There are 88 species of butterflies you can find in Worcester County, Maryland. Not all of them are common. In fact, some of the butterflies on our list are quite rare sights in Worcester County. The butterflies on our list are grouped by the following categories:
Brush-footed Butterflies in Worcester County, Maryland
‘Astyanax’ Red-spotted Purple
The ‘Astyanax’ Red-spotted Purple butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with rich, royal purple wings. They are found in subtropical and tropical forests, where they feed on nectar from flowering plants.
American Lady
The American Lady butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of about one and a half inches. Its wings are a light yellow color with a black border. American Lady butterflies live in a variety of habitats, from forests to grasslands. They are usually seen flying around in groups.
American Snout
The American Snout butterfly is a small butterfly with a long, pointed nose. They are found in open woodlands and gardens.
Appalachian Brown
The Appalachian Brown butterfly is a large butterfly with a brown body and wings. They are found in the Appalachian Mountains in the eastern United States. They hibernate in the winter and lay their eggs on host plants in the summer.
Common Buckeye
The Common Buckeye butterfly is a medium-sized butterfly with a wingspan of about 2 inches. It is a beautiful light brown and has a black band on each wing. They prefer to live in open areas, such as fields and meadows, but can also be found in woodlands.
Common Wood-Nymph
The Common Wood-Nymph butterfly is a small brown and black butterfly. They are commonly found in gardens and other wooded areas.
Eastern Comma
The Eastern Comma butterfly has a black and white wingspan of about one and a half inches. They are found in the eastern United States and Canada. They like to live in open areas, such as fields and meadows.
Gulf Fritillary
The Gulf Fritillary butterfly is a delicate butterfly with a bright yellow and black wings. It is found in open areas near water, such as fields and meadows, as well as in forested areas.
Hackberry Emperor
The Hackberry Emperor butterfly is a striking butterfly with a black and brown body and a yellow and black wingspan. They are found in the dry forests of the eastern United States, where they feed on the nectar of hackberry trees.
Little Wood-Satyr
The Little Wood-Satyr butterfly is a small butterfly that is mainly found in the eastern United States. They are usually found in open areas such as fields, meadows, and forests.
Monarch
A Monarch butterfly is a beautiful creature that is often seen flitting around in the open sky. They are typically a bright orange or yellow color and have large wings that make them very agile. Monarchs typically reside in open fields, meadows, and forests. They feed on nectar from flowers, and their favorite spot is often near a tree.
Mourning Cloak
The Mourning Cloak butterfly has a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. It has a black and white pattern on its wings. The butterfly lives in oak and maple forests.
Painted Lady
The Painted Lady butterfly is a small butterfly with a bright orange body and wings. They are common in open areas such as forests and meadows, but can also be found in parks and gardens. They are attracted to flowers, but are also known to feed on nectar from other plants.
Pearl Crescent
A Pearl Crescent butterfly looks like a delicate, iridescent blue and green butterfly with a white spot on its wings. They live in dry, open areas such as grasslands and deserts, and are common in the Western United States.
Question Mark
A Question Mark butterfly is typically brown and black with a white or light-colored spot near the bottom of the wings. They are commonly found in open areas near water, such as meadows, fields, and forests.
Red Admiral
A Red Admiral butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright red body and wings. They are found in warm, tropical regions all over the world. They prefer wet, forested areas with plenty of flowering plants.
Red-spotted Purple or White Admiral
The Red-spotted Purple or White Admiral butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright red spot on each wing. They are found in warm, dry habitats such as oak woodlands and prairies.
Tawny Emperor
A Tawny Emperor butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a golden body and brown wings. They are found in tropical regions, especially in forests.
Variegated Fritillary
Variegated Fritillary butterflies are typically brown and white, with black and yellow markings. They are found in open, sunny areas with plenty of nectar sources.
Viceroy
A Viceroy butterfly is a medium-sized butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. The wings are a rich, velvety black, with a white band running the length of each wing. The habitat of a Viceroy butterfly is open, grassy areas with scattered trees.
Gossamer-wing Butterflies in Worcester County, Maryland
American Copper
The American Copper butterfly is a brightly colored butterfly with a wingspan of about 2.5 inches. They are found in the eastern United States, but can be found as far west as Texas. They are most commonly found in deciduous and mixed forests, but can also be found in orchards and gardens.
