Butterflies in Shelby County, Texas

There are 58 species of butterflies you can find in Shelby County, Texas. 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, Texas

‘Astyanax’ Red-spotted Purple

The Astyanax red-spotted purple butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with striking purple and red markings. They are common and widespread in North America, and can be found in a variety of habitats including open areas, forests, and parks.

American Lady

The American Lady butterfly is a beautiful, colorful butterfly. It is often seen flitting around flowers in gardens or fields.

American Snout

The American Snout butterfly is a small butterfly that is found in North America. It has a black and yellow wings and is often found near water.

Carolina Satyr

The Carolina Satyr butterfly is a beautiful pink and black butterfly that inhabits open areas with plenty of flowers.

Common Buckeye

One common buckeye butterfly is a beautiful orange and black butterfly. They are found in deciduous and mixed forests in the eastern US.

Gemmed Satyr

A Gemmed Satyr butterfly looks like a colorful butterfly with a blue and green body and red wings. They are found in tropical and subtropical regions all over the world, including in the Americas, Asia, and Australia. They often live near ponds, streams, and other water sources.

Goatweed Leafwing

A Goatweed Leafwing butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. They are usually light green or brown, with a light purple or blue sheen. They are usually found in open areas with lots of brush and trees, but can also be found in gardens.

Gulf Fritillary

The Gulf Fritillary butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of about 2.5 inches. The butterfly is predominantly white, with a few faint markings on the wings. The butterfly’s habitat is mainly tropical forests, but they can also be found in open areas near water.

Hackberry Emperor

The Hackberry Emperor butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that can be found in the United States. They are usually found in the eastern part of the country, specifically in the Appalachian Mountains. They are also found in the southern parts of the country, specifically in the Florida Panhandle. The Hackberry Emperor butterfly primarily lives in open areas with lots of vegetation, such as forests and woodlands.

Little Wood-Satyr

The Little Wood-Satyr butterfly is a small butterfly that is usually brown or black with a white marking on the wingtip. It is found in open areas, such as meadows and woodlands, where it feeds on nectar from flowers.

Monarch

A Monarch butterfly is typically a beautiful, brightly coloured butterfly with a wingspan of up to 2.5 inches. They are usually found in open areas such as meadows, prairies, and forests, but can also be found near streams and ponds. Monarch butterflies spend their winters in tropical regions such as Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.

Pearl Crescent

The Pearl Crescent butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. They are found in the tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia, where they feed on nectar from flowers.

Phaon Crescent

A Phaon Crescent butterfly is a large and brightly coloured butterfly with a narrow wingspan. The habitat of a Phaon Crescent butterfly includes open areas with a lot of vegetation, such as meadows, forests, and gardens.

Question Mark

The Question Mark butterfly has a black and white wings with a yellow question mark on the forewing. The Question Mark butterfly lives in meadows and gardens.

Red Admiral

A Red Admiral butterfly looks like a beautiful red and black butterfly with a metallic sheen. They are found in warm, drier areas of the world, such as Australia and North America. They are often found near flowers, and are known to feed on nectar.

Variegated Fritillary

A Variegated Fritillary butterfly is a brightly coloured butterfly with a variety of patterns on its wings. They are usually found in open areas such as meadows, grasslands, and forests, but can also be found near woodland edges. They are usually seen flitting around flowers looking for nectar.

Viceroy

The Viceroy butterfly is a large butterfly that is found in the Americas. They are mainly found in the south-central United States, but are also found in the south-western United States. They are also found in parts of Central America. The Viceroy butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that is mainly black with a broad yellow band across the wings. They are found in open areas with lots of flowers, such as fields and meadows.


Gossamer-wing Butterflies in Shelby County, Texas

Banded Hairstreak

Banded Hairstreak butterflies are beautiful creatures that can be found in a variety of habitats, including meadows, forest floors, and even gardens. They are mostly seen during the day, but can also be seen at night.

Eastern Tailed-Blue

Eastern Tailed-Blue butterflies are typically a deep blue color with a yellow tail. They are found in open habitats, such as meadows, fields, and forests.

Frosted Elfin

A Frosted Elfin butterfly has a wingspan of about 2 inches and is light green with brown and white stripes. They are found in the eastern United States, from the coastal Carolinas to New York. They live in open areas with lots of flowers, especially blueberry, blackberry, and raspberry plants.

Gray Hairstreak

Gray Hairstreaks are a beautiful butterfly that can be found in open areas such as prairies and meadows. They are usually seen flying around during the day.

Great Purple Hairstreak

The Great Purple Hairstreak butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with bright purple wings. They are found in open areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows, fields, and forests.

Juniper Hairstreak

A Juniper Hairstreak butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with blue and black wings. They are found in North America, and are usually found in open habitats such as fields, forests, and deserts.

Reakirt’s Blue

The Reakirt’s Blue butterfly has a wingspan of about 2 inches and is a beautiful blue color. They are found in open woodland, fields, and gardens. They feed on nectar from flowers.

Red-banded Hairstreak

A Red-banded Hairstreak butterfly has a bright red band on its wings. They are found in open areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows and fields.


Parnassian and Swallowtail Butterflies in Shelby County, Texas

Black Swallowtail

A Black Swallowtail is a beautiful butterfly with a black body and wings. They live in the forest, where they eat insects.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

A Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly has a bright yellow body with black bands across its wings. They fly in warm, sunny areas with plentiful flowers.

Giant Swallowtail

A Giant Swallowtail butterfly looks like a large black and yellow butterfly with a long tail. They are found in open areas with plenty of flowers to eat, such as meadows and forests.

