There are 97 species of butterflies you can find in New London County, Connecticut. Not all of them are common. In fact, some of the butterflies on our list are quite rare sights in New London County. The butterflies on our list are grouped by the following categories:
Brush-footed Butterflies in New London County, Connecticut
‘Astyanax’ Red-spotted Purple
The ‘Astyanax’ Red-spotted Purple butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright red spot on the wing. They are found in open, sunny areas, such as gardens, parks, and orchards.
American Lady
The American Lady butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of about one inch. The American Lady butterfly is found in open habitats such as fields, meadows, and forests.
Aphrodite Fritillary
The Aphrodite Fritillary butterfly is a stunning butterfly that is found in open areas such as meadows and forests. The butterfly has a wingspan of about 1.5 inches and is a metallic green color. The butterfly is attracted to nectar from plants, and is known to be a migratory butterfly.
Appalachian Brown
The Appalachian Brown butterfly is a medium-sized butterfly with a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. The brown coloration on the wings is accented by a series of light blue stripes. They are found in open habitats such as grasslands, meadows, and forests, but are especially common in disturbed areas such as burned forests.
Baltimore Checkerspot
The Baltimore Checkerspot butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with bright orange wings and brown spots on its wings. They live in open areas, such as prairies and meadows, where they feed on nectar from flowers.
Common Buckeye
A Common Buckeye butterfly is a beautiful, colorful butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. They are commonly found in open areas such as fields, meadows, and woodlands, and are commonly seen fluttering around in the air.
Common Ringlet
A Common Ringlet butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that can be found in many different habitats. They are most common in forests and other areas with plenty of flowers, but they can also be found in grasslands, gardens, and other open areas.
Common Wood-Nymph
The Common Wood-Nymph butterfly has a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. It has a light brown body with a dark brown band running along its middle. The Common Wood-Nymph butterfly lives in open woodlands and fields.
Compton Tortoiseshell
A Compton Tortoiseshell butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly with a prominent black and white pattern on its wings. They are found in open woodlands and gardens, where they feed on nectar from flowers.
Eastern Comma
Eastern Comma butterflies are colorful and have a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. They are found in moist forests in the eastern United States.
Great Spangled Fritillary
The Great Spangled Fritillary butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with striking black and white markings. They are found in a variety of habitats, including forests, meadows, and prairies.
Hackberry Emperor
The Hackberry Emperor butterfly is a large butterfly with a wingspan of up to 2.5 inches. It is mostly brown with a yellow band across the wings. It is found in the eastern United States, from New Jersey to Florida. The butterfly larvae feed on hackberry trees.
Little Wood-Satyr
The Little Wood-Satyr butterfly is a small, brightly-colored butterfly found in the United States. They are found in the eastern half of the country, from the Great Lakes region down to the Gulf of Mexico. They are mainly found in wooded areas, but can sometimes be found near open fields.
Meadow Fritillary
The Meadow Fritillary butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly with a wingspan of about 2 inches. The wings are a light green with a reddish-orange band across the top. The Meadow Fritillary butterfly lives in meadows and other open areas in the United States and Canada.
Milbert’s Tortoiseshell
The Milbert’s Tortoiseshell butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that is found in the tropics. The butterfly has a light brown body with a black and white pattern on its wings. The butterfly is usually found in open areas with lots of flowers, such as forests or gardens.
Monarch
A Monarch butterfly is a large, colorful butterfly with a wingspan of up to two inches. They are found in warm climates across North America, but are particularly abundant in the eastern U.S. and southern Canada. They prefer open woodlands and gardens, but can also be found near streams and ponds.
Mourning Cloak
Mourning Cloak butterflies are typically black and orange, with a pattern of white and black lines on their wings. They are found in open habitats, such as meadows and fields, and are often seen feeding on nectar.
Northern Pearly-eye
The Northern Pearly-eye butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that can be found in the northern United States and Canada. They are usually found in forests, but can also be found near streams and rivers.
Painted Lady
The Painted Lady butterfly ranges from the Deep South to the Great Lakes. They are attracted to flowers and are commonly found in meadows, woodlands, and gardens.
Pearl Crescent
A Pearl Crescent butterfly is a beautiful, colorful butterfly that is found in warm, humid areas of the world. They are usually found in forests, but can also be found in gardens and other nearby areas. They are often seen flitting around flowers, but can also be seen flying around trees.
Question Mark
The Question Mark butterfly is a small, brightly colored butterfly found in open areas near water. They are usually seen in late summer and fall.
Red Admiral
The Red Admiral butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a red body and wings. They are found in warm climates, usually near water. They are usually found in open areas, such as meadows or forests, but can also be found near urban areas. They are very active fliers and are often seen perched on flowers.
