Butterflies in Rusk County, Texas | Facts About Butterflies

There are 95 species of butterflies you can find in Rusk County, Texas. Not all of them are common. In fact, some of the butterflies on our list are quite rare sights in Rusk County. The butterflies on our list are grouped by the following categories:

Brush-footed
Gossamer-wing
Parnassians and Swallowtails
Skippers
Whites and Sulphurs

Brush-footed Butterflies in Rusk County, Texas

‘Astyanax’ Red-spotted Purple

The Astyanax Red-spotted Purple butterfly is a medium-sized butterfly with a red spot on each wing. It is found in open habitats, such as meadows and forests, and is usually seen flying around.

American Lady

The American Lady butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of about one and one-half inches. The wings are a light blue with a few black spots. The American Lady butterfly is found in the temperate and sub-tropical regions of North America. They are usually found in open areas with lots of flowers.

American Snout

The American Snout butterfly has a black and yellow body with a bright blue stripe on its wings. It lives in open areas, such as prairies, meadows, and gardens.

Carolina Satyr

The Carolina Satyr butterfly is a small, dark-colored butterfly with a bright blue “eye” on its wings. They live in forests and other moist habitats, and are often seen flitting around flowers.

Common Buckeye

The Common Buckeye butterfly has a wingspan of about 1.5 inches and is a dull brown color. They can be found in a variety of habitats including forests, meadows, and prairies.

Eastern Comma

Eastern Comma butterflies are small, brown and white butterflies with a distinctive comma-shaped mark on their wings. They are common in open habitats, such as fields and meadows, and are attracted to flowers.

Gemmed Satyr

Gemmed Satyr butterflies are brightly colored and have a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. They are found in the tropical forests of Central and South America. They are attracted to light and are often seen perched on high tree branches.

Goatweed Leafwing

The Goatweed Leafwing butterfly is a small butterfly that is typically green and brown with a white or yellow stripe down its spine. They are found in open areas such as fields, meadows, and forests, and sometimes fly near streams or lakes.

Gorgone Checkerspot

The Gorgone Checkerspot butterfly is a colorful butterfly that can be found in the forests of North America. It is a member of the family Nymphalidae and is often seen hunting for food on the forest floor.

Gulf Fritillary

The Gulf Fritillary butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that can be found in a variety of habitats across the United States. They are typically found near bodies of water, including rivers, lakes, and ponds.

Hackberry Emperor

The Hackberry Emperor butterfly is a large butterfly with a wingspan of up to two inches. They are commonly found in the forests of the eastern United States and Canada. They are usually spotted flying close to the ground, searching for food.

Little Wood-Satyr

The Little Wood-Satyr butterfly is a small butterfly with a wingspan of about 2 inches. It has a dark brown body with a lighter brown stripe along its back. It lives in forests and woodlands, and is common in the eastern United States.

Monarch

A Monarch butterfly is a brightly colored butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. They are found in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. They prefer wide open spaces, such as meadows, prairies, and forests, but can also be found near lakes and rivers. Monarchs feed on nectar from flowers and are known to migrate long distances.

Mourning Cloak

A Mourning Cloak butterfly is a large, black and white butterfly with a distinctive yellow band across its wings. They are common in open areas such as meadows, fields, and gardens, and are attracted to flowers.

Painted Lady

The Painted Lady butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that typically has a light green or blue color with black markings on its wings. The butterfly is found in open areas, such as meadows, fields, and gardens, where it likes to perch on flowers.

Pearl Crescent

A Pearl Crescent butterfly is a beautiful, delicate butterfly with a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. They are usually bright pink, yellow, or white with a blue or black speckled pattern on their wings. They are commonly found in open areas near streams and lakes, but can also be found in gardens and other urban areas.

Phaon Crescent

The Phaon Crescent butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that is known for its bright colors and its habitat of open areas with plenty of flowers.

Question Mark

A Question Mark butterfly looks like a small, black and white butterfly with a white dot near its wings. Question Mark butterflies live in open spaces, such as fields and gardens, and are attracted to flowers with nectar.

Red Admiral

Red Admiral butterflies are beautiful butterflies with red and black wings. They are found in warm, dry areas such as deserts and grasslands.

Red-spotted Purple or White Admiral

The Red-spotted Purple or White Admiral butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with bright colors. They are commonly found in open areas such as meadows, fields, and forests.

Silvery Checkerspot

The Silvery Checkerspot butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that is found in the eastern United States. They are mostly found in lowland areas, but can be found in a variety of habitats. They are attracted to areas with flowers, but can also be found on trees.

Southern Pearly-eye

Southern Pearly-eye butterflies are typically a light blue or green with white markings on the wings. They typically reside in open areas such as fields and meadows, but can also be found in suburban areas.