Palamedes Swallowtail

The Palamedes Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful insect with a wingspan up to three inches. It is most common in the eastern United States, but can also be found in the west. The habitat of the Palamedes Swallowtail butterfly is open areas with lots of flowers.

Pipevine Swallowtail

The Pipevine Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of about 3 inches. They are found in open woodland, prairies, and meadows, and are often seen flitting about in search of a flower to sip nectar from.

Spicebush Swallowtail

The Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that can be found in the forests of North America. The Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly is a blue and black butterfly that has a yellow tail. The Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly is found in the forests of North America, and is known to prefer wetter habitats.

Zebra Swallowtail

The Zebra Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that is found in open woodlands, meadows, and prairies. They are usually seen fluttering around flowers.


Skipper Butterflies in Shelby County, Texas

Broad-winged Skipper

Broad-winged Skipper butterflies are brightly-colored butterflies that typically have a wingspan of about one and a half inches. They are found in open habitats, such as fields and meadows, and often fly in search of nectar.

Clouded Skipper

Clouded Skipper butterflies are small with a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. They have a black body with a distinctive blue-green sheen on their wings. They prefer to live in moist, shady areas near streams or ponds.

Common Checkered-Skipper

A Common Checkered-Skipper butterfly is a small, brown and white butterfly that resides in warm, dry habitats such as deserts.

Dun Skipper

The Dun Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that has a brown and black body. It is found in open habitats, such as fields, meadows, and forests.

Fiery Skipper

The Fiery Skipper butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that is found in open areas such as grasslands and deserts. They are usually seen flying around in groups, and their bright colors help them stand out from their surroundings.

Hoary Edge

The Hoary Edge butterfly is a large, brown butterfly with a fuzzy fringe on the wings. It lives in open areas with lots of grass and flowers.

Horace’s Duskywing

Horace’s Duskywing butterflies are typically a dark brown with a faint yellowish tinge, and they have a broad black border around each wing. They are found in open areas with lots of flowering plants, and they are usually seen flying in groups.

Juvenal’s Duskywing

A Juvenal’s Duskywing butterfly has a dusky brown body with a central yellow band and a black spot on each wingtip. They are found in subtropical and tropical forests.

Lace-winged Roadside-Skipper

The Lace-winged Roadside-Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. The wings are a light blue color with a darker blue stripe running the length of each wing. The butterfly is found in open areas near roadsides and in meadows.

Least Skipper

Least Skipper butterflies are small, brown butterflies that live near the water’s edge. They are usually seen flying around in groups and are very easy to identify because of their small size and brown color.

Little Glassywing

The Little Glassywing butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly that is usually found in open, sandy habitats.

Long-tailed Skipper

A Long-tailed Skipper butterfly looks like a small, colorful butterfly with a long tail. They are usually found in open, sunny areas, such as gardens and parks. They are common in the United States, but are also found in other parts of the world.

Northern Broken-Dash

Northern Broken-Dash butterflies are typically a light brown or tan color with a broken dash across the center of their wings. They are found in open areas with lots of vegetation, such as meadows, fields, and woodlands.

Northern Cloudywing

Northern Cloudywing butterflies are beautiful, but they can be a little scary looking. Their wings are a light blue with a cloudy pattern. They are usually found in warm, moist habitats, such as forests and meadows.

Ocola Skipper

A Ocola Skipper butterfly has dark brown wings that have a blue-green sheen. These butterflies live in open habitats, such as meadows, fields, and forests.

Pepper and Salt Skipper

A Pepper and Salt Skipper butterfly looks like a small, black and white butterfly with a bright orange “eye” on the front of its wing. These butterflies live in open, sunny areas, such as meadows and fields, where they feed on nectar from flowers.

Silver-spotted Skipper

The Silver-spotted Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly with a metallic sheen on its wings. They are found in open woodland, grasslands, and meadows, and are often spotted flitting around flowers.

Southern Broken-Dash

The Southern Broken-Dash butterfly is a small, dark brown butterfly with patches of white on its wings. It is found in the southern United States, where it lives in open habitats such as fields and Savannahs.

Tropical Checkered-Skipper

The Tropical Checkered-Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that is found in tropical regions. It has a checkered pattern on its wings, which helps it to camouflage itself in its surroundings. This butterfly is usually found in forests, but can also be found in other areas with lots of vegetation.

Yehl Skipper

A Yehl Skipper butterfly is green and has a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. They live in open areas, such as meadows and fields, and are attracted to nectar sources.


White and Sulphur Butterflies in Shelby County, Texas

Cloudless Sulphur

A Cloudless Sulphur butterfly is a beautiful metallic blue butterfly with a wingspan of about 2 inches. They are found in open habitats such as meadows and forests, but are also found in urban areas. They are active during the day and are attracted to light.

Dainty Sulphur

A Dainty Sulphur butterfly is typically a light brown or yellow color with a few white markings on the wings. They are usually found in open areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows or woodlands.

Falcate Orangetip

The Falcate Orangetip butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a unique pattern on its wings. The habitats of the Falcate Orangetip butterfly are tropical rainforests.

Little Yellow

A Little Yellow butterfly is typically a small, delicate creature with a wingspan of about one inch. They are typically a light yellow or tan with a reddish-brown band across their wings. Their habitat is typically open areas such as meadows, fields, and gardens, where they feed on flowers.

Orange Sulphur

The Orange Sulphur butterfly is a small, orange butterfly that frequents open, sunny areas. The habitat of a Orange Sulphur butterfly is a variety of open country, including gardens and agricultural areas.

Sleepy Orange

Sleepy Orange butterflies are typically orange with black markings on their wings. They are found in subtropical and tropical areas, often near water. They are attracted to light, so they are often found near windows or light fixtures.


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