Yellow and purple butterflies in a field

Butterflies in Shelby County, Ohio

There are 58 species of butterflies you can find in Shelby County, Ohio. Not all of them are common. In fact, some of the butterflies on our list are quite rare sights in Shelby County. The butterflies on our list are grouped by the following categories:

Brush-footed Butterflies in Shelby County, Ohio

‘Astyanax’ Red-spotted Purple

The Astyanax red-spotted purple butterfly is a small butterfly that is found in the East Palaearctic and the Nearctic regions. It is a resident of temperate and sub-tropical areas, where it feeds on nectar from flowers.

American Lady

The American Lady butterfly is a large, colorful butterfly with a wingspan up to three inches. They are found in open areas with a lot of sun, such as fields, meadows, and gardens.

American Snout

The American Snout butterfly is a small, brown butterfly with a long, pointy nose. It is found in sandy open habitats, such as prairies, deserts, and meadows.

Appalachian Brown

The Appalachian Brown butterfly is a large butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. The wings are a dark brown, with lighter spots and a distinctive pattern of veins. The habitat of the Appalachian Brown butterfly is forests and woodlands, mainly in the Appalachian Mountains.

Common Buckeye

The Common Buckeye butterfly is a small butterfly that is typically light brown or gray in color. They are found in a variety of habitats, including woodlands, meadows, and gardens.

Common Wood-Nymph

The Common Wood-Nymph butterfly is a small butterfly that is typically brown with darker markings. They typically live in open areas such as forests, meadows, and fields.

Eastern Comma

Eastern Comma butterflies have a brown body with a white stripe running the length of their wings. They live in the eastern part of North America, in forests.

Great Spangled Fritillary

The Great Spangled Fritillary butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a striking pattern of black and orange on its wings. These butterflies live in open areas such as meadows, prairies and woodlands, and are usually seen flying around in large groups.

Hackberry Emperor

The Hackberry Emperor butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of about 2 inches. It is the largest butterfly in the United States. The Hackberry Emperor butterfly is found in the eastern United States, from North Carolina to Florida. The butterfly’s habitat is in oak and hickory forests.

Little Wood-Satyr

The Little Wood-Satyr butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly that is usually found close to woodlands.

Meadow Fritillary

A Meadow Fritillary butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright orange and black wings. They are usually found in meadows and other open areas with lots of flowers.

Monarch

A Monarch butterfly looks like a small, colorful butterfly with a long, slender body. Monarchs live in the open countryside and forests of North America, and are the only butterfly that migrates long distances. They feed on nectar from flowers, and the males use their long wings to fly long distances to find suitable mates.

Mourning Cloak

A Mourning Cloak butterfly is a small, dark butterfly with a wingspan of about one and a half inches. They are found in North America, Asia, and Europe, and can be found in a variety of habitats including woodlands, meadows, and gardens. They are often seen flying around flowers or other insects.

Northern Pearly-eye

The Northern Pearly-eye butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a white body and blue wings. It is found in the north-central United States and in Canada. It lives in meadows, prairies, and other open areas with lots of grass.

Painted Lady

The Painted Lady butterfly is a brightly coloured butterfly that is common in open areas such as gardens and parks. They are often seen flying around during the day.

Pearl Crescent

The Pearl Crescent butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly that is found in the eastern United States and parts of Canada. It is a colorful butterfly that is typically seen flying around in groups. The butterfly’s wings are a beautiful shade of light pink with a purple tinge. The butterfly’s habitat consists of open fields, forests, and meadows.

Question Mark

The Question Mark butterfly is a butterfly found in North America. It is a common sight in fields and gardens, but can also be found in open areas near streams.

Red Admiral

The Red Admiral butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of up to three inches. They are usually red and black, with a white spot on each wing. They prefer to live in warm and moist habitats, such as gardens and woodlands.

Red-spotted Purple or White Admiral

A Red-spotted Purple or White Admiral butterfly looks like a small, colorful butterfly with red spots on its wings. They usually live in open, sunny areas such as fields, gardens, and meadows.

Tawny Emperor

The Tawny Emperor butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that can be found in the tropical rainforests of Central and South America. The butterfly is usually a bright orange or yellow with black markings, and is considered a threatened species. The butterfly is usually found on the forest floor fluttering around flowers.

Viceroy

A Viceroy butterfly is a colorful butterfly that can be found in warm, tropical areas. They are usually found near water and feed on nectar from flowers.

Gossamer-wing Butterflies in Shelby County, Ohio

Acadian Hairstreak

The Acadian Hairstreak butterfly is a small butterfly with a bright orange wings and brown body. They are found in open woodlands and prairies in the eastern United States.

Banded Hairstreak

The Banded Hairstreak butterfly is a colorful butterfly that is found in open, sunny habitats. They are usually seen flitting around flowers, but can also be found resting on trees or walls.

Coral Hairstreak

A Coral Hairstreak butterfly looks like a small, brightly-colored butterfly with a long tail. They live in open, sunny areas with plenty of nectar and pollen sources, such as gardens or forests.

Eastern Tailed-Blue

The Eastern Tailed-Blue butterfly is a beautiful blue butterfly found in the eastern United States. They are usually found in open areas with a lot of flowers, such as meadows or forests.

Hickory Hairstreak

A Hickory Hairstreak butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that is found in open forests.

Juniper Hairstreak

The Juniper Hairstreak butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that can be found in the United States and Canada. It has a wingspan of about 2 inches. The Juniper Hairstreak butterfly is a member of the Swallowtail family. It prefers open areas with lots of flowers, such as fields, meadows, and gardens.

Spring Azure

The Spring Azure butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright blue wing color and a white band across the middle of the wings. They are found near water in areas with lots of flowers.

