States.

Common Wood-Nymph

A Common Wood-Nymph butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. They are mostly orange and black, with a small white spot on the wing near the tip. They are most commonly found in forests, but can also be found near streams and other moist areas.

Georgia Satyr

The Georgia Satyr butterfly has a wingspan of about 2 inches and is light green with black markings. They are found in open woodlands, forest edges, and clearings.

Goatweed Leafwing

A Goatweed Leafwing butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly that is typically green or brown. They are found in open areas with lots of grass and flowers, such as meadows and prairies.

Gulf Fritillary

The Gulf Fritillary butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a metallic sheen on its wings. It is found in open areas with lots of wildflowers, such as meadows, pastures, and woods.

Hackberry Emperor

The Hackberry Emperor butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a metallic blue and black wings. They live in open areas with lots of Hackberry trees, and can often be found perched on the tips of the branches.

Intricate Satyr

A Intricate Satyr butterfly has a brown body with a green and black pattern. It is found in the highlands of South America.

Julia Heliconian

Julia Heliconian butterflies are beautiful creatures with bright colors and patterns. They are found in open areas with plenty of sunshine, such as prairies, open woodlands, and meadows. They like to perch on flowers or leaves and drink nectar.

Little Wood-Satyr

The Little Wood-Satyr is a small butterfly that is predominantly found in the Northern Hemisphere. It has a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. The butterfly is brightly coloured and is mostly a brown or tan colour. It is found in areas with deciduous woods and shrubbery.

Mimic

A Mimic butterfly is typically a brightly colored butterfly that can easily be identified by its unique appearance and behavior. Mimic butterflies are typically found in warm, humid areas close to water sources, such as gardens and woodlands.

Monarch

Monarchs are beautiful, colorful butterflies that can be found all over North America. They are common in open habitats such as fields, meadows, and forests.

Painted Lady

The Painted Lady butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a metallic blue and white wings. It is found throughout the United States, but is most common in the eastern half of the country. It prefers open, sunny areas such as fields, meadows, and gardens.

Pearl Crescent

The Pearl Crescent butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. It is a metallic green with a white “crescent” on the wings. The butterfly is found in the tropics and sub-tropics and prefers open habitats with plenty of flowers to feed on.

Phaon Crescent

Phaon Crescent butterflies are brightly colored and have a wingspan of about 1-1.5 inches. They are found in open, sunny areas near streams and rivers where they feed on nectar from flowers.

Queen

A Queen butterfly is typically a dark brown or black color and has a wingspan of about one and one-half inches. They are found in a variety of habitats, but are typically found in forests and gardens.

Question Mark

The Question Mark butterfly is a small brown and black butterfly. It has a distinctive question mark-shaped mark on its wings. The Question Mark butterfly lives in open, grassy areas, such as prairies and meadows.

Red Admiral

The Red Admiral butterfly is a very colorful butterfly that can be found in many different habitats. They are usually found in the forest, but they can also be found in the gardens and parks.

Red-spotted Purple or White Admiral

A Red-spotted Purple or White Admiral butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with bright colors. They are found in warm, tropical climates. These butterflies are usually found near bodies of water, such as lakes or ponds.

Southern Pearly-eye

The Southern Pearly-eye butterfly is a delicate looking butterfly with a pearl white wingspan. They are found in the southern United States, where they inhabit open woodlands and prairies.

Tawny Emperor

The Tawny Emperor butterfly is a large, colorful butterfly found in the tropical forests of Central and South America. They are members of the emperor butterfly family and are distinguished by their bright yellow and black wings, and their black and yellow tail. They are the largest butterflies in the Americas and can be up to 2 inches wide.

The Tawny Emperor lives in tropical forests, near streams and rivers. They are attracted to the colorful flowers found in these areas, and are also known to visit fruit trees.

Variegated Fritillary

A Variegated Fritillary butterfly is usually a bright yellow and purple, with a black border around the wings. They are usually found in open areas near water, such as meadows or fields.

Viceroy

The Viceroy butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with rich brown and black markings. They are typically found in open areas such as fields, prairies, and meadows.

