Butterflies in Mercer County, Ohio

There are 46 species of butterflies you can find in Mercer County, Ohio. Not all of them are common. In fact, some of the butterflies on our list are quite rare sights in Mercer County. The butterflies on our list are grouped by the following categories:


Brush-footed Butterflies in Mercer County, Ohio

‘Astyanax’ Red-spotted Purple

The Astyanax red-spotted purple butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that is found in open areas with plenty of flowers. They are typically found in the United States, but have been found in other countries as well. They are a pretty large butterfly, with a wingspan of about one and a half inches. They have a purple body with a red spot on each wing. They are usually seen flying around in groups, and are very active. They are usually found in wildflower areas, but have been found in other types of habitats as well.

American Snout

The American Snout butterfly has a black and white wings with a yellow band. The habitat of the American Snout butterfly is in open fields and gardens.

Common Buckeye

The Common Buckeye butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. This butterfly is found in a variety of habitats, including forests, meadows, and gardens.

Common Wood-Nymph

The Common Wood-Nymph butterfly is a light brown butterfly with a wingspan of about one and one-half inches. They are found in open areas such as forests, meadows, and fields.

Eastern Comma

The Eastern Comma butterfly is a small, black and orange butterfly that is found in the eastern United States. It is a common species that lives in open areas, such as meadows and fields.

Great Spangled Fritillary

The great spangled fritillary butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a distinctive pattern of orange and black. They are found in open, grassy areas such as meadows and fields, as well as forests.

Hackberry Emperor

The Hackberry Emperor butterfly is a large, brightly-colored butterfly with a wingspan of up to three inches. They are most commonly seen in moist woodlands and gardens, but can also be found in open fields and meadows. The Hackberry Emperor is a migrant butterfly, and is active during the day.

Little Wood-Satyr

The Little Wood-Satyr butterfly is a small butterfly with a wingspan of about 2 inches. The wings are a light brown with a few dark spots. The butterfly is usually seen feeding on nectar from flowers, but it can also be found flying around in search of food. The habitat of the Little Wood-Satyr butterfly is typically forests, but it can also be found in gardens and other open areas.

Meadow Fritillary

A Meadow Fritillary butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly with a wingspan of about 2 inches. They are most commonly found in meadows and other areas with lots of flowers, but they can also be found in other areas with some flowers. The Meadow Fritillary butterfly is a migratory butterfly, and is usually found in the warmer parts of the United States and Canada during the summer.

Milbert’s Tortoiseshell

A Milbert’s Tortoiseshell butterfly has a brown body and wings. They are found in warm, dry areas with lots of grass.

Monarch

A Monarch butterfly is a beautiful creature with a wingspan of up to 3 inches. They are mostly black and white, with a bright orange band across their wings. They are the butterflies that are known for their long, journeys across the continent, from Canada to Mexico to Central and South America. They live in a variety of habitats, but are mostly found in open areas with lots of flowers.

Mourning Cloak

The Mourning Cloak butterfly is a large and brightly coloured butterfly found in warm and temperate parts of the world. It is usually seen flying around flowers, but can also be seen perched on trees.

Northern Pearly-eye

The Northern Pearly-eye butterfly is a dark brown butterfly with a white spot on the wing. They are found in the eastern United States, including Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. They can be found in open areas with plenty of flowers, such as meadows, fields, and gardens.

Painted Lady

A Painted Lady butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with iridescent blue, green, and violet wings. They are found in open country near streams and rivers, and in gardens and other areas with lots of flowers.

Pearl Crescent

A Pearl Crescent butterfly has a wingspan of about 2 inches. The wings are a light tan color with a white band running the length of each wing. The butterfly is found in open habitats such as meadows, fields, and forests, but is also found in suburban areas.

Question Mark

A Question Mark butterfly is a dark brown butterfly with a white spot on the bottom of its wings. It is usually found in open areas with lots of flowering plants, such as fields, meadows, and gardens.

Red-spotted Purple or White Admiral

The Red-spotted Purple or White Admiral butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with striking colors. These butterflies typically have a purple body with red spots on the wings. They are found in warm, tropical climates, and prefer open areas with plenty of nectar sources.

Variegated Fritillary

Variegated Fritillary butterflies are colorful and have markings on their wings. They live in areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows and forests.

Viceroy

A Viceroy butterfly has a wingspan of about 1-1/2 inches. The wings are light brown with black markings. They are found in tropical and subtropical areas. They live on trees, flowers, and other plants.


Gossamer-wing Butterflies in Mercer County, Ohio

Acadian Hairstreak

The Acadian Hairstreak butterfly is a medium-sized butterfly with a wingspan of about 2.5 inches. It is a creamy-white with a dark brown streak down the middle of its wings. The butterfly is found in open woodlands and fields with a lot of flowering plants, particularly lupine.

Banded Hairstreak

The Banded Hairstreak butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a distinctive band of black and white across its wings. They prefer open areas with plenty of flowers, such as meadows, fields, and forests.