Red-spotted Purple or White Admiral
The Red-spotted Purple or White Admiral butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that can be found in many different environments. They are commonly found in open areas such as fields and meadows, but can also be found in wooded areas. They are attracted to light, so they are often seen flying near the sun.
Regal Fritillary
A Regal Fritillary butterfly is a beautiful, colorful butterfly with a wingspan of up to 2 inches. They are found in open, sunny areas, such as meadows and fields, and prefer to feed on nectar from flowers.
Silver-bordered Fritillary
A Silver-bordered Fritillary butterfly has a metallic sheen to its wings, which is caused by the silver borders on their wings. They are most commonly found in open, grassy areas, but are also found in gardens and parks.
Tawny Emperor
A Tawny Emperor butterfly is typically a brown and black butterfly with a yellow and black band across its wings. They are found in the tropical regions of the world, including Central and South America. They typically live in dense forests, where they feed on flower nectar.
Variegated Fritillary
A Variegated Fritillary butterfly has a wingspan of about two inches and is light brown with a series of white and brown stripes. They live in mixed forests and gardens and are attracted to flowers.
Viceroy
A Viceroy butterfly has a wingspan of about 2-3 inches. They are a light brown color with a black band across the middle of their wings. They are usually found in open areas such as meadows, fields, and forests.
Gossamer-wing Butterflies in New London County, Connecticut
American Copper
The American Copper butterfly is a brown and black butterfly that is found in the United States. They inhabit open areas such as fields, meadows, and forests.
Banded Hairstreak
A Banded Hairstreak butterfly has a wingspan of about 2 inches. The butterflies are brightly colored with black and white stripes. The butterflies are found in open areas near streams and rivers.
Bog Copper
Bog Copper butterflies are a medium-sized butterfly with a metallic sheen and a wingspan of about 2 inches. They are usually found in wet areas, such as bogs and marshes, where they feed on nectar from flowers.
Bronze Copper
A Bronze Copper butterfly is a beautiful, colorful butterfly with a metallic sheen. They are typically found in open, sunny areas near water, such as riverbanks and meadows. They are also common in gardens and parks.
Brown Elfin
A Brown Elfin butterfly looks like a small, delicate creature with delicate wings. They are typically found in warm, humid habitats near water.
Cherry Gall Azure
The Cherry Gall Azure butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with blue wings and a bright blue body. They are found in open woodlands and gardens, where they feed on nectar from blossoms.
Coral Hairstreak
Coral Hairstreak butterflies are small, colorful butterflies that are found in warm, tropical climates. They are active flyers and can be found flying around flowers and trees. They are often seen perched on branches or flying close to the ground.
Eastern Pine Elfin
Eastern Pine Elfin butterflies are beautiful creatures with a wingspan of about three inches. They are members of the Papilionidae family, which contains over 100,000 species of butterflies. Eastern Pine Elfin butterflies live in temperate forests and woodlands.
Eastern Tailed-Blue
Eastern Tailed-Blue butterflies are blue with a yellow tail. They live in open habitats, like fields or meadows.
Edwards’ Hairstreak
The Edwards’ Hairstreak butterfly is a small, brown and orange butterfly that is found in North America. It is commonly found in open habitats, such as fields and meadows, but can also be found in forested areas.
Frosted Elfin
A Frosted Elfin butterfly has a light brown body with a dark brown stripe down its middle. It has a light brown and white stripe on its wings. It is found in the eastern United States.
Gray Hairstreak
The Gray Hairstreak is a beautiful butterfly with a distinctive gray body and wings. They are common butterflies found in open areas with plenty of flowers to feed on. They prefer areas with warm temperatures and bright sunlight.
Harvester
A Harvester butterfly looks like a delicate creature with wingspan of about 2 inches. It frequents open fields and meadows where it feeds on flower nectar.
Henry’s Elfin
Henry’s Elfin butterflies are small, colorful butterflies that live in moist areas like forests, gardens, and marshes.
Hessel’s Hairstreak
A Hessel’s Hairstreak butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright yellow and black body. They are found in the forests of North America. They prefer areas with tall trees and lots of flowers.
Hoary Elfin
Hoary Elfin butterflies are small, delicate creatures with a wingspan of about one inch. They are usually light brown with a faint pattern of purple and green. They live in moist forests and meadows, and are very shy.
Juniper Hairstreak
The Juniper Hairstreak butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that is found in the eastern United States. It is a small butterfly that has a blue and black wings. The habitat of the Juniper Hairstreak butterfly is forests.
Spring Azure
A Spring Azure butterfly is typically a bright blue color with white markings on the wings. They are found in open fields and meadows, and are attracted to nectar sources.
Striped Hairstreak
A Striped Hairstreak butterfly has a wingspan of around 3 inches. They are brightly colored, with a black stripe down each side of their wings. They are popular for butterfly collections, and can be found in both open areas and forests.
