Kaleidoscope of orange and yellow butterflies in the sky

Butterflies in Ottawa County, Ohio

There are 48 species of butterflies you can find in Ottawa County, Ohio. Not all of them are common. In fact, some of the butterflies on our list are quite rare sights in Ottawa County. The butterflies on our list are grouped by the following categories:

Brush-footed Butterflies in Ottawa County, Ohio

‘Astyanax’ Red-spotted Purple

The ‘Astyanax’ Red-spotted Purple butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that can be found in the United States. They are typically found in open areas such as fields, meadows, and forest edges. They are also commonly found near streams and ponds.

American Lady

The American Lady butterfly is a brightly coloured butterfly that inhabits open areas such as fields, gardens, and meadows.

American Snout

The American Snout butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that usually flies in groups. It has a long snout that it uses to suck nectar from flowers. The habitat of a American Snout butterfly is usually grasslands, fields, or meadows.

Common Buckeye

The Common Buckeye butterfly is a large butterfly with a wingspan of up to 2 inches. It is typically light green and brown, with a yellow band along the edge of each wing. It is found in open woodland and prairies, and can be seen flitting around flowers.

Common Wood-Nymph

The Common Wood-Nymph butterfly is a small, brown butterfly with a wingspan of about one inch. They are common in wooded areas, but can also be found in gardens. They are active during the day, and feed on nectar from flowers.

Eastern Comma

Eastern Comma butterflies are typically tan or brown with a white or light-colored comma on their forewings. They are found in open, sunny areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows, fields, and gardens.

Eyed Brown

Eyed Brown butterflies are typically brown with a white “eyebrow” on their wings. They are found in open areas with lots of flowering plants, such as fields and gardens.

Great Spangled Fritillary

The Great Spangled Fritillary butterfly is a beautiful blue and gold butterfly. They are found in open, sunny areas such as meadows, fields, and forests. They are attracted to nectar from flowering plants.

Hackberry Emperor

The Hackberry Emperor butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of up to six inches. They are found in the eastern US and Canada, and are most commonly seen in moist forests. They are known for their large wings and brightly coloured markings.

Little Wood-Satyr

The Little Wood-Satyr butterfly is usually a light green or brown, with a wingspan of about one inch. They are found in a variety of habitats, including forests, suburban gardens, and parks.

Meadow Fritillary

The Meadow Fritillary butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that is found in meadows and other open areas.

Monarch

A Monarch butterfly is a beautiful insect with a wingspan of up to 3 inches. They are usually bright blue or purple and fly during the day. Monarchs live in the tropical rainforests of Central and South America.

Mourning Cloak

A Mourning Cloak butterfly is a small butterfly with a wingspan of about one and a half inches. The wings are a dark brown with a white band running the length of each wing. The butterfly is found in the forests of North America and is often seen perched on a blade of grass or a leaf. It is a migratory butterfly and can be found in both the northern and southern parts of its range.

Painted Lady

The Painted Lady butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright orange, black and white wings. This butterfly is found in open areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows, gardens and fields.

Pearl Crescent

A Pearl Crescent butterfly has a wingspan of about 2 inches and is a beautiful iridescent blue with a white band across its wings. They are usually found in open areas with a lot of flowers, such as meadows and fields.

Question Mark

The Question Mark butterfly is a light brown and black butterfly with a white band on the upperside of its wings. The Question Mark butterfly is found in North America.

Red Admiral

A Red Admiral butterfly is typically a vibrant red color and has a wingspan of about two inches. They are usually found in open areas near water, such as fields, gardens, and meadows.

Red-spotted Purple or White Admiral

The Red-spotted Purple or White Admiral butterfly is a large butterfly with a wingspan of up to two feet. It is brightly colored with alternating red and white spots on its wings. The butterfly is found in tropical forests and other warm, humid areas.

Tawny Emperor

A Tawny Emperor butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with reddish brown wings and a bright yellow patch on each hindwing. They live in tropical forests and are often seen flying around.

Variegated Fritillary

The Variegated Fritillary butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with varied colors on its wings. The habitat of a Variegated Fritillary butterfly is open areas with plenty of flowers.

Viceroy

A Viceroy butterfly is a large, colorful butterfly with a wingspan of up to three inches. They are found in tropical forests and jungles.

Gossamer-wing Butterflies in Ottawa County, Ohio

American Copper

The American Copper butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with copper wings. They are found in open habitats near streams and rivers.

Banded Hairstreak

A Banded Hairstreak butterfly looks like a small, brown and white butterfly with black markings on its wings. They are usually found in open areas with plenty of flowers, such as meadows, fields, and forests.