Bronze Copper

Bronze Copper butterflies are colorful and have a wingspan of about one inch. They live in open areas, such as grasslands and forests, and are attracted to light.

Eastern Tailed-Blue

Eastern Tailed-Blue butterflies have blue wings with a white band across the middle. They live in forests in the east.

Hickory Hairstreak

The Hickory Hairstreak butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly with a wingspan of about 1 inch. It has a light tan color with a prominent black border around each wing. The butterfly frequents open woodlands and forests, where it feeds on nectar from flowers.

Spring Azure

A Spring Azure butterfly is a beautiful blue and white butterfly. They live in open areas with lots of sun and flowers.

Summer Azure

The Summer Azure butterfly is a beautiful blue butterfly with yellow and white stripes on its wings. They are found in open fields, meadows, and gardens during the summer.


Parnassian and Swallowtail Butterflies in Mercer County, Ohio

Black Swallowtail

A Black Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful creature with a wingspan of about three inches. They are primarily found in the southern United States, but can also be found in parts of Central America and South America. They are commonly seen flitting around flowers in search of nectar.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that is found in the eastern United States. They are usually seen flying around in open areas such as fields, meadows, and forests. They are also found in dry areas such as deserts and chaparral.

Giant Swallowtail

A Giant Swallowtail butterfly is a large, colorful butterfly with a wingspan of up to three inches. They are found in open, sunny areas, such as meadows and prairies, and often perch on flowers to feed.

Spicebush Swallowtail

Spicebush Swallowtail butterflies are typically a light brown with darker brown stripes on their wings and tails. They are found in forested areas and can often be found fluttering around the tops of trees.


Skipper Butterflies in Mercer County, Ohio

Common Sootywing

The Common Sootywing butterfly ranges throughout North America and can be found in a variety of habitats including open forests, meadows, and gardens. These butterflies are attracted to flowers and are often seen flitting around close to the ground.

Delaware Skipper

A Delaware Skipper butterfly has a wingspan of about 2 inches. They are a beautiful light blue with black markings. They are found in open areas, such as meadows and fields, but are also found in urban areas.

Dion Skipper

A Dion Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that is typically light brown or yellow in color. They are found in open areas, such as fields and meadows, and may be seen flitting around in search of nectar.

Dukes’ Skipper

The Dukes’ Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that is typically brown and has a wingspan of about one and a half inches. The butterfly is found in open areas, such as meadows and prairies, and typically feeds on nectar from flowers.

Dun Skipper

The Dun Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that is found in open areas, such as fields and meadows.

European Skipper

and give a possible food source for this butterfly.

The European Skipper butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly that is typically seen flitting around flowery patches in open areas. They are commonly seen in gardens and other rural areas in Europe. The habitat of the European Skipper butterfly is typically open areas with plenty of flowers to feed on. They are also known to feed on nectar from other flowers such as dandelions.

Juvenal’s Duskywing

The Juvenal’s Duskywing butterfly is a dark brown butterfly with a white band across its abdomen. They are found in the eastern US, from Maine to Florida. They prefer open, grassy areas with some trees nearby.

Least Skipper

The Least Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that is usually brown or black with a yellow or white tip on its wings. They live in open habitats, such as meadows, fields, and woodlands.

Peck’s Skipper

The Peck’s Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly with a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. They are typically light brown or tan with a series of small white or yellow markings on their wings. They are found in open areas with short grasses and flowers, and are very active fliers.

Silver-spotted Skipper

A Silver-spotted Skipper butterfly has brightly colored wings with a metallic sheen. They are found in open habitats with plenty of flowers to eat.

Sleepy Duskywing

The Sleepy Duskywing butterfly is a colorful butterfly that can be found in the United States. The butterfly is typically found in areas with dense woods or forests.

Tawny-edged Skipper

The Tawny-edged Skipper butterfly is a striking butterfly with a metallic sheen on its wings. It is found in open habitats, such as meadows and fields, and can be seen flying around during the day.

Zabulon Skipper

The Zabulon Skipper butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that is found in moist forests and grasslands in the eastern United States. They are most commonly found in the Appalachian Mountains, but have been found in other parts of the United States as well. The Zabulon Skipper is a member of the Nymphalidae family and is known for its zigzag flight pattern.


White and Sulphur Butterflies in Mercer County, Ohio

Cabbage White

The Cabbage White butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly with a wingspan of about three inches. The wings are a light brown color with a white stripe running down the center. The butterflies live in open fields and gardens, where they feed on flower nectar.

Clouded Sulphur

Clouded Sulphur butterflies are a beautiful, but cryptic, species. They have a wingspan of about 3 inches and are mostly blue, with a faint cloudlike pattern on their wings. They live in subtropical and tropical forests, where they feed on nectar and pollen.

Orange Sulphur

The Orange Sulphur butterfly is a striking butterfly, with a bright orange body and black wings. They are found in a variety of habitats, but are most commonly found in open forests.


That’s the end of our look at the butterflies in Mercer County, Ohio. Interested in learning about more butterflies in Ohio? We have lists for each of the 88 counties in the state.