Tawny Emperor

The Tawny Emperor butterfly is a large butterfly that has a striking metallic coloration on its wings. They are native to the tropical forests of the Americas, and are usually found near water sources. They are active early in the morning and late in the evening, and are attracted to light. They feed on nectar from flowers, and are renowned for their spectacular mating behavior.

Variegated Fritillary

A Variegated Fritillary butterfly looks like a large, colorful butterfly with a variety of patterns on its wings. They are found in open areas near water, such as meadows, fields, and forests. Variegated Fritillaries are most active at dawn and dusk, and are attracted to bright colors.

Viceroy

The Viceroy butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of up to two inches. The Viceroy butterfly is found in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. The Viceroy butterfly is typically found in forests, but can also be found in gardens and parks.

Gossamer-wing Butterflies in Rusk County, Texas

Banded Hairstreak

The Banded Hairstreak butterfly is a small butterfly with a distinctive band of black and white stripes across its wings. They are found in open, wooded habitats throughout the eastern United States and Canada.

Dusky-blue Groundstreak

A Dusky-blue Groundstreak butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that can be found in a variety of habitats, including prairies, meadows, and forests. They are attracted to light, and can be found near roadways and other areas with plenty of natural light.

Eastern Pine Elfin

Eastern Pine Elfin butterflies are typically light green and have a dark stripe running down the center of their forewings. They live in open forests with plenty of sunlight and fresh air.

Eastern Tailed-Blue

Eastern Tailed-Blue butterflies are a beautiful blue color with a white tail. They live in open areas such as fields, meadows, and forests.

Frosted Elfin

A Frosted Elfin butterfly has a light brown body with dark brown spots on its wings. They are usually found near water, in deciduous and mixed forests.

Gray Hairstreak

The Gray Hairstreak butterfly is a small butterfly that typically has a gray or brown body with brown or black wings. They are found in open areas with woodlands and gardens, and prefer to sip nectar from flowers.

Great Purple Hairstreak

The Great Purple Hairstreak is a beautiful butterfly that can be found in the forests of North America. They are bright purple and have a wingspan of about 2 inches. They are attracted to flowers and are often seen perched on a blade of grass.

Henry’s Elfin

A Henry’s Elfin butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that is native to North America. They are usually found in open areas, such as meadows and fields, but can also be found in forests. They are usually very active during the day, but can also be found resting in the early morning or late evening.

Juniper Hairstreak

The Juniper Hairstreak butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright blue wing and a yellow and black border. They live in habitats with lots of wildflowers, and are especially common in open woodlands.

Oak Hairstreak

The Oak Hairstreak butterfly is a small white butterfly with brown spots on its wings. They are found in the Appalachian Mountains and other mountainous regions. They prefer open areas with a lot of flowers, such as meadows and oak forests.

Reakirt’s Blue

A Reakirt’s Blue butterfly has a light blue body with a dark blue triangle on its abdomen. They live in open areas with lots of flowers, like meadows or fields.

Red-banded Hairstreak

The Red-banded Hairstreak butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright red band across its wings. They are found in open areas with plenty of sun and flowers. They prefer warm climates.

Spring Azure

A Spring Azure butterfly is a beautiful insect with a wingspan of about two inches. They are found in open landscapes such as meadows and fields, but are also common in urban areas. They are active during the day, but are also attracted to light at night. They feed on nectar from flowers, and are not harmful to humans.

Striped Hairstreak

A Striped Hairstreak butterfly is typically a dark brown and has a characteristic striped pattern on its wings. They are found in open areas with a lot of vegetation, such as forests and meadows.

White-M Hairstreak

The White-M Hairstreak butterfly is a large butterfly with a white body and black markings on the wings. They are found in the United States, Canada, and parts of Mexico. They are usually found in open areas with plenty of flowers, such as meadows, fields, and gardens.

Parnassian and Swallowtail Butterflies in Rusk County, Texas

Black Swallowtail

The Black Swallowtail is a beautiful butterfly with black wings and tails. They are found in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. They prefer habitats with lots of flowers and trees.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly is a brightly colored butterfly with a black band across its wings. They are found in forested areas and are often seen flitting around flowers.

Giant Swallowtail

A Giant Swallowtail butterfly is big! They can grow up to 6 inches long and have brightly coloured wings. They are usually found in tropical forests, but they have been seen in other types of habitats too.

Palamedes Swallowtail

A Palamedes Swallowtail butterfly has a distinctive orange and black pattern on its wings. They typically inhabit dry areas such as deserts, grasslands, and chaparral.

