Purple butterflies in a field

Butterflies in Union County, Ohio

There are 68 species of butterflies you can find in Union County, Ohio. Not all of them are common. In fact, some of the butterflies on our list are quite rare sights in Union County. The butterflies on our list are grouped by the following categories:

Brush-footed Butterflies in Union County, Ohio

‘Astyanax’ Red-spotted Purple

The ‘Astyanax’ Red-spotted Purple butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright red spot on each wing. They are found in the tropical forests of Central and South America.

American Lady

The American Lady butterfly is a colorful butterfly that is found in North America. They are usually found in gardens and other areas with flowers.

American Snout

The American Snout butterfly is a brown and black butterfly with a yellow spot on each wingtip. They are found in open habitats with plenty of flowers.

Appalachian Brown

The Appalachian Brown butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of about 2 inches. They are usually brown, but can be variably light or dark brown. They are found in the Appalachian Mountains in the eastern United States. They are common in moist, wooded areas with lots of flowers.

Common Buckeye

A Common Buckeye butterfly is a brown and black butterfly with a yellow tail. The butterfly is found in North America and is found in a variety of habitats including forests, grasslands, and deserts.

Common Wood-Nymph

The Common Wood-Nymph butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly found in open areas near woods. They are usually seen in flight during the morning and evening.

Eastern Comma

Eastern Comma butterflies are orange and black, with a yellow band across their hindwings. They live in open areas with lots of flowers, such as fields and meadows.

Gray Comma

The Gray Comma butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a gray body and black wings. They are found in the eastern U.S. and Canada and are commonly found in open areas with lots of flowers.

Great Spangled Fritillary

The Great Spangled Fritillary butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with striking patterns of blues, purples, and yellows. They can be found in open woodlands and prairies, where they feed on flowers.

Hackberry Emperor

The Hackberry Emperor butterfly is a striking butterfly with a green and brown body. They are typically found in open, shady areas with a lot of hackberry trees.

Little Wood-Satyr

The Little Wood-Satyr butterfly is a small butterfly with a reddish brown wings and a black border. It is found in the deciduous and mixed forests of North America.

Meadow Fritillary

A Meadow Fritillary butterfly is typically a brightly coloured butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. They are usually found in meadows, but can also be found in other open areas with good access to flowering plants. Meadow Fritillary butterflies are typically very active during the day and are attracted to nectar sources.

Milbert’s Tortoiseshell

The Milbert’s Tortoiseshell butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that can be found in tropical areas. This butterfly has a wingspan of about 2.5 inches. The wings are light brown with a slightly darker brown band running along the center. The wings have a distinctive pattern of yellow and brown squares. The butterfly is most active during the day, and can be found perched on flowers or near water.

Monarch

Monarch butterflies are brightly coloured and have a wingspan of up to two feet. They live in tropical forests and often feed on nectar from flowers.

Mourning Cloak

The Mourning Cloak butterfly is a large, black butterfly with a distinctive white band across its wings. It is found in open, grassy areas and gardens throughout North America.

Northern Pearly-eye

The Northern Pearly-eye butterfly ranges from the Appalachian Mountains to the Great Lakes and east to the Atlantic Ocean. They live in moist woodlands and forests.

Painted Lady

The Painted Lady butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright orange body and wings. They are found in open areas such as fields, meadows, and forests, and are often seen flitting around flowers.

Pearl Crescent

The Pearl Crescent butterfly is a colorful butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. They are found in open areas with plenty of flowers, such as meadows, prairies, and pastures.

Question Mark

The Question Mark butterfly is a small, black and white butterfly with a white wingtip. It is found in the northern United States and southern Canada. The Question Mark butterfly’s habitat is open, grassy areas.

Red Admiral

The Red Admiral butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of up to three inches. They are found in open areas with plenty of flowers, such as meadows, woods, and fields.

Red-spotted Purple or White Admiral

The Red-spotted Purple or White Admiral butterfly is the largest butterfly in North America. They are a beautiful metallic blue with red spots on their wings. They are most commonly found in open, sunny areas with long grasses and flowers.

Tawny Emperor

The Tawny Emperor butterfly is a striking butterfly with a bright orange body and wings. They are found in tropical areas across the Americas. They inhabit forests, gardens, and other warm, humid areas.