Viola’s Wood-Satyr

The Viola’s Wood-Satyr butterfly is a small, brown butterfly with a yellow and black patch on its wings. They are found in open forests and wooded areas, and are commonly seen flitting around flowers.

White Peacock

The White Peacock butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of over two inches. The wings are a beautiful light blue color with a white stripe running down the center. The butterfly prefers to live in open areas with a lot of flowers, such as gardens or fields.

Zebra Heliconian

A Zebra Heliconian butterfly has a wingspan of about 2 inches and a bright blue, white, and black body. They are found in moist areas near water, such as meadows and marshes.


Gossamer-wing Butterflies in Marion County, Florida

Banded Hairstreak

The Banded Hairstreak butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that often frequents open areas such as fields, meadows, and forests. They are mostly found in North America, but have been spotted in Europe and Asia. They are typically a light green or blue color, with black wings and tails. They are attracted to light, so they are often seen in open areas during the day.

Cassius Blue

The Cassius Blue butterfly is a beautiful blue butterfly with a white band on its wings. They are found in open habitats such as meadows, pastures, and woodland.

Ceraunus Blue

The Ceraunus Blue butterfly is a blue butterfly that is found in the eastern United States. It is usually found in open areas with lots of sunshine and flowers.

Eastern Pine Elfin

Eastern Pine Elfin butterflies are small, colorful butterflies with a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. They are found in the eastern United States, from North Carolina to New York, and in southern Ontario. They prefer moist, deciduous woods, but are also found in some urban areas.

Eastern Tailed-Blue

Eastern Tailed-Blue butterflies are typically a light blue color with a silver sheen on their wings. They can be found in open areas, such as fields and gardens, but are also common in areas with streams and rivers.

Gray Hairstreak

The Gray Hairstreak butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly that is typically light gray in color. They are often seen flitting around in search of flowers, and can be found primarily in open areas near forests.

Great Purple Hairstreak

The Great Purple Hairstreak butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright purple wings. They are found in a variety of habitats, including forests and meadows.

Henry’s Elfin

A Henry’s Elfin butterfly is a delicate butterfly that is found in open areas with plenty of dappled sunlight. They are usually seen near streams and wetland habitats.

Juniper Hairstreak

A Juniper Hairstreak butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a distinctive pattern of brown and black. They are usually found in open, sunny areas such as prairies, meadows, and forests. They are attracted to flowers, but will also consume nectar from other plant parts.

Oak Hairstreak

The Oak Hairstreak butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of up to 3 inches. They are found in the eastern United States and southern Canada, but are also found in the tropics. They are usually seen flying around in search of nectar from flowers.

Red-banded Hairstreak

A Red-banded Hairstreak butterfly is a brightly colored butterfly that can be found in open areas such as meadows, prairies, and open woodland. They are usually seen flitting around flowers and are very active.

Striped Hairstreak

The Striped Hairstreak butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a striped pattern on their wings. They are found in open areas such as forests, meadows, and fields.

White-M Hairstreak

A White-M Hairstreak butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a distinctive white and brown body. They are found in open areas such as fields and meadows, and often feed on nectar. They are not common, so it is best to lookout for them when you are out in nature.


Metalmark Butterflies in Marion County, Florida

Little Metalmark

The Little Metalmark butterfly is a small, brown butterfly that lives in the deciduous and coniferous forests of the eastern United States and eastern Canada.


Parnassian and Swallowtail Butterflies in Marion County, Florida

Black Swallowtail

The Black Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful insect with a black body and wings. They live in open spaces such as forests and meadows, and are attracted to nectar and flowers.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterflies are beautiful creatures with bright colors and long wings. They live in forests and other areas with plenty of flowering plants.

Giant Swallowtail

A Giant Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful insect with a wingspan of up to three feet. They are found in tropical and subtropical forests, where they feed on nectar from flowers.

Palamedes Swallowtail

The Palamedes Swallowtail butterfly is a delicate, colorful butterfly with a long tail. They are commonly found in tropical and subtropical areas, but can also be found in temperate areas. They are most commonly found in dense forests, but can also be found in open fields.