Pipevine Swallowtail

The Pipevine Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful creature with a wingspan of up to three inches. It is a common sight in open country, especially in areas with lots of flowering plants. The habitat preferences of this butterfly vary depending on the region, but they are usually found in open areas with lots of flowers.

Spicebush Swallowtail

Spicebush Swallowtail butterflies are large and colorful butterflies that live in open habitats such as prairies and meadows. They are attracted to flowers and can be found flying around during the day.

Zebra Swallowtail

A Zebra Swallowtail butterfly is a colorful insect with a long tail. They live in open habitats, such as meadows, forests, and fields.

Skipper Butterflies in Rusk County, Texas

Bell’s Roadside-Skipper

The Bell’s Roadside-Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly with a black and yellow wings. They are found in the eastern United States, from eastern Pennsylvania to eastern Mississippi. They prefer open, grassy areas with some flowers, but can also be found in gardens and orchards.

Brazilian Skipper

A Brazilian Skipper butterfly has a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. They have a dark brown and yellow wings. They live in tropical forests.

Broad-winged Skipper

A Broad-winged Skipper butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of about one and a half inches. They are typically light green with a dark band across the wings. They are found in open areas such as meadows and fields, but can also be found near water sources.

Clouded Skipper

A Clouded Skipper butterfly has a wingspan of about 2 inches. They are mostly blue with black markings. They live in the northern United States and Canada. They are found in meadows, fields, and woodlands.

Cobweb Skipper

Cobweb Skipper butterflies have black and brown wings with white and light brown markings. They live in open areas with highbush cranberry and other bushes.

Common Checkered-Skipper

The Common Checkered-Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that can be found in a variety of habitats, including meadows, gardens, and forests. The butterfly is typically seen flying around flowers or feeding on nectar.

Common Roadside-Skipper

The Common Roadside-Skipper butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that can be found in open areas near roads. They prefer to live near running water, and can be found in areas near rivers, creeks, and streams.

Confused Cloudywing

This butterfly is typically brown and has a pattern of dark and light areas on its wings. It can be found in open areas with lots of tall trees, such as forest or prairies.

Crossline Skipper

The Crossline Skipper butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly with a crossline on the wing. They are found in a variety of habitats, but are most commonly found in open spaces near water.

Dion Skipper

The Dion Skipper butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that is found in open areas near ponds, streams, and seepages. They are active during the day and usually feed on nectar from flowers.

Dun Skipper

A Dun Skipper butterfly looks like a tiny, black and orange butterfly with a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. They are found in open, sunny areas near flowers, usually near streams or rivers.

Eufala Skipper

The Eufala Skipper butterfly is a small, black and yellow butterfly that lives in open habitats such as prairies, fields, and meadows.

Fiery Skipper

A Fiery Skipper butterfly is a colorful butterfly that typically has orange and black wings. They are found in open habitats, such as fields and meadows, and prefer to fly in the early morning and late evening.

Funereal Duskywing

A Funereal Duskywing butterfly is typically a dark brown or black butterfly with a narrow white border around the wings. They are found in open grasslands, meadows, and forests, and are attracted to blooming flowers.

Hayhurst’s Scallopwing

The Hayhurst’s Scallopwing butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that is found in open areas with lots of flowers. They are usually found in the US and Canada.

Hoary Edge

The Hoary Edge butterfly has a wingspan of about 2.5 inches. It is a beautiful butterfly with a metallic sheen and a hoary edge on its wings. The butterfly is found in open areas with blue sky and white clouds, such as meadows, prairies, and open woods.

Horace’s Duskywing

The Horace’s Duskywing butterfly is a dark brown butterfly with a white band across the wings. They live in forests and woodlands.

Juvenal’s Duskywing

A Juvenal’s Duskywing butterfly is a dark brown butterfly with black markings on the wings. They are found in the eastern United States, in the Appalachian Mountains, and in the Midwest. They feed on nectar from plants such as violets and clover.

Lace-winged Roadside-Skipper

A lace-winged roadside-skipper butterfly is typically a light-colored butterfly with a distinctive pattern of black and white stripes on its wings. They are found in open areas with plenty of flowers, such as meadows, fields, and forests.

Least Skipper

The Least Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly with a brown body and wings. They are found in open areas with bunchgrass, flowers, and ferns.

Meske’s Skipper

The Meske’s Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly with a wingspan of about 2.5 inches. It is typically light brown or tan with a series of black markings on its wings. The butterfly is found in open habitats such as meadows, fields, and gardens.

Mottled Duskywing

A Mottled Duskywing butterfly is typically dark brown with a green and brown pattern on its wings. They are found in North America, where they inhabit forests and woodlands.