Variegated Fritillary

Variegated Fritillary butterflies are typically light green and have brown and white markings on their wings. They are found in open areas such as forests and meadows, where they feed on nectar.

Viceroy

A Viceroy butterfly is predominantly brown with white stripes on its wings. They are found in tropical and subtropical areas. They are usually found near water sources.

Gossamer-wing Butterflies in Union County, Ohio

Banded Hairstreak

A Banded Hairstreak butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with bands of color on its wings. It lives in warm, sunny areas where there are plenty of flowers to feed on.

Bronze Copper

A Bronze Copper butterfly has a metallic sheen to its wings, which is due to the copper content in their wings. These butterflies are usually found in meadows and other open areas with lots of flowering plants.

Coral Hairstreak

A Coral Hairstreak butterfly is bright orange with black markings on the wings. They live in warm, tropical areas.

Eastern Tailed-Blue

Eastern Tailed-Blue butterflies are beautiful and brightly coloured butterflies that can be found in many different habitats across the eastern United States. They are commonly found in open areas such as fields, meadows, and forests, but can sometimes be found in urban areas as well. They are very active fliers and are known for their quick movements.

Harvester

A Harvester butterfly is a small, brown butterfly that lives in open, grassy areas. They are usually seen flying around flowers.

Hickory Hairstreak

The Hickory Hairstreak butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that is found in the forests of North America. It has a wingspan of about 2 inches and is light brown with a black stripe down the middle. It is usually found on the ground feeding on flowers, but can also be seen flying around.

Oak Hairstreak

The Oak Hairstreak butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright orange and black wings. They live in oak forests and eat flowers.

Spring Azure

A Spring Azure butterfly is typically a bright blue color with a white band across its wings. They are found in open areas with plenty of sunshine, such as meadows and prairies.

Striped Hairstreak

A Striped Hairstreak butterfly has a wingspan of about one and a half inches. It is a beautiful butterfly with stripes down the middle of its wings. The butterfly is usually found in open areas, such as fields and meadows, but can also be found in forests.

Summer Azure

The Summer Azure butterfly is a beautiful blue butterfly with white markings on the wings. They live in warm, sunny areas and are attracted to flowers.

White-M Hairstreak

A White-M Hairstreak butterfly is a beautiful insect with a wingspan of about 2 inches. They are often seen in open areas, such as fields and gardens, but can also be found in forested areas. They are usually seen flying around and resting on flowers.

Parnassian and Swallowtail Butterflies in Union County, Ohio

Black Swallowtail

The Black Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a black body and yellow wings. They live in the forests of North America.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail is a beautiful butterfly with a black and yellow body. They are found in open areas with plenty of flowers, such as meadows, fields, and forests.

Giant Swallowtail

A Giant Swallowtail butterfly is a large, colorful butterfly with a wide wingspan. They are found in open areas with lots of flowering plants, such as fields, meadows, and forests.

Pipevine Swallowtail

Pipevine Swallowtail butterflies have black and yellow wings, and they usually live in open areas with lots of flowering plants. They fly around during the day looking for food, and they are attracted to nectar and pollen.

Spicebush Swallowtail

The Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that can be found in the forests of North America. They are usually seen flying around in groups and are known for their colorful wings. They are usually found in open areas with plenty of flowers to feed on.

Zebra Swallowtail

A Zebra Swallowtail butterfly is a large, colorful butterfly with black and yellow stripes on its wings. They are found in tropical forests, and their habitat is full of flowers.

Skipper Butterflies in Union County, Ohio

Broad-winged Skipper

The Broad-winged Skipper butterfly is the largest butterfly in North America. They are usually light brown with black wings and a small yellow spot on their upperwings. They are found in open areas with lots of flowers, usually near water.

Common Checkered-Skipper

The Common Checkered-Skipper butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a mostly black body and white markings on the wings. They are found in all types of habitats, including forests, meadows, and agricultural areas.

Common Sootywing

A Common Sootywing butterfly has a wingspan of about 2.5 inches. They are brown and have a white dot on each wing. They are found in open areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows and fields. They are often seen flitting around in the sunshine.