Summer Azure
The Summer Azure butterfly is a beautiful blue butterfly that can be found in open areas with lots of flowering plants. They are usually found near streams and lakes.
White-M Hairstreak
The White-M Hairstreak butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly that is usually found in open, sunny areas near flowers. They are usually seen flitting around in groups, and can be difficult to spot.
Parnassian and Swallowtail Butterflies in New London County, Connecticut
Black Swallowtail
The Black Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with blue and black wings. They are found in open areas such as fields, meadows, and forests.
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
.
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterflies are brightly colored, with a wingspan of about one and a half inches. They are found in forested areas, and are attracted to nectar and pollen.
Giant Swallowtail
A Giant Swallowtail butterfly is one of the largest butterflies in the world. They have green and black wings with a yellow and black band across the middle. They live in tropical forests and sometimes fly near open water.
Pipevine Swallowtail
The Pipevine Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. It is a metallic green with a purple band across each wing. The Pipevine Swallowtail butterfly is found in open, sunny areas near water, such as meadows, fields, and woodlands.
Spicebush Swallowtail
Spicebush Swallowtail butterflies are small, dark-colored butterflies with a distinctive pattern of yellow and black stripes on their wings. They are found in open, dry forests and woodlands in the eastern United States and Canada.
Skipper Butterflies in New London County, Connecticut
Black Dash
The Black Dash butterfly has bright green wings with black markings. They live in open areas with plenty of flowers and trees.
Broad-winged Skipper
Broad-winged Skipper butterflies look like small, black butterflies with bright orangey-yellow wings. They live in meadows and woodlands, often near water.
Cobweb Skipper
A Cobweb Skipper butterfly looks like a small, delicate butterfly with a wingspan of about 2 inches. The wings are a bright cobalt blue and the underside of the wings is a deep purple. The habitat of a Cobweb Skipper butterfly is moist woodlands and forests.
Columbine Duskywing
The Columbine Duskywing butterfly is a black and brown butterfly with a reddish-purple band across its wings. They are found in open habitats, such as fields, meadows, and woodlands.
Common Checkered-Skipper
The Common Checkered-Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that is typically shades of brown, with white and brown checkered markings on its wings. The butterfly is found in a variety of habitats, including woods, meadows, and crop fields.
Common Roadside-Skipper
A Common Roadside-Skipper butterfly has a wingspan of about 2 inches. It is a colorful butterfly with a blue-green back and yellow wings. It lives in open areas such as fields, meadows, and roadside ditches.
Common Sootywing
A Common Sootywing butterfly ranges from the Canadian Prairies to the Appalachian Mountains and from Florida to New England. They are found in a variety of habitats including open fields, forests, and gardens.
Crossline Skipper
A Crossline Skipper butterfly is a colorful butterfly that is found in open habitats, such as fields and meadows.
Delaware Skipper
The Delaware Skipper butterfly is a medium-sized butterfly that is predominantly brown and white. It has a wingspan of about one inch. It is found in the eastern United States, primarily in the Northeast. It prefers open, sunny areas, such as meadows and fields.
Dreamy Duskywing
The Dreamy Duskywing butterfly is a beautiful but notoriously elusive butterfly. They are usually found in rich, moist forests, usually near streams or rivers.
Dun Skipper
A Dun Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly with a wingspan of about 1-1/2 inches. They are mostly light brown with a few black spots, and they have a dark brown tail. They are found in open, grassy areas throughout the United States and Canada.
Dusted Skipper
A Dusted Skipper butterfly looks like a small, colorful butterfly with a wingspan of about 1-1.5 inches. They are commonly found near oak trees in warm, dry climates.
European Skipper
The European Skipper butterfly has a wingspan of about 1-1/2 inches. It is a brown and black butterfly with a yellow and black stripe down the middle of each wing. It is found throughout most of Europe, except for the far north. It prefers open areas with plenty of flowers, such as meadows, fields, and gardens.
Fiery Skipper
A Fiery Skipper butterfly is a colorful butterfly that inhabits open areas with plenty of nectar sources. They are usually found near bodies of water.
Hoary Edge
The Hoary Edge butterfly is a large butterfly that is often seen flying around in groups. They are mostly found in open areas with lots of flowers, but they can also be found in forests.
Hobomok Skipper
A Hobomok Skipper butterfly is typically a colorful butterfly with black markings on the wings. They are usually found in open grasslands, but can also be found in gardens and orchards.
Horace’s Duskywing
The Horace’s Duskywing butterfly is a large, dark brown butterfly with a distinctive white stripe down the center of its wings. They reside in the eastern half of North America, and are most common in the Appalachian Mountains. They are also found in the Midwest and South. Their habitat consists of open forests, and they are attracted to flowers such as columbine, goldenrod, and wild ginger.