Summer Azure

The Summer Azure butterfly is a beautiful blue butterfly with a bright yellow “tail” on its back. They are found in sunny areas such as meadows and fields, but are also found in forests. They are very common butterflies, and can often be seen flitting around flowers.

Metalmark Butterflies in Shelby County, Ohio

Northern Metalmark

Northern Metalmark butterflies have a metallic green and black wings with white spots. They live in forests and are attracted to light.

Parnassian and Swallowtail Butterflies in Shelby County, Ohio

Black Swallowtail

The Black Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that can be found throughout North America. They are commonly found in open habitats such as fields, meadows, and forests.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterflies are brightly colored and have distinctive black and orange stripes on their wings. They live in open areas, such as meadows and fields, and fly during the day.

Giant Swallowtail

A Giant Swallowtail butterfly is a large, colorful butterfly with a long tail. They live in the forests of North America.

Pipevine Swallowtail

A Pipevine Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful, colorful butterfly that lives in the United States. They are usually found in open areas, such as fields and meadows, and fly quickly around the area.

Spicebush Swallowtail

Spicebush Swallowtail butterflies are typically light brown and have a green and brown pattern on their wings. They are found in open areas with lots of flowering plants, such as meadows, prairies, and fields.

Zebra Swallowtail

The Zebra Swallowtail is a colorful butterfly with black and yellow stripes on its wings. It lives in warm, tropical areas.

Skipper Butterflies in Shelby County, Ohio

Common Sootywing

A Common Sootywing butterfly looks like a dark gray or brown butterfly with a black border around the wings. They live in open spaces, such as fields and meadows, and are most often seen in the early morning or late afternoon.

Dion Skipper

Dion Skipper butterflies are small and colorful, with a wingspan of about one and a half inches. They are usually found in open areas, such as meadows, forests, and fields, but they can also be found in urban areas. They are attracted to flowers, but they also feed on nectar from other plants.

Dukes’ Skipper

A Dukes’ Skipper butterfly has a wingspan of about 2 inches. It is a beautiful butterfly with a reddish-orange wings and a yellow band across the middle of each wing. The butterfly is common to find in open, grassy areas near water.

Dun Skipper

The Dun Skipper butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly that is typically green and brown in color. They prefer to inhabit open areas such as fields, meadows, and forests, but can also be found near streams and ponds.

European Skipper

The European Skipper butterfly is a medium-sized butterfly that has a wingspan of about 3 inches. The wings are a dark brown with a paler brown band across the middle. The butterfly is found in open habitats with plenty of flowers to feed on.

Hobomok Skipper

The Hobomok Skipper butterfly is a small, brown butterfly with a yellow-orange band across its wings. They are found in the south-central United States, in habitats such as prairies, woodlands, and meadows.

Juvenal’s Duskywing

The Juvenal’s Duskywing butterfly is a butterfly that is found in the eastern United States and eastern Canada. The habitat of the Juvenal’s Duskywing butterfly is forests.

Least Skipper

A Least Skipper butterfly is typically a small, colorful butterfly with a short wingspan. They are commonly found in open habitats such as fields, meadows, and forests.

Little Glassywing

The Little Glassywing butterfly is a small butterfly that is mostly white with a few black spots on its wings. It is found in open areas, such as fields and meadows, and prefers to live near water.

Mulberry Wing

The Mulberry Wing butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly with black and white stripes on its wings. They are found in open habitats, such as meadows and woodlands, where they feed on nectar from flowers.

Peck’s Skipper

A Peck’s Skipper butterfly has a wingspan of about 2 inches. They are light brown with darker brown markings. They are most common in open areas with plenty of flowers, such as meadows and lawns.

Silver-spotted Skipper

The Silver-spotted Skipper butterfly is a delicate butterfly with a bright blue back and wingspan. They are found in open areas with lots of flowers and are often found near streams.

Sleepy Duskywing

A Sleepy Duskywing butterfly is a dark brown butterfly with black markings. They live in the eastern United States, but can also be found in the west. They are usually found in open areas with plenty of flowers, but can also be found in forests. They are usually active in the morning and evening.

Tawny-edged Skipper

The Tawny-edged Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that is mainly found in woodlands and gardens. They are typically very colourful and have a wingspan of around 2 cm.

Two-spotted Skipper

The Two-spotted Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that is mostly brown with a white spot on its wings. They are found in open areas with flowers, such as meadows, fields, and forests.

Wild Indigo Duskywing

The Wild Indigo Duskywing butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that is found in the forests of North America. They have striking black and dusky wings and are often seen flitting around in search of nectar.

Zabulon Skipper

The Zabulon Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly with a blue and black wings. It is found in open country, such as meadows, pastures, and fields.

White and Sulphur Butterflies in Shelby County, Ohio

Cabbage White

The Cabbage White butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly with a wingspan of about one inch. The wings are a light yellow with brown stripes, and the butterfly has a distinctive white “collar” around its wings. The butterfly prefers open, sunny areas such as meadows, fields, and gardens, but can also be found near woodlands and in urban areas. Cabbage Whites are most active during the morning and evening, but can be found flying throughout the day.

Checkered White

The Checkered White butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a brightly colored wings. The habitat of a Checkered White butterfly is open grasslands, meadows, and forests.

Clouded Sulphur

The Clouded Sulphur butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that is found in the eastern United States. It has a wingspan of about 2 inches. The Clouded Sulphur butterfly prefers to live in open areas with lots of sunshine.

Little Yellow

A Little Yellow butterfly has a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. It has a light yellow body with dark brown markings. It lives in meadows, fields, and forests.

Orange Sulphur

The Orange Sulphur butterfly has a wingspan of about 2.5 inches. It is a small, delicate butterfly with a yellow and black body and wings. The butterfly is found in open, wooded areas and gardens.

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