Banded Hairstreak
A Banded Hairstreak butterfly has a distinctive band of black and yellow across its wings. They are typically found in open spaces, such as fields, meadows, and forests, but can also be found near water sources.
Bronze Copper
A Bronze Copper butterfly looks like a tan and brown butterfly with black spots on its wings. They live in open areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows or woodlands.
Brown Elfin
A Brown Elfin butterfly has a wingspan of about 2 inches. The wings are a light brown with a dark brown border. The underside of the wings is a light brown. They are found in open areas with lots of flowers, such as fields, meadows, and gardens.
Coral Hairstreak
Coral Hairstreaks are brightly-colored butterflies that inhabit forests, meadows, and gardens. They are commonly seen flitting about among the flowers.
Eastern Pine Elfin
Eastern Pine Elfin butterflies are mostly blue with a few green and black spots. They live in pine forests and love to fly around.
Eastern Tailed-Blue
The Eastern Tailed-Blue butterfly has a light blue tail with a blue band running along the top. The wings are light blue with a dark blue band running along the bottom. They are found in open woodlands and fields.
Frosted Elfin
A Frosted Elfin butterfly looks like a delicate butterfly with a frosty hue. They are found in cool, humid habitats such as forests, meadows, and gardens.
Gray Hairstreak
Gray Hairstreak butterflies are very small, with a wingspan of about 2 inches. They have a light gray, almost white, body with a dark gray, triangle-shaped patch on the upperwing. They live in open areas with lots of flowers, such as fields, gardens, and meadows, and are attracted to light.
Great Purple Hairstreak
The Great Purple Hairstreak is a large butterfly with a wingspan of up to three inches. It is a beautiful blue color with a purple edge to its wings. It is common to find this butterfly in open areas with plenty of flowers, such as meadows and fields.
Harvester
The Harvester butterfly is a small, black and yellow butterfly. It has a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. The Harvester butterfly is found in open country, such as fields and meadows, where it feeds on nectar from flowers.
Henry’s Elfin
A Henry’s Elfin butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly with a wingspan of just over one inch. The butterfly is predominantly blue with a yellowish tinge and has a very colourful wingspan. The butterfly is found in open areas, such as meadows, woodland, and gardens, and is very common in the UK.
Hessel’s Hairstreak
The Hessel’s Hairstreak butterfly is a brightly-colored butterfly that can be found in open areas with lots of flowers. They are usually found in the United States, but have been found in Mexico and Canada. They are most commonly found in the eastern half of the US.
Holly Azure
A Holly Azure butterfly is bright blue with a white spot on its wings. They live in warm, moist forests.
Juniper Hairstreak
The Juniper Hairstreak butterfly is a small butterfly with a blue-green wings. They have a black spot on the top of their head. They live in open, wooded areas.
King’s Hairstreak
The King’s Hairstreak butterfly is a large butterfly with a bright blue and yellow wings. They are found in warm, temperate areas of the world. They mostly inhabit forests, but can also be found in parks and gardens.
Oak Hairstreak
The Oak Hairstreak butterfly is a stunning butterfly with a bright orange wings and black spots on the wings. They are found in oak woodlands and other open habitat near streams.
Red-banded Hairstreak
A Red-banded Hairstreak butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright red band around its wings. They typically live in open spaces, such as meadows, fields, and gardens, but can also be found near trees. They feed on nectar from flowers, and are attracted to light.
Spring Azure
A Spring Azure butterfly is a beautiful, delicate butterfly. They are usually light blue or purple, with a wingspan of about 2 inches. They live in open areas, such as meadows and fields, and feed on nectar from flowers.
Striped Hairstreak
The Striped Hairstreak butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with stripes on its wings. The habitat of a Striped Hairstreak butterfly is open spaces with plenty of nectar sources.
Summer Azure
A Summer Azure butterfly is a beautiful blue butterfly with a white forewing tip. They are common summer visitors to gardens and parks, and can be found resting on flowers or foliage. They are mostly found in warm, dry areas, such as fields and open woods.
White-M Hairstreak
A White-M Hairstreak butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly with a white body and black wings. They are found in open, sunny areas such as meadows, fields, and gardens.
Parnassian and Swallowtail Butterflies in Worcester County, Maryland
Black Swallowtail
The Black Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a blue and black wings. They are usually found in open areas such as woodlands and meadows.