Delaware Skipper

The Delaware Skipper butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that is found in open areas throughout the eastern United States. The habitat of a Delaware Skipper butterfly includes open fields, meadows, forests, and gardens.

Dion Skipper

A Dion Skipper butterfly is typically a light brown or tan color and has a wingspan of about 2 inches. They are found in open habitats near water, such as meadows, fields, or forests.

Dukes’ Skipper

The Duke’s Skipper butterfly looks like a light brown and tan butterfly with a white “tail” that points downward. They are found in grasslands and open woodlands near streams and rivers.

Dun Skipper

The Dun Skipper butterfly is a small, brown butterfly that inhabits open areas with plenty of flowers.

European Skipper

The European Skipper butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that can be found in open habitats such as fields and meadows.

Hobomok Skipper

The Hobomok Skipper butterfly is a small, brown butterfly with a yellow stripe on its wings. They live in the forests of North America.

Horace’s Duskywing

A Horace’s Duskywing butterfly is a large, dark brown butterfly with a distinctive white band across its wings. They are found in open areas with lots of flowering plants, such as meadows and prairies.

Juvenal’s Duskywing

A Juvenal’s Duskywing butterfly is a dark brown butterfly with a speckled pattern on its wings. It is found in open areas, such as prairies and meadows, and is usually found near water.

Least Skipper

Least Skipper butterflies are small and colorful with a wingspan of about 1 inch. They are usually found in open areas near water, such as meadows and parks.

Little Glassywing

and how to identify it

The Little Glassywing butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly that is typically found in open, sunny habitats such as meadows and prairies. This butterfly is typically a light blue or violet color, and can be difficult to identify due to its small size and delicate appearance. To identify the Little Glassywing butterfly, look for its small, slender wingspan and delicate coloration.

Long Dash

A Long Dash butterfly has a wingspan of about 2 inches. It has a brown body with a white stripe down its center. It lives in open areas with lots of flowers.

Northern Broken-Dash

Northern Broken-Dash butterflies are metallic blue with a broken dash pattern across the wings. They live in open, grassy areas with scattered trees.

Northern Cloudywing

Northern Cloudywing butterflies are a small, delicate butterfly with a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. They are mostly gray or white, with a few black spots. They are most commonly found in open areas with plenty of flowering plants, such as meadows and prairies.

Peck’s Skipper

The Peck’s Skipper butterfly is a small, black and orange butterfly that frequents open areas such as fields, meadows, and forest edges.

Silver-spotted Skipper

The Silver-spotted Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that has a metallic sheen to its wings. They are commonly found in open, sunny areas such as meadows, fields, and gardens.

Tawny-edged Skipper

The Tawny-edged Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that is found in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. It is a common sight in open areas with a lot of flowers.

Two-spotted Skipper

The Two-spotted Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly with a wingspan of about 2 inches. It has two spots on each wing. The butterfly is found in open areas including meadows, fields, and marshes.

Wild Indigo Duskywing

A Wild Indigo Duskywing butterfly looks like a dark blue butterfly with a dusky stripe down its center. They live in open areas with lots of wildflowers, such as fields, meadows, and marshlands.

Zabulon Skipper

The Zabulon Skipper butterfly has a wingspan of about 2 inches and is a beautiful blue color. They are found in open areas with lots of flowers, including meadows, fields, and forests.

White and Sulphur Butterflies in Union County, Ohio

Cabbage White

A Cabbage White butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly with a yellow and black wings. They are found in a variety of habitats, including forests, meadows, and gardens.

Checkered White

The Checkered White butterfly has a wingspan of about 2-3 inches. The wings are a beautiful checkered white and brown. They are found in open areas with plenty of flowers.

Clouded Sulphur

A Clouded Sulphur butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a dark brown body and wings. They are found in open areas such as fields and meadows, and are attracted to sunny areas. They are common in the United States, but are becoming increasingly rare in Europe.

Little Yellow

A Little Yellow butterfly is a small, delicate insect that often rests on flowers. They are often seen flying around in sunny areas.

Orange Sulphur

The Orange Sulphur butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that can be found in the United States. They are usually found in open areas, such as fields and meadows, but can also be found near streams and rivers. They are usually seen in the morning and early evening, but can also be seen in the afternoon and late evening.

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