Butterflies in McLennan County, Texas

There are 71 species of butterflies you can find in McLennan County, Texas. Not all of them are common. In fact, some of the butterflies on our list are quite rare sights in McLennan County. The butterflies on our list are grouped by the following categories:


Brush-footed Butterflies in McLennan County, Texas

American Lady

The American Lady butterfly has a wingspan of about 2.5 inches and is light orange with brown markings. The butterfly is found in the southeastern United States, as well as in parts of Mexico. Its larvae feed on the nectar of flowers, and they commonly reside in gardens and other places with flowers.

American Snout

The American Snout butterfly has a black and yellow wings. It is found in open areas with flowers, such as meadows.

Bordered Patch

The Bordered Patch butterfly is a small butterfly that is found in the United States and southern Canada. It is a common sight in shady areas near streams and rivers.

Carolina Satyr

The Carolina Satyr butterfly is a dark brown and white butterfly with a wingspan of about 1-1/2 inches. They are found in the eastern United States, from Florida to New England. They prefer deciduous and mixed forests, but can also be found in gardens and orchards.

Common Buckeye

The Common Buckeye butterfly is a small, brown butterfly that can be found in a variety of habitats, including woodlands and suburban areas.

Common Mestra

A Common Mestra butterfly is a medium-sized butterfly with auburn and black wings. The Common Mestra is found in temperate and subtropical areas of the world, including North America. It is most common in moist woodlands, but can also be found in gardens and parks.

Eastern Comma

Eastern Comma butterflies are large, colorful butterflies found in open, moist areas with a lot of flowering plants. They are usually found in forests, but can also be found in parks and gardens.

Goatweed Leafwing

The Goatweed Leafwing butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with striking yellow and brown wings. The butterfly is found in open areas with plenty of flowers, such as meadows and fields.

Gorgone Checkerspot

A Gorgone Checkerspot butterfly is a brightly coloured butterfly with a pattern of black and yellow spots on its wings. They are found in open habitats with lots of flowers, preferably in sunny locations. They are common in California, but are also found in Oregon, Nevada, and Arizona.

Gulf Fritillary

The Gulf Fritillary butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a light brown body and black wings. They live in open areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows and forests.

Hackberry Emperor

Hackberry Emperor butterflies are beautiful butterflies with a black and yellow body. They are found in the eastern United States and southeastern Canada. They inhabit open woodlands and forests with lots of hackberry trees.

Little Wood-Satyr

The Little Wood-Satyr butterfly is a small, brown butterfly that is found in areas with lots of trees and shrubs.

Monarch

Monarch butterflies are beautiful creatures with a wingspan of up to 3 inches. They are the butterflies of the milkweed family and are native to North America. They are unique in that they are the only butterflies that can fly directly from the larval stage to the adult stage. They are attracted to milkweed, a plant that is common in the wild.

Pearl Crescent

The Pearl Crescent butterfly is a small butterfly that is mostly white with a yellow band across the wings. They mostly reside in forested areas in North America.

Phaon Crescent

The Phaon Crescent butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that is common in open, sunny areas. It is usually seen flitting around flowers, but can also be found on trees and other vegetation.

Queen

A Queen butterfly is a beautiful, delicate butterfly. They are usually light blue or white with black markings. They are found in open, grassy areas and are often seen flying around flowers.

Question Mark

A Question Mark butterfly is typically light brown and has a wingspan of about 2 inches. They are found in open woodland, gardens, and fields.

Red Admiral

A Red Admiral butterfly looks like a large, bright red butterfly with black and brown markings. They live in warm, tropical climates, and prefer open areas with plenty of flowers.

Silvery Checkerspot

The Silvery Checkerspot butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with metallic blue and silver wings. They are found in the eastern United States and southern Canada. The butterfly prefers open areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows and forests.

Tawny Emperor

The Tawny Emperor butterfly is a large, colorful butterfly with a wingspan up to two feet. They are found in tropical forests and gardens.

Texan Crescent

The Texan Crescent butterfly is a small butterfly found in the southwestern United States. It has a triangular wingspan and is mainly brown with a white band across the wings. The Texan Crescent butterfly lives in open, grassy areas with some trees nearby.

Vesta or Graphic Crescent

A Vesta or Graphic Crescent butterfly has a wingspan of about 2 inches. Their wings are a bright yellow and they have black markings on their wings. They like to live in open areas with plenty of flowers to feed on.

Viceroy

A Viceroy butterfly is typically a brown and black butterfly with a white spot on its wing. They are found in the tropical regions of the world and prefer open, grassy areas.