Northern Broken-Dash

A Northern Broken-Dash butterfly has a broken yellow and black dash on its wings. They live in meadows and prairies, where they eat flowers and nectar.

Northern Cloudywing

Northern Cloudywings are a small butterfly found in North America. They are mostly found in eastern North America, but are also found in the west. Their habitat is mainly deciduous and mixed forests.

Ocola Skipper

The Ocola Skipper butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that is found in open areas such as meadows and pastures.

Sachem

The Sachem butterfly is a small, brown and white butterfly. It is found in the eastern United States and Canada. It is a member of the family Nymphalidae. Sachem butterflies live in colonies in sunny areas.

Silver-spotted Skipper

The Silver-spotted Skipper butterfly is a small, brown butterfly with silver spots on its wings. They live in open, grassy areas with some flowers.

Sleepy Duskywing

Sleepy Duskywing butterflies are generally dark brown or black with a pale yellow or white stripe down the middle of their wings. They are most commonly found in open habitats with lots of bushes and trees, but can also be found in gardens or other suburban areas.

Southern Broken-Dash

The Southern Broken-Dash butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly with a broken dash on its wings. They are found in the southern United States, where they live in open, grassy areas.

Southern Cloudywing

The Southern Cloudywing butterfly is a common butterfly found throughout much of the southern United States. It has a wingspan of about 2 inches. The butterfly is light brown with a few white markings on the wings. It is found in open areas, such as fields and meadows, as well as in forests.

Southern Skipperling

The Southern Skipperling butterfly is one of the smallest butterflies in North America. They are mostly blue with black wings. They live in grasslands and other open areas with plenty of flowers.

Swarthy Skipper

A Swarthy Skipper butterfly is typically brown or black with a diagonal stripe down its back. They are usually found in open areas such as meadows, fields, or gardens.

Tawny-edged Skipper

The Tawny-edged Skipper butterfly has a reddish brown wingspan with black lines running down the middle. This butterfly is found in open, grassy areas with a lot of flowers.

Whirlabout

A Whirlabout butterfly has a wingspan of about two inches, and is a beautiful blue color with a white stripe down its center. They are found in tropical areas, and prefer open areas with lots of flowers.

Wild Indigo Duskywing

A Wild Indigo Duskywing butterfly is a dark brown butterfly with blue and violet wings. They live in open, grassy areas with some trees nearby.

Yehl Skipper

The Yehl Skipper butterfly has a wingspan of about 1 inch. It has a light brown body with darker brown streaks. It is found in open, grassy areas and sometimes in flowers.

Zabulon Skipper

Zabulon Skipper butterflies have blue wings with black and white stripes. They live in open areas with lots of flowers.

White and Sulphur Butterflies in Rusk County, Texas

Cabbage White

The Cabbage White butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly with a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. They are usually light green and have a lightly patterned wings. They are found in open areas such as meadows and woodlands, and like other butterflies, they are attracted to sweet-smelling flowers.

Checkered White

The Checkered White butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with bright colors. They are found in open areas with a lot of flowers, such as meadows and forests.

Cloudless Sulphur

Cloudless Sulphur butterflies are typically light brown or yellow with a light blue or green sheen. They can be found in forested areas and gardens across the United States. They are attracted to nectar from flowers, but are also known to eat small insects.

Dainty Sulphur

A Dainty Sulphur butterfly looks like a small, delicate creature with a bright yellow and black wings. They are usually found in open areas near streams and waterfalls, where they feed on nectar from flowers.

Falcate Orangetip

The Falcate Orangetip butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of about 2.5 inches. The wings are a beautiful orange color and the butterfly has a black band on each wing. The butterfly is usually found in tropical areas, but can also be found in parts of the United States. The butterfly is usually found near water or in flowering plants.

Large Orange Sulphur

A Large Orange Sulphur butterfly is a large, orange butterfly found in North America. They are found in open, grassy areas with some flowers.

Little Yellow

A Little Yellow butterfly looks like a small, yellow and brown butterfly. It is found in open habitats such as fields and meadows.

Olympia Marble

Olympia Marble butterflies are small, colorful butterflies that live in the forests of North America. They are usually seen flying around in groups, and their wings are covered in small, colorful scales.

Orange Sulphur

The Orange Sulphur butterfly is a large butterfly that is brightly coloured and has a wingspan of up to three inches. They are found in open grasslands, meadows and prairies, and often feed on nectar from flowers.

Sleepy Orange

Sleepy Orange butterflies are typically light orange with black spots on the wings. They are found in a variety of habitats, including forests, meadows, and gardens.

Southern Dogface

A Southern Dogface butterfly has a wingspan of about two inches. It is a small, light brown and tan butterfly found in open areas, such as open fields and prairies.

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