There are 72 species of butterflies you can find in Orange County, Texas. Not all of them are common. In fact, some of the butterflies on our list are quite rare sights in Orange County. The butterflies on our list are grouped by the following categories:
Brush-footed Butterflies in Orange County, Texas
‘Astyanax’ Red-spotted Purple
A ‘Astyanax’ Red-spotted Purple butterfly has bright red spots on its wings, which are edged in purple. These butterflies are found in open, sunny areas, such as meadows and gardens.
American Lady
The American Lady butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. It is a common sight in gardens and parks. It prefers to live in open areas, such as fields and meadows, but can also be found in suburban areas.
American Snout
The American Snout butterfly is a small, brown butterfly that is found in the eastern United States. It is usually found in open, grassy areas.
Carolina Satyr
The Carolina Satyr butterfly is a small, brightly-colored butterfly found in the eastern United States. They are known for their vibrant markings and often come to light during the evening. Carolina Satyrs are found in moist woodlands and gardens, where they feed on nectar from flowers.
Common Buckeye
The Common Buckeye butterfly is a beautiful, colorful butterfly that resides in warm, moist habitats such as forests, gardens, and meadows.
Common Wood-Nymph
The Common Wood-Nymph is a small, brown butterfly that is typically found in wooded areas.
Gemmed Satyr
A Gemmed Satyr butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with colorful wings. They are found in warm, tropical climates. They are usually found near water, often near flowers.
Georgia Satyr
The Georgia Satyr butterfly is a striking butterfly with a bright red body and green wings. They are found in open areas with plenty of flowers, such as meadows and fields.
Goatweed Leafwing
The Goatweed Leafwing butterfly is a small butterfly with a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. The wings are a light green with black markings. The butterfly is found in open grassy areas, meadows, and along stream banks.
Gulf Fritillary
The Gulf Fritillary butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that is found in the Gulf region. It has a wingspan of about 2.5 inches and is a lovely purple color. The Gulf Fritillary butterfly lives in open areas with lots of flowers and usually flies near water.
Hackberry Emperor
The Hackberry Emperor butterfly is a large butterfly with a wingspan of up to three inches. The wings are a deep purple with a cream-colored band along the middle. The males have a bright orange spot on the top of their wings and the females have a duller orange spot. The butterflies live in tropical forests and are attracted to Hackberry trees.
Little Wood-Satyr
The Little Wood-Satyr butterfly is typically a light brown or tan color with a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. They are found in areas with moist forests and are often seen near water.
Monarch
A Monarch butterfly is a beautiful insect with a wingspan of up to 3 inches. They are usually bright orange or yellow with black borders, and have a black spots on their wings. They live in the wild in North America, and are very popular as pets. Monarchs are usually found in open areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows, gardens, and forests.
Mourning Cloak
The Mourning Cloak butterfly is a small butterfly with a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. It has a black and brown pattern on its wings and a long antennae. The Mourning Cloak butterfly lives in forests and gardens, and is attracted to flowers.
Painted Lady
The Painted Lady butterfly is a brightly coloured butterfly that is endemic to North America. They are usually seen flitting around flowers in open habitats such as fields and meadows.
Pearl Crescent
A Pearl Crescent butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright cream color on the underside of its wings. They get their name from the crescent-shaped beauty mark on their forewings. They are found in a variety of habitats, including meadows, forest, and gardens.
Phaon Crescent
A Phaon Crescent butterfly is typically a light brown or tan and has a wingspan of about 2 inches. They are found in open habitats such as meadows, fields, and woodlands.
Question Mark
The Question Mark butterfly looks like a small brown and white butterfly with a distinctive black question mark on its wings. They live in open spaces and gardens, and are common in the southern United States.
Red Admiral
The Red Admiral butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright red body and black wings. They are found in warm, tropical climates, and are usually found near streams and ponds.
Red-spotted Purple or White Admiral
The Red-spotted Purple or White Admiral butterfly is a large butterfly with a bright red spot on the middle of each wing. They are found in open habitats with plenty of flowers, such as fields, meadows, and gardens.
Tawny Emperor
A Tawny Emperor butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright orange and black wings. They are found in tropical climates, typically near water sources. They are very active and fly around a lot. They like to feed on nectar from flowers.
Variegated Fritillary
Variegated Fritillary butterflies are orange and black with white markings on their wings. They live in meadows and forests.
Viceroy
A Viceroy butterfly looks like a large, colorful butterfly with a long tail. They live in tropical rain forests and other warm, moist habitats.
Gossamer-wing Butterflies in Orange County, Texas
Banded Hairstreak
A Banded Hairstreak butterfly has a bright yellow and black band around its wings. It is found in open woodland, meadows, and gardens.
Dusky-blue Groundstreak
A Dusky-blue Groundstreak butterfly has a dark blue body with a white stripe running down its center. They are found in open areas with lots of tall grasses, and can be seen in early morning and late evening.
Eastern Pine Elfin
The Eastern Pine Elfin butterfly has a wingspan of about 2 inches. The wings are a light blue color with a white border. They live in the forests of eastern North America.
Eastern Tailed-Blue
Eastern Tailed-Blue butterflies have blue wings and tails. They live in forests and other areas with plenty of flowers.
Gray Hairstreak
The Gray Hairstreak butterfly has a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. It has a gray coloring with black spots on its wings. It lives in open, grassy areas, such as fields and meadows.
Juniper Hairstreak
The Juniper Hairstreak butterfly is a small butterfly that is typically light brown or tan with a light brown or tan pattern on its wings. They are found in woods and other areas with a lot of Juniper trees.
Oak Hairstreak
The Oak Hairstreak butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that is found in oak forests. They are a migratory butterfly and can be found in a variety of different habitats, including open fields, woodlands, and forests.
Red-banded Hairstreak
A Red-banded Hairstreak butterfly looks like a bright red butterfly with a black band around its wings. They can be found in open, rural areas with lots of trees and flowers.
Metalmark Butterflies in Orange County, Texas
Little Metalmark
The Little Metalmark butterfly is a small, metallic-green butterfly. It is found in open, sunny areas near streams and lakes.
Parnassian and Swallowtail Butterflies in Orange County, Texas
Black Swallowtail
The Black Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with black wings and a blue-green tail. They are found in forested areas throughout North America.
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Most Eastern Tiger Swallowtails are dark brown with bright blue-violet markings on their wings. They prefer open, sunny areas with lots of flowering plants, such as blueberry bushes or lilac bushes.
Giant Swallowtail
and list some of the food items that a Giant Swallowtail butterfly eats.
The Giant Swallowtail butterfly is a large and beautiful butterfly. They have colorful wings and a long tail. They are usually found in open spaces such as fields, forests, and meadows. They feed on nectar and pollen from flowers. Some of the food items that a Giant Swallowtail butterfly eats include:
• Flowers
• Fruit
• Caterpillars
Palamedes Swallowtail
A Palamedes Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful species of butterfly that is found in the tropical rainforest. These butterflies have a wingspan of around 2.5 inches and are very colorful. Their wings are decorated with black, white, and red bands, which gives them their common name. They are usually seen flying around trees and flowers looking for food.
Pipevine Swallowtail
The Pipevine Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that can be found in the eastern United States. This butterfly is typically found in mature deciduous and coniferous forests, where they feed on nectar from flowers.
Spicebush Swallowtail
Spicebush Swallowtail butterflies are beautiful and colorful creatures. They are widespread in North America and can be found in a variety of habitats, including forests, meadows, and gardens.
Skipper Butterflies in Orange County, Texas
Brazilian Skipper
The Brazilian Skipper butterfly is a small, orange and black butterfly. It is found in warm, tropical areas of South America. The Brazilian Skipper butterfly prefers warm, humid areas with lots of vegetation.
Broad-winged Skipper
Broad-winged Skipper butterflies live in open habitats such as meadows, fields, and forests.
Clouded Skipper
The Clouded Skipper butterfly is a small, brown butterfly with a white outline on its wings. They are found in open areas with plenty of sunshine, such as fields, meadows, and forests.
Common Checkered-Skipper
The Common Checkered-Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that has a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. It has a checkered pattern on its wings, which is why it is called a “checkered-skipper.” The Common Checkered-Skipper butterfly is found in open areas, such as grasslands and fields, and can be seen flying around during the day.
Confused Cloudywing
A Confused Cloudywing butterfly looks like a small, delicate butterfly with a wingspan of about 2-3 inches. They are typically found in forests and other moist areas, but can also be found in open fields and gardens. They are very active butterflies and are often seen flitting around the foliage.
Dun Skipper
The Dun Skipper butterfly is a dark brown butterfly with a yellow band running the length of its body. They are found in open habitats such as meadows, fields, and woods.
Eufala Skipper
The Eufala Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly with a wingspan of about 2.5 inches. The wings are a light brown with black markings. The habitat of a Eufala Skipper butterfly is open country with plenty of flowers.
Fiery Skipper
The Fiery Skipper butterfly is a small, fiery-colored butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. They are found in open, grassy areas throughout North America.
Funereal Duskywing
A Funereal Duskywing butterfly is a beautiful, black and brown butterfly with a narrow yellow band across the wings. They are found in open, grassy areas with a lot of leaf litter, such as meadows and fields.
Hoary Edge
The Hoary Edge butterfly is a large, brown butterfly with a white border around its wings. They are found in open areas with lots of yarrow, goldenrod, and clover, and are most active during the morning and evening.
Horace’s Duskywing
The Horace’s Duskywing butterfly is a beautiful dark brown butterfly that resides in a wide range of habitats throughout North America. They are common in open areas such as meadows, parks, and forests, but can also be found near streams and ponds. They are insectivorous and feed on flower nectar and other small insects.
Juvenal’s Duskywing
The Juvenal’s Duskywing butterfly is a dark brown butterfly with a yellow band across its wings. They are found in the eastern United States, from New England to the Gulf of Mexico. They are usually found in deciduous and mixed forests, but can also be found in suburban areas.
Least Skipper
The Least Skipper butterfly is a small, brown butterfly with a yellow band across its wings. They live in open habitats, such as fields and meadows, and are common in the United States.
Little Glassywing
The Little Glassywing butterfly is a small butterfly found in the eastern United States. It has a triangular wing pattern with a green base and yellow and blue stripes. The butterfly is found in open grasslands and prairies, where it feeds on nectar from flowers.
Long-tailed Skipper
A Long-tailed Skipper butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly with a long tail. The larvae of this butterfly feed on plants in the mint family. These butterflies are found in open, sunny areas near flowers.
Neamathla Skipper
The Neamathla Skipper butterfly is a striking butterfly with a bright blue wings and brown body. They are found in open areas with lots of sunlight, such as fields and meadows.
Northern Broken-Dash
Northern Broken-Dash butterflies are brown with a dark stripe running down their back. They live in open habitats such as meadows and prairies.
Northern Cloudywing
Northern Cloudywing butterflies are colorful and hard to miss. They are typically found in open areas with plenty of flowers, such as meadows or forests.
Ocola Skipper
The Ocola Skipper butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that is found in the dry, open forests of the eastern United States and parts of Canada. They are usually seen flying around flowers near streams or rivers.
Silver-spotted Skipper
The Silver-spotted Skipper butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly found in open areas such as fields, gardens, and meadows.
Southern Broken-Dash
The Southern Broken-Dash butterfly is a small, black and orange butterfly. They are found in the southern United States, where they inhabit deciduous and mixed forests.
Southern Cloudywing
The Southern Cloudywing butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. They are mostly black with some white and orange markings. They are found in open woodland, grasslands, and agricultural areas in the southern United States.
Southern Skipperling
Southern Skipperlings are a small butterfly that can be found in the southern United States. They are mostly found in open areas with some grasses and flowers, but they can also be found in woodlands and gardens.
Swarthy Skipper
The Swarthy Skipper butterfly has a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. The wings are a dark brown and the butterfly has a yellow band on each wing. The butterfly is found in forests and meadows.
Twin-spot Skipper
The Twin-spot Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly with a green or yellow patch on the center of its forewing. The habitat of the Twin-spot Skipper butterfly is open areas with lots of flowery vegetation.
Whirlabout
A Whirlabout butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that is commonly found in temperate and tropical regions. They are usually seen flying around in large groups. Their larvae feed on rotting vegetation.
Wild Indigo Duskywing
A Wild Indigo Duskywing butterfly has brown and black wings and a purple band across its wings. They are found in open areas with lots of trees and flowers.
White and Sulphur Butterflies in Orange County, Texas
Cloudless Sulphur
A Cloudless Sulphur butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a blue wings and a yellow and blue tail. They are found in open, grassy areas with a lot of flowers.
Dainty Sulphur
The Dainty Sulphur butterfly is a small butterfly that has a bright yellow and black wings. They are mostly found in the tropics but have been found in North America. They live in forests and other moist areas.
Great Southern White
A Great Southern White butterfly is a beautiful, delicate butterfly that lives in warm, open areas near streams and rivers.
Large Orange Sulphur
Large Orange Sulphur butterflies are bright orange and have black and white stripes on their wings. They live in dry, open areas with plenty of flowers.
Little Yellow
The Little Yellow butterfly is typically a small butterfly with a yellow body and wings. They are found in open areas such as fields, meadows, and marshes.
Orange Sulphur
The Orange Sulphur butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright orange body and wings. They live in the warm, dry habitats of the American southwest.
Sleepy Orange
The Sleepy Orange butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a dull brown body and wings. The habitat of a Sleepy Orange butterfly is warm and humid areas, such as forests, gardens, and parks.
That’s the end of our look at the butterflies in Orange County, Texas. Interested in learning about more butterflies in Texas? We have lists for each of the 254 counties in the state.
- Anderson
- Andrews
- Angelina
- Aransas
- Archer
- Armstrong
- Atascosa
- Austin
- Bailey
- Bandera
- Bastrop
- Baylor
- Bee
- Bell
- Bexar
- Blanco
- Borden
- Bosque
- Bowie
- Brazoria
- Brazos
- Brewster
- Briscoe
- Brooks
- Brown
- Burleson
- Burnet
- Caldwell
- Calhoun
- Callahan
- Cameron
- Camp
- Carson
- Cass
- Castro
- Chambers
- Cherokee
- Childress
- Clay
- Cochran
- Coke
- Coleman
- Collin
- Collingsworth
- Colorado
- Comal
- Comanche
- Concho
- Cooke
- Coryell
- Cottle
- Crane
- Crockett
- Crosby
- Culberson
- Dallam
- Dallas
- Dawson
- Deaf Smith
- Delta
- Denton
- DeWitt
- Dickens
- Dimmit
- Donley
- Duval
- Eastland
- Ector
- Edwards
- El Paso
- Ellis
- Erath
- Falls
- Fannin
- Fayette
- Fisher
- Floyd
- Foard
- Fort Bend
- Franklin
- Freestone
- Frio
- Gaines
- Galveston
- Garza
- Gillespie
- Glasscock
- Goliad
- Gonzales
- Gray
- Grayson
- Gregg
- Grimes
- Guadalupe
- Hale
- Hall
- Hamilton
- Hansford
- Hardeman
- Hardin
- Harris
- Harrison
- Hartley
- Haskell
- Hays
- Hemphill
- Henderson
- Hidalgo
- Hill
- Hockley
- Hood
- Hopkins
- Houston
- Howard
- Hudspeth
- Hunt
- Hutchinson
- Irion
- Jack
- Jackson
- Jasper
- Jeff Davis
- Jefferson
- Jim Hogg
- Jim Wells
- Johnson
- Jones
- Karnes
- Kaufman
- Kendall
- Kenedy
- Kent
- Kerr
- Kimble
- King
- Kinney
- Kleberg
- Knox
- La Salle
- Lamar
- Lamb
- Lampasas
- Lavaca
- Lee
- Leon
- Liberty
- Limestone
- Lipscomb
- Live Oak
- Llano
- Loving
- Lubbock
- Lynn
- Madison
- Marion
- Martin
- Mason
- Matagorda
- Maverick
- McCulloch
- McLennan
- McMullen
- Medina
- Menard
- Midland
- Milam
- Mills
- Mitchell
- Montague
- Montgomery
- Moore
- Morris
- Motley
- Nacogdoches
- Navarro
- Newton
- Nolan
- Nueces
- Ochiltree
- Oldham
- Orange
- Palo Pinto
- Panola
- Parker
- Parmer
- Pecos
- Polk
- Potter
- Presidio
- Rains
- Randall
- Reagan
- Real
- Red River
- Reeves
- Refugio
- Roberts
- Robertson
- Rockwall
- Runnels
- Rusk
- Sabine
- San Augustine
- San Jacinto
- San Patricio
- San Saba
- Schleicher
- Scurry
- Shackelford
- Shelby
- Sherman
- Smith
- Somervell
- Starr
- Stephens
- Sterling
- Stonewall
- Sutton
- Swisher
- Tarrant
- Taylor
- Terrell
- Terry
- Throckmorton
- Titus
- Tom Green
- Travis
- Trinity
- Tyler
- Upshur
- Upton
- Uvalde
- Val Verde
- Van Zandt
- Victoria
- Walker
- Waller
- Ward
- Washington
- Webb
- Wharton
- Wheeler
- Wichita
- Wilbarger
- Willacy
- Williamson
- Wilson
- Winkler
- Wise
- Wood
- Yoakum
- Young
- Zapata
- Zavala