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly, Papilio glaucus, is a beautiful butterfly that can be found in a variety of habitats across North America. These butterflies are typically found in forests, but can also be found in meadows and fields. Eastern Tiger Swallowtails are known for their vibrant colors and their clever flying ability.
Giant Swallowtail
The Giant Swallowtail butterfly is one of the largest butterflies in North America and can be up to 28 cm long. They are dark brown with a bright yellow stripe running down the center of their wings. They live in tropical forests and can be seen flying around during the day.
Palamedes Swallowtail
The Palamedes Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. The butterfly is found in forests, meadows, and other open areas in North America.
Pipevine Swallowtail
The Pipevine Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of up to three inches. They are found in the eastern United States, but can also be found in the southern part of the country. They are active during the day, but are also known to migrate. The habitat of the Pipevine Swallowtail butterfly is open, meadow-like areas.
Spicebush Swallowtail
Spicebush Swallowtail butterflies are large, colorful butterflies with a long tail. They prefer open areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows and gardens.
Zebra Swallowtail
A Zebra Swallowtail butterfly is typically a dark brown or black with stripes down its wings. They are found in open areas with lots of flowering plants, and typically feed on nectar.
Skipper Butterflies in Worcester County, Maryland
Aaron’s Skipper
The Aaron’s Skipper butterfly is a small, black and yellow butterfly with a wingspan of about one-and-a-half inches. They are found in open, sunny areas with plenty of flowers, such as meadows and prairies.
Broad-winged Skipper
The Broad-winged Skipper butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. They are usually green and have a black stripe down their back. They live in open areas such as meadows, fields, and forests.
Clouded Skipper
Clouded Skipper butterflies have a wingspan of about 2 inches. They have a dark brown body with a lighter brown or greenish-white band across the middle of their wings. Clouded Skipper butterflies are found in open woodlands, gardens, and meadows.
Cobweb Skipper
A Cobweb Skipper butterfly is a small, slender butterfly with a velvety black and yellow wings. They are common in North America, where they can be found in open habitats such as meadows and prairies.
Common Checkered-Skipper
The Common Checkered-Skipper butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly with a spotted pattern on its wings. They are found in open areas such as fields and meadows, and are most active during the early morning and late evening.
Common Sootywing
The Common Sootywing butterfly is a small, brown butterfly with black markings on its wings. The butterfly is found in open areas such as meadows, pastures, and fields.
Crossline Skipper
The Crossline Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly with a brown and white wings. They are found in open areas, such as meadows, woodlands, and fields, and are often found near moisture sources such as rivers or lakes.
Delaware Skipper
The Delaware Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly with a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. The wings are a beautiful light blue and the butterfly has a yellow and black band on its wings. The butterfly is found in open areas with lots of flowers, such as prairies, meadows, and fields.
Dion Skipper
Dion Skipper butterflies are light brown with a white band across their wings. They live in open areas, such as fields, gardens, and meadows.
Dun Skipper
A Dun Skipper butterfly is a small, colorful insect with a wingspan of about 1 inch. They are found in open, grassy areas near water, where they feed on nectar from flowers.
Dusted Skipper
A Dusted Skipper butterfly looks like a small, delicate butterfly with a wingspan of about 1 inch. The butterfly is usually light yellow or white, with a black dot on the front of its wings. The butterfly is found in open, sunny areas, such as meadows and fields, and often flies around flowers.
Fiery Skipper
A Fiery Skipper butterfly has bright orange and black wings, with a bright yellow and orange stripe running down the center of each wing. They live in open areas with lots of bushes and flowers, and often fly in search of nectar.
Hayhurst’s Scallopwing
The Hayhurst’s Scallopwing butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly with a wingspan of about one inch. The wings are a pale blue with brown and white stripes. The butterfly is found in warm, humid forests across the Eastern United States.
Horace’s Duskywing
A Horace’s Duskywing butterfly is a dark-colored butterfly with a wingspan of about 1 inch. They live in open habitats, such as fields and meadows, and are attracted to lights.
Juvenal’s Duskywing
A Juvenal’s Duskywing butterfly is typically a dark brown color with a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. It is found in open woodland and prairies, as well as in urban areas.
Least Skipper
A Least Skipper butterfly looks like a small, light brown butterfly with a white “V” on its wings. They are found in open fields, meadows, and woodland, but are also found near water.
Little Glassywing
The Little Glassywing butterfly is a small butterfly with transparent wings. It is found in open habitats, such as meadows and prairies, and can be seen flying around during the day.