Zebra Heliconian

A Zebra Heliconian butterfly is a beautiful and brightly colored butterfly found in the tropical rainforest. They are usually seen flying around near the tops of trees, and are known for their amazing zebra-like coloring.


Gossamer-wing Butterflies in McLennan County, Texas

Ceraunus Blue

Ceraunus Blue butterflies are typically a blue color with black markings, and can be found in the Appalachian Mountains. They reside in open, dry areas with lots of flowers, and are most commonly seen during the spring and summer months.

Dusky-blue Groundstreak

The Dusky-blue Groundstreak butterfly is a beautiful blue butterfly with a dark blue band around its wings. They live in open, grassy areas with scattered trees.

Eastern Tailed-Blue

Eastern tailed blue butterflies are blue and have a white tail. They live in open areas with lots of flowers.

Gray Hairstreak

A Gray Hairstreak butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly with a gray coloration. They are found in open habitats, such as fields and meadows, and are attracted to flowers.

Great Purple Hairstreak

The Great Purple Hairstreak butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright purple body and wings. They are found in open areas with plenty of sunshine, such as fields and meadows.

Henry’s Elfin

Henry’s Elfin Butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly that is usually found in moist, acidic forests.

Juniper Hairstreak

The Juniper Hairstreak butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that belongs to the family Lycaenidae. The Juniper Hairstreak butterfly is a tropical butterfly that is found in the Americas. The Juniper Hairstreak butterfly is a small butterfly that has a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. The Juniper Hairstreak butterfly is a yellow and white butterfly that has a black line running down the center of its wings. The Juniper Hairstreak butterfly is found in open areas with lots of flowers, such as gardens and parks.

Oak Hairstreak

The Oak Hairstreak butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that is found in oak-covered areas in the eastern United States. They are attracted to light and are usually seen perched on the tips of oak leaves.

Reakirt’s Blue

A Reakirt’s Blue butterfly has a turquoise blue body and wings with white stripes. They live in meadows, forests, and other areas with lots of flowering plants.

Red-banded Hairstreak

The Red-banded Hairstreak butterfly is a small butterfly that is typically red with a black band across the middle of its wings. They are found in open areas such as prairies, meadows, and forests, where they feed on nectar from flowers.

Western Pygmy-Blue

The Western Pygmy-Blue butterfly is a small butterfly with a blue body and black wings. They live in open habitats such as meadows, fields, and forests.


Parnassian and Swallowtail Butterflies in McLennan County, Texas

Black Swallowtail

A Black Swallowtail butterfly has black wings with yellow and white stripes. They are found in open areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows and fields.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterflies look like brightly colored butterflies with black and white stripes on their wings. They are found in open, grassy areas with plenty of flowering plants, such as dandelions, clover, and asters.

Giant Swallowtail

A Giant Swallowtail butterfly looks like a beautiful, colorful butterfly with a wingspan of up to 3 feet. They are found in the forested areas of North America, and are often seen flitting around trees. They are also known to live in colonies, and feed on nectar and pollen.

Pipevine Swallowtail

A Pipevine Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that is found in the southern United States and the Caribbean. They are colorful and have a wingspan of about 3 inches. They are found in open habitats with lots of flowers, such as fields, meadows, and gardens.


Skipper Butterflies in McLennan County, Texas

Brazilian Skipper

The Brazilian Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that typically has a blue-black wingspan. They are found in open, sunny areas throughout much of South America, including Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay. They are attracted to flowers and nectar, and are often seen flitting around among the flowers.

Broad-winged Skipper

The Broad-winged Skipper butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly with broad wings. They are common butterflies found in open, sunny areas, such as meadows and gardens.

Celia’s Roadside-Skipper

The Celia’s Roadside-Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that is typically found in open areas near roadsides. They are usually very colorful and fly in small groups.

Clouded Skipper

A Clouded Skipper butterfly has dull brown wings with a white cloud near the wingtip. They live in meadows, fields, and other grassy areas.

Cobweb Skipper

A Cobweb Skipper butterfly has a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. They have a bright blue and green wings with black markings. They live in open areas with lots of flowers, such as dandelions or thistles.

Common Sootywing

The Common Sootywing butterfly has a black and brown wings with a white “snowstorm” on the front wings. The butterfly lives in meadows, forests and gardens.

Delaware Skipper

The Delaware Skipper butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that mostly lives in wooded areas.

Dotted Skipper

A Dotted Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly with a black and white pattern on its wings. They are found in open areas, such as meadows, fields, and gardens, and are often seen flying around flowers.

Dun Skipper

The Dun Skipper butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that is commonly found in open areas such as fields, meadows, and forest edges. They are attracted to flowers and are known to migrate in search of new habitats during the winter.