Pipevine Swallowtail

The Pipevine Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright yellow wingspan. They are usually found in open spaces such as fields and wooded areas, but can also be found near streams and rivers. They are very active fliers and are often seen feeding on nectar from flowers.

Polydamas Swallowtail

A Polydamas Swallowtail butterfly looks like a typical swallowtail butterfly, but it has a distinctive pattern of black, yellow, and brown stripes on its wings. Polydamas Swallowtails are found in open, grassy areas near water, such as meadows and prairies.

Spicebush Swallowtail

Spicebush Swallowtail butterflies are brightly colored and have a wingspan of about three inches. They are found in open areas with plenty of flowering plants, such as spicebush and juniper trees.

Zebra Swallowtail

The Zebra Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that is found in Africa. They have black and pink wings with a striped pattern. They usually feed on nectar from flowers, but can also eat small insects.


Skipper Butterflies in Marion County, Florida

Aaron’s Skipper

The Aaron’s Skipper butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that is found in open areas, such as meadows and grasslands.

Arogos Skipper

The Arogos Skipper butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that is found in the tropical rainforest. It has a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. The Arogos Skipper butterfly is a member of the family Nymphalidae.

Baracoa Skipper

A Baracoa Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that is found in the Caribbean. It has a wingspan of about 2 inches. The habitat of a Baracoa Skipper butterfly is open, grassy areas.

Berry’s Skipper

The Berry’s Skipper butterfly is a small, black and white butterfly with a yellow spot on its wing. They are found in dry, open areas such as prairies, meadows, and grasslands.

Brazilian Skipper

A Brazilian Skipper butterfly is a small, black and white butterfly with a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. They are found in the Brazilian rainforest, where they spend their days flying around looking for nectar sources.

Byssus Skipper

This butterfly is very small and has a conspicuous white patch on the underside of its wings. It is found in open, sunny areas, typically near water.

Clouded Skipper

The Clouded Skipper butterfly has a wingspan of about 2 inches. It is a light tan color with darker bands along the edges of its wings. It lives in open spaces, such as meadows, fields, and forests.

Cofaqui Giant-Skipper

A Cofaqui Giant-Skipper butterfly is a large butterfly with a wingspan of over two inches. The wings are a bright orange color with black markings. They live in the tropical rainforest canopy and feed on nectar from flowers.

Confused Cloudywing

A Confused Cloudywing butterfly looks like a small, dark butterfly with cloudy wings. They live in humid, wooded areas near water.

Delaware Skipper

The Delaware Skipper butterfly is typically a blue or green butterfly with a white wingtip. It is found in open areas with lots of flowers, such as fields and meadows.

Dorantes Longtail

A Dorantes Longtail butterfly is a colorful butterfly that can be found in tropical areas around the world. They are usually found near water sources, such as lakes, rivers, and ponds. They are also known to frequent gardens and orchards.

Dotted Skipper

The Dotted Skipper butterfly is small with a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. The wings are a light brown with a number of small black spots. The butterfly is found in open areas with long grass, including meadows and prairies.

Dun Skipper

Dun Skipper butterflies are typically small, colorful insects with long tails. They are common in open, grassy areas near water.

Dusky Roadside-Skipper

The Dusky Roadside-Skipper butterfly is a small, brown butterfly that is found in open, rural areas. It is usually seen flying around flowers and over open fields.

Dusted Skipper

A Dusted Skipper butterfly looks like a small brown and green butterfly with a white spot on its wings. They are found in open areas with lots of flowers, such as fields, meadows, and woodlands.

Eufala Skipper

The Eufala Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly with a black and yellow wings. They are found in warm, dry areas in the United States and in parts of southern Canada. They prefer open areas with grassy meadows or open woods.

Fiery Skipper

The Fiery Skipper butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that is found in open areas such as fields, meadows, and forests. They are attracted to light and are usually found near a fire.

Hayhurst’s Scallopwing

The Hayhurst’s Scallopwing butterfly is a delicate looking butterfly with a wingspan of about one and a half inches. The wings are a beautiful light blue with black markings, and the butterflies fly quickly and erratically around their habitat. Hayhurst’s Scallopwing butterflies live in coastal areas and are often seen perched on flowers or leaves.