Long-tailed Skipper
A Long-tailed Skipper butterfly looks like a large, colorful butterfly with a long tail. They are common visitors to flowers in warm, open areas.
Northern Broken-Dash
Northern Broken-Dash butterflies are a beautiful species of butterfly. They are typically blue or black with broken yellow and black brush strokes on their wings. They are found in open areas, such as prairies and meadows, but can also be found in forests.
Northern Cloudywing
Northern Cloudywings are blue with black markings. They are found in wet areas, such as forests and swamps.
Peck’s Skipper
The Peck’s Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that has a black and yellow wings. They are found in open areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows and fields.
Sachem
A Sachem butterfly is a colorful butterfly found in the United States that belongs to the Morphidae family. The Sachem butterfly has a wingspan of about 2 inches and is known for its striking black and yellow markings. They are typically found in open areas near streams and rivers, where they feed on flowers.
Salt Marsh Skipper
Salt Marsh Skipper butterflies are small, slimy brown butterflies with long tails. They live in salt marshes and other wetlands, where they feed on insects.
Silver-spotted Skipper
The Silver-spotted Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly with a black and silver pattern on its wings. They live in open areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows, fields, and gardens.
Sleepy Duskywing
Sleepy Duskywings are a medium-sized butterfly that is mostly light brown, but with a dusky stripe down the center of each wing. They are found in open woodlands and prairies, where they feed on nectar and pollen.
Southern Cloudywing
A Southern Cloudywing butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that is found in the United States. They have a wingspan of about 1.5 inches and are usually a light blue or purplish color. They are usually found in moist areas like moist woodlands or riverside forests.
Swarthy Skipper
The Swarthy Skipper butterfly is a medium-sized butterfly that is predominantly black with brown and yellow markings. They are found in open areas with plenty of flowers, and are usually seen flying around during the morning and evening.
Tawny-edged Skipper
This butterfly is typically brown with a yellow-edged wingspan. They are found in open areas near water, such as meadows, fields, and forests.
Twin-spot Skipper
The Twin-spot Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that is typically light brown with black markings on the wings. They are found in open, grassy areas with scattered trees.
Wild Indigo Duskywing
A Wild Indigo Duskywing butterfly looks like a dark blue and black butterfly with a white spot on the wings. They live in open, grassy areas with lots of flowers.
Zabulon Skipper
The Zabulon Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that is mostly black with white stripes on its wings. They are found in the eastern United States and in parts of Canada. They are mostly found in open areas with lots of flowers, but they can also be found in forests.
White and Sulphur Butterflies in Worcester County, Maryland
Cabbage White
The Cabbage White butterfly is a small butterfly with a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. The butterfly has a pale yellow body and a dark brown head and thorax. The butterfly lives in open spaces, such as meadows and prairies, and feeds on nectar from flowers.
Checkered White
The Checkered White butterfly has a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. It has dark brown and white stripes on its wings. The butterfly lives in open areas with lots of flowers, such as fields, meadows, and gardens.
Clouded Sulphur
A Clouded Sulphur butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of about 2 inches. They are mainly found in the eastern United States but have been found in other parts of North America. They like to live in open areas, such as meadows, and often visit flowers.
Cloudless Sulphur
A Cloudless Sulphur butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that has a wingspan of around 2 inches. The butterfly is typically light green or blue in colour and its wings have a delicate cloud-like pattern. Cloudless Sulphur butterflies live in warm, temperate climates and are usually found near woodlands or along rivers.
Falcate Orangetip
A Falcate Orangetip butterfly is a bright orange and black butterfly with a long tail. They are found in tropical forests, and are known to feed on nectar from flowers.
Little Yellow
A Little Yellow butterfly typically has a yellow body, wings, and tail. They are found in warm, temperate areas, and prefer open spaces with a lot of flowers.
Orange Sulphur
A Orange Sulphur butterfly is orange and has black stripes on its wings. They live in the tropics and are attracted to flowers.
Sleepy Orange
A Sleepy Orange butterfly is typically a very light orange or yellow color with black spots on its wings. They are found in tropical areas, often near water. They spend the majority of their time resting on flowers or leaves.
That’s the end of our look at the butterflies in Worcester County, Maryland. Interested in learning about more butterflies in Maryland? We have lists for each of the 24 counties in the state.