Butterflies in Zapata County, Texas

There are 80 species of butterflies you can find in Zapata County, Texas. Not all of them are common. In fact, some of the butterflies on our list are quite rare sights in Zapata County. The butterflies on our list are grouped by the following categories:


Brush-footed Butterflies in Zapata County, Texas

‘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 open areas with a lot of flowers, like meadows and forests. They are usually found in warmer climates, but can also be found in colder areas during the winter.

American Snout

The American Snout butterfly has a black and white body with a red band on its wings. The butterfly is found in open areas with plenty of flowering plants, such as umbellifers.

Blue-eyed Sailor

A Blue-eyed Sailor butterfly is a small butterfly with blue eyes. They are found in warm and tropical climates, typically in areas with dense vegetation.

Bordered Patch

A Bordered Patch butterfly is a colorful butterfly that lives in open areas with plenty of flowering plants. They can be found flying around in sunny areas.

Common Buckeye

The Common Buckeye butterfly is a large butterfly with a wingspan up to 2.5 inches. The wings are a deep forest green with a dark brown border. The Common Buckeye butterfly lives in moist woods and gardens, and is most active in the afternoon and evening.

Definite Patch

The habitat of a Definite Patch butterfly is a meadow. They are colorful butterflies that are often seen flitting around.

Elada Checkerspot

The Elada Checkerspot butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly found in the southwestern United States and Mexico. The butterfly has a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. The butterfly is predominantly green and has a yellow band across its wings. The butterfly is found in open, grassy areas and often rests on flowers.

Empress Leilia

The Empress Leilia butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. It is a member of the family Nymphalidae and is found in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. The butterfly prefers to live in open areas with plenty of flowers to feed on.

Gemmed Satyr

Gemmed Satyr butterflies are brightly colored butterflies with distinctive gemming on the wings. They are found in tropical and subtropical areas, usually near water. They fly in small flocks and are attracted to flowers.

Gulf Fritillary

The Gulf Fritillary butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright yellow and black wings. They are found in coastal areas of the United States, Mexico, and Central America. They live in open areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows and fields.

Hackberry Emperor

The Hackberry Emperor butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright red color on the top of its wings. The Hackberry Emperor butterfly lives in the forests of the eastern United States.

Julia Heliconian

A Julia Heliconian butterfly looks strikingly different from other butterflies, with its bright colors and long wings. They are usually found in warm, sunny areas, such as meadows and gardens.

Mexican Fritillary

A Mexican Fritillary butterfly looks like a small butterfly with brightly coloured wings. The habitat of a Mexican Fritillary butterfly is a variety of open, sunny areas.

Monarch

A Monarch butterfly is a beautiful, colorful butterfly that lives in the monarch butterfly habitat. Monarchs are found in North America, Central America, and parts of South