Hoary Edge

The Hoary Edge butterfly is a large, black and white butterfly that lives in the Mountains of North America.

Horace’s Duskywing

The Horace’s Duskywing butterfly is a dark brown butterfly with a large white spot on the front of its wings. It lives in forests and wooded areas.

Juvenal’s Duskywing

The Juvenal’s Duskywing butterfly is a small brown and black butterfly with a distinctive dusky wing band. They are found in open woodland and gardens, and are usually seen flying around flowers.

Lace-winged Roadside-Skipper

A Lace-winged Roadside-Skipper butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of about 1 inch. The males have a wingspan of about 1.5 inches while the females have a wingspan of about 1.25 inches. The Lace-winged Roadside-Skipper butterfly is a flycatcher that lives in open areas near the roadsides.

Least Skipper

A Least Skipper butterfly has a wingspan of about 1-1/2 inches. It has a light brown body with darker brown markings. It is found in open areas, such as fields and meadows, and is attracted to flowers.

Little Glassywing

The Little Glassywing butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly that can be found in open areas such as meadows, fields, and gardens. They are flightless and are often seen perched on flowers.

Long-tailed Skipper

The Long-tailed Skipper butterfly is a beautiful insect with a wingspan of up to three inches. They are usually light green or blue with a white or yellow streak down the center of their wings. They are found in open areas such as meadows, fields, and forests, but can also be found in gardens and orchards.

Mangrove Skipper

A Mangrove Skipper butterfly looks like a small, delicate butterfly with a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. The habitat of a Mangrove Skipper butterfly is moist areas near salt water, such as mangroves.

Meske’s Skipper

The Meske’s Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly with a distinctive pattern of black and yellow on its wings. They are found in open areas with some flowers, such as meadows and prairies.

Neamathla Skipper

The Neamathla Skipper butterfly is a small brown butterfly that inhabits open, sunny areas such as meadows, fields, and gardens.

Northern Broken-Dash

Northern Broken-Dash butterflies look like small, black butterflies. They live in open, grassy areas, such as meadows and pastures.

Northern Cloudywing

A Northern Cloudywing butterfly has a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. It is a light brown butterfly with a few black spots on its wings. It is most commonly found in open areas with plenty of sunshine, such as fields and meadows.

Ocola Skipper

The Ocola Skipper butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly with a wingspan of about 2 inches. The habitat of the Ocola Skipper butterfly is open, grassy areas near streams and rivers.

Palatka Skipper

The Palatka Skipper butterfly is a common butterfly found in many parts of North America. It is a small butterfly with a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. The butterfly is light brown with yellow and brown markings. It is most common in the southeast United States, but can be found in other parts of the country as well. The butterfly is typically found in open areas with lots of flowers, but can also be found in forests.

Palmetto Skipper

The Palmetto Skipper butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that can be found in warm, moist areas near streams and rivers. They are active during the day, and feed on nectar from flowers.

Sachem

The Sachem butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly found in the eastern United States and Canada. It is a member of the brush-footed butterfly family, and its wings are decorated with brightly-colored stripes. The Sachem butterfly lives in forests and other wooded areas, and its larvae eat leaves and flowers.

Silver-spotted Skipper

The Silver-spotted Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly with a metallic sheen on its wings. They are commonly found in open, sunny areas, such as meadows or gardens, but can also be found in woodlands or forests.

Sleepy Duskywing

The Sleepy Duskywing butterfly is a small, dark butterfly with a characteristic dusky wing band. They are found in open, grassy areas near the coast, and are most common in the summer.

Southern Broken-Dash

The Southern Broken-Dash butterfly is a small butterfly that has a broken-dash pattern on its wings. It lives in open, grassy areas in the southern United States.

Southern Cloudywing

The Southern Cloudywing butterfly is a small butterfly with a wingspan of about 2 inches. The wings are a light blue-gray and the underside of the wings is a paler blue. The habitat of the Southern Cloudywing butterfly is forests and woodlands.