Indian Skipper
The Indian Skipper butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that is found in open habitats, including taiga, deciduous, and mixed wood forests.
Juvenal’s Duskywing
The Juvenal’s Duskywing butterfly is a dark brown butterfly with a yellow band across its wings. They are found in open woodland and meadows, where they feed on nectar from flowers.
Least Skipper
Least Skipper butterflies are small, black and brown butterflies. They have distinctive yellow or orange markings on their wings. They usually live in open areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows and fields.
Leonard’s Skipper
The Leonard’s Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly with a dark brown wingspan. It is found in North America, where it feeds on nectar from flowers. The butterfly lives in damp areas, such as marshes and meadows, and can be found in open areas near water.
Little Glassywing
The Little Glassywing butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that is found in tropical forests. They are usually seen flitting around in the undergrowth.
Long Dash
A Long Dash butterfly has a wingspan of up to 4 inches. They are typically light blue with darker blue or black markings. They inhabit open, sunny areas such as fields, meadows, and forests.
Long-tailed Skipper
A Long-tailed Skipper butterfly has a wingspan of about 2 inches and is predominantly black with white markings. They are found in open woodlands and grasslands, and can be seen flying during the day.
Mulberry Wing
A Mulberry Wing butterfly is typically yellow and black with a brown or black band across its wings. They live in meadows, gardens, and other warm areas.
Northern Broken-Dash
Northern Broken-Dash butterflies are typically dark brown with a lighter band on their wings. They are found in open habitats such as grasslands and prairies.
Northern Cloudywing
The Northern Cloudywing butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of about 3 inches. This butterfly is found in North America, where it lives in moist woodlands and gardens.
Ocola Skipper
The Ocola Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that is typically found in moist areas near water. They are generally seen flying around during the day.
Peck’s Skipper
The Peck’s Skipper butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly with a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. It is typically blue or violet with a white stripe running down the center of each wing. The butterfly lives in open areas such as meadows and fields, and is often seen flying around flowers.
Persius Duskywing
The Persius Duskywing butterfly is a medium-sized butterfly with a black body and brown wings. They are found in open, dry habitats with some scattered trees.
Silver-spotted Skipper
The Silver-spotted Skipper butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly with a metallic sheen on its wings. They are common to find in open, grassy areas with plenty of flowers.
Sleepy Duskywing
The Sleepy Duskywing butterfly is a medium-sized butterfly with a dusky brown body and wings. The habitat of the Sleepy Duskywing butterfly is open areas with a lot of vegetation, such as forests, meadows, and fields.
Southern Cloudywing
A Southern Cloudywing butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that is found in the southern United States. They are known for their cloudy wings and are often found near water. They tend to live in forests or near bodies of water.
Tawny-edged Skipper
The Tawny-edged Skipper butterfly is a brown butterfly with a yellow and black band across the wings. They are found in open woodland and prairies, but are also found in urban areas.
Wild Indigo Duskywing
The Wild Indigo Duskywing butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a dark Indigo color on the wings. They are found in the forests of North America.
Zabulon Skipper
The Zabulon Skipper butterfly is a small, brightly-colored butterfly with a wingspan of about 3 inches. They are found in North America and are most common in the east. They live in open areas with plenty of flowers and are attracted to light.
White and Sulphur Butterflies in New London County, Connecticut
Cabbage White
A Cabbage White butterfly has a wingspan of about 1 inch. They are light green with a vague pattern of black and white. They are found in open habitats, such as fields and meadows, but are also common in gardens.
Clouded Sulphur
The Clouded Sulphur butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a dark brown body and light brown wings. They are found in open areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows, prairies, and woodlands.
Cloudless Sulphur
The Cloudless Sulphur butterfly is a small, brown and white butterfly that can be found in open areas with ample sunlight. They are usually found in areas near streams and other bodies of water.
Little Yellow
A Little Yellow butterfly has a wingspan of about 1 1/2 inches. It is a beautiful, delicate butterfly with a yellow and black body. They are found in open, sunny areas near water, such as meadows, and are commonly seen flitting around.
Orange Sulphur
The Orange Sulphur butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with striking orange wings. They are found in the tropical forests of Central and South America.
Orange-barred Sulphur
The Orange-barred Sulphur butterfly is a medium-sized butterfly that has a bright orange patch on the wings. The butterfly is found in open habitats such as fields, meadows, and forests.
Sleepy Orange
A Sleepy Orange butterfly looks like a small, furry orange and black butterfly. They are found in warm, dry areas like the deserts.
That’s the end of our look at the butterflies in New London County, Connecticut. Interested in learning about more butterflies in Connecticut? We have lists for each of the 8 counties in the state.