Eufala Skipper

The Eufala Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that is typically seen flying around in open areas such as fields and meadows. They are typically found in areas with a lot of sunlight and fresh air.

Fiery Skipper

The Fiery Skipper butterfly is a colorful butterfly with a distinctive fiery orange and black pattern on its wings. They are found in open habitat, including forests, meadows, and grasslands.

Funereal Duskywing

A Funereal Duskywing butterfly is typically dark brown with a light brown band across the wings. The habitat of a Funereal Duskywing butterfly includes open fields, meadows, and forests.

Hayhurst’s Scallopwing

The Hayhurst’s Scallopwing butterfly is a medium-sized butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. The wings are a light blue color with a pattern of black and white stripes. The butterfly is found in the rainforest in Central and South America.

Horace’s Duskywing

The Horace’s Duskywing butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a dusky brown body and lighter brown wings. They are found in Eastern North America, where they can be found in deciduous and mixed forests.

Juvenal’s Duskywing

The Juvenal’s Duskywing butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a dusky brown body and wings. They are typically found in open, grassy areas near forests.

Long-tailed Skipper

The Long-tailed Skipper butterfly is a beautiful green and black butterfly. They are found in open, grassy areas with some trees.

Northern Cloudywing

Northern Cloudywing butterflies are distinguished by their large, dark brown wingspan and the patches of white that appear on their wings. They are found in open areas such as meadows and fields, and are attracted to flowers.

Northern Sicklewing

The Northern Sicklewing butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a distinctive color pattern. They are found in the northern part of North America, primarily in the eastern United States and parts of Canada. They are often found near wetland habitats where they feed on nectar.

Orange Skipperling

The Orange Skipperling butterfly is a small butterfly that is typically orange and has black markings on its wings. The butterfly is found in open areas including fields, meadows, and forests.

Sachem

The Sachem butterfly is a large butterfly with a dark brown wings and a light brown body. They are found in tropical rainforests.

Silver-spotted Skipper

The Silver-spotted Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly with a wingspan of about one inch. Its wings are a dull silver with a few black spots. The butterfly is found in open areas with lots of grass and flowers.

Southern Broken-Dash

The Southern Broken-Dash butterfly is a medium-sized butterfly with a wingspan of about 2 inches. The wings are light brown with a series of black and white stripes. The butterfly is found in open, grassy areas in the southeastern United States.

Southern Cloudywing

The Southern Cloudywing butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly with a wingspan of about one and a half inches. The wings are a soft, light blue-gray and the butterfly has a creamy white underside. The butterfly is found in the southeastern United States, from Florida to Texas, and in the southeastern part of Mexico. The butterfly prefers forests and moist open areas, but can also be found in gardens and fields.

Southern Skipperling

Southern Skipperlings are small, brown and white butterflies that live in open areas such as gardens, fields and meadows. They are attracted to flowers, but also feed on nectar from other plants.


White and Sulphur Butterflies in McLennan County, Texas

Cloudless Sulphur

The Cloudless Sulphur butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. It is a member of the family Nymphalidae and is found in the eastern United States. Its habitat is open fields and meadows, where it feeds on flower nectar.

Dainty Sulphur

The Dainty Sulphur butterfly is a small butterfly with a delicate color scheme. They are typically light brown or yellow with a few spots of darker color. They like to reside in open areas with plenty of flowers, and can be found in the states of Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas.

Falcate Orangetip

The Falcate Orangetip butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that is found in the rainforest. It has a bright orange wings and a black border.

Large Orange Sulphur

Large Orange Sulphur butterflies have a wingspan of about 3.5 inches. They are mostly black with a yellow and orange stripe along their wings. They are found in open areas with lots of flowers, like meadows and forests.

Little Yellow

A Little Yellow Butterfly has wings that are about the size of a pencil eraser and a wingspan of about 2.5 inches. The butterfly is mostly brown with a yellow band across the wings. They are found in open areas such as meadows, fields, and forests.

Orange Sulphur

The Orange Sulphur butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that is found in open, sunny areas such as meadows and gardens.

Sleepy Orange

Sleepy orange butterflies are typically small, with bright orange wings and a black border. They are found in open areas with plenty of flowers, such as meadows and fields.

Southern Dogface

The Southern Dogface butterfly is a brightly coloured butterfly found in the southeastern United States. They are usually found in open areas with plenty of flowers, such as fields and gardens.


That’s the end of our look at the butterflies in McLennan County, Texas. Interested in learning about more butterflies in Texas? We have lists for each of the 254 counties in the state.