Bronze Copper

Bronze Copper butterflies are beautiful creatures that can be found in many different habitats. They can be found in both open and closed forests, as well as in many types of grasslands and shrublands. They are generally solitary, but may be found in small groups during migration.

Eastern Tailed-Blue

The Eastern Tailed-Blue butterfly is a small, blue butterfly with a blacktail at the end of its blue tail. They live in open habitats, such as meadows and fields, and are attracted to flowers.

Spring Azure

A Spring Azure butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that is often seen flitting about in nature. They are usually found in open areas near water, such as meadows, fields, and forests.

Summer Azure

A Summer Azure butterfly has blue wings with a yellow and green band across the middle. They live in meadows and woodlands and are attracted to flowers.

Parnassian and Swallowtail Butterflies in Ottawa County, Ohio

Black Swallowtail

A Black Swallowtail butterfly is mostly black with a yellow band across the middle of their wings. They live in open areas like fields, forests, and meadows.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Eastern Tiger Swallowtails are beautiful butterflies with bright colors and patterns on their wings. They are found in open, sunny areas with lots of flowering plants. Their habitat includes forests, meadows, and agricultural areas.

Giant Swallowtail

Giant Swallowtail butterflies are the largest butterflies in the world. They are mostly blue and black with a yellow tail. They live in tropical rain forests.

Zebra Swallowtail

A Zebra Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful insect with a black and yellow wings. They are found in open habitats such as woods and meadows.

Skipper Butterflies in Ottawa County, Ohio

Common Checkered-Skipper

The Common Checkered-Skipper butterfly is a small brown butterfly with a distinctive checkerboard pattern on its wings. It is found in open areas, such as fields and meadows, throughout much of the United States.

Common Sootywing

A Common Sootywing butterfly has a black body with a white band across the front and a black band across the rear. They inhabit open areas, such as fields, meadows, and forests, where they feed on nectar from flowers.

Crossline Skipper

A Crossline Skipper butterfly looks like a small, black and white butterfly with a white cross on its wings. They are found in open areas with lots of flowers, such as fields, meadows, and gardens.

Delaware Skipper

A Delaware Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly with a bright blue and black wings. They are usually seen flying around in grassy areas or near ponds.

Dun Skipper

A Dun Skipper butterfly has dark brown wings with a light brown band near the wingtip. They live in wet forests and wetlands.

European Skipper

The European Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that is mostly black with yellow and brown markings. They live in open habitats, such as fields and meadows, and are common in the summer.

Fiery Skipper

A Fiery Skipper butterfly looks like a bright orange and black butterfly with a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. They are common in open areas with plenty of flowers and are often spotted flitting around late in the evening. The habitat of a Fiery Skipper butterfly is open grasslands and prairies, often near water.

Least Skipper

A Least Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly with a wingspan of about 1 inch. They are usually light brown or gray in color, and have distinctive white markings on the wings. They are found in areas with temperate climates, including in the United States and Canada. They are most commonly found in open areas with lots of sunlight, such as fields and meadows.

Northern Broken-Dash

The Northern Broken-Dash butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a broken dash on the forewing. They are found in dry, open areas near streams and rivers.

Northern Cloudywing

Northern Cloudywing butterflies are typically a light blue or green with darker markings, and have a wingspan of about 3 inches. They are found in North America, where they inhabit woodlands and gardens.

Peck’s Skipper

A Peck’s Skipper butterfly has a long slender body with a pointed head and long wings. They are most often found in open areas such as meadows, fields, and gardens, but can also be found near water sources.

Silver-spotted Skipper

The Silver-spotted Skipper butterfly has metallic silver spots on a dark brown background. They live in open fields and gardens, and are attracted to flowers.

Tawny-edged Skipper

A Tawny-edged Skipper butterfly looks like a bright orange butterfly with black edges around its wings. They are usually found in open, grassy areas, such as meadows and fields.

White and Sulphur Butterflies in Ottawa County, Ohio

Cabbage White

The Cabbage White butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly that is often spotted flitting around in fields and gardens. It has a wingspan of about one and a half inches. Its wings are a light blue-green and its body is a creamy white. The habitat of the Cabbage White butterfly is open fields and gardens, where it feeds on flower nectar.

Clouded Sulphur

A Clouded Sulphur butterfly has a dark brown body with a light brown/yellow border. They are found in open areas, such as meadows and fields, but are also found near water. They are often seen feeding on butterfly flowers.

Little Yellow

A Little Yellow butterfly looks like a small, delicate creature with a wingspan of about 1 inch. It is typically light yellow or orange with black markings, and is found in open areas such as fields, meadows, and forests.

Orange Sulphur

The Orange Sulphur butterfly is a small, yellow and black butterfly found in the United States and southern Canada. They are found in open areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows, fields, and pastures.

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