Southern Skipperling

The Southern Skipperling is a small butterfly that is found in open, grassy areas throughout the southern United States.

Swarthy Skipper

A Swarthy Skipper butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a dark brown body, lighter brown wings, and a yellow and black band across the abdomen. They usually inhabit open areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows and fields.

Tawny-edged Skipper

The Tawny-edged Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that is typically light brown or tan with a dark tawny edge on its wings. They are found in open habitats, including meadows, fields, and forests.

Tropical Checkered-Skipper

A Tropical Checkered-Skipper butterfly looks like a small black and white butterfly with a yellow and black checkered pattern on its wings. They are found in warm, tropical climates where they feed on nectar from flowers.

Twin-spot Skipper

The Twin-spot Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly with two spots on its wings. The Twin-spot Skipper butterfly is found in open areas near water, such as meadows, fields, and forests.

Whirlabout

The Whirlabout butterfly is a small butterfly that is usually yellow and black. It has a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. The Whirlabout butterfly lives in the rainforest.

White Checkered-Skipper

The White Checkered-Skipper butterfly has a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. It is a Metallic Blue butterfly that has a white band running down the center of its wings. It is most commonly found in open areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows, prairies, and woodlands.

Yucca Giant-Skipper

The Yucca Giant-Skipper butterfly is a large butterfly that is found in the deserts of North America. They are commonly seen flying around in the early morning or late evening. They are usually seen perched on yucca plants.

Zarucco Duskywing

A Zarucco Duskywing butterfly is a black and purple butterfly with a yellow tail. They are found in the Palearctic ecozone and can be found in oak and birch forests.


White and Sulphur Butterflies in Marion County, Florida

Barred Yellow

A Barred Yellow butterfly is typically a muted yellow with black markings. They are common in open habitats such as meadows, fields, and woodlands.

Cabbage White

The Cabbage White butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly with a wingspan of about one inch. They are mostly white, but have a yellow band across their wings. They are found in open areas, such as meadows and fields, and are very attracted to nectar.

Checkered White

A Checkered White butterfly has bright colors on its wings, and they are usually found in open areas such as fields, meadows, and forests. They are very common butterflies, and they like to feed on flower nectar.

Cloudless Sulphur

A Cloudless Sulphur butterfly looks like a dark brown or black butterfly with a white band across the wings. They live in open habitats with plenty of sunshine, such as fields, meadows, and forests.

Dainty Sulphur

The Dainty Sulphur butterfly has a wingspan of about 1-1/2 inches. It is a light brown color with reddish brown markings on the wings. The butterfly is found in open areas in the United States, such as in the Midwest or the Northeast.

Great Southern White

A Great Southern White butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. They are usually found near water sources, such as ponds or streams. They are usually seen flying in large flocks.

Little Yellow

A Little Yellow butterfly looks like a small, bright yellow butterfly. They are usually found in open areas near water, such as in meadows, fields, or gardens.

Orange Sulphur

The Orange Sulphur butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that is found in the United States. It is a member of the Sulphur butterfly family and is typically found in warm, dry areas. The Orange Sulphur butterfly is known for its bright orange wings and tail.

Orange-barred Sulphur

The Orange-barred Sulphur butterfly is a large butterfly with a bright orange patch on its hindwings. It lives in open areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows, forests, and gardens.

Sleepy Orange

A Sleepy Orange butterfly is typically a light orange or yellow color with a black border around the wings. They are usually found in forests, but can also be found in parks and gardens. They are quite active during the day, but tend to be quite sleepy at night.

Southern Dogface

The Southern Dogface butterfly is a large, colorful butterfly that is found in the United States. They are commonly seen in open areas, such as fields and forests, but can also be found in gardens and orchards. They are usually found near water sources, such as creeks and ponds.

Statira Sulphur

The Statira Sulphur butterfly is a beautiful, delicate creature with a wingspan of about two inches. These butterflies are found in moist forests and gardens throughout the eastern United States.


That’s the end of our look at the butterflies in Marion County, Florida. Interested in learning about more butterflies in Florida? We have lists for each of the 67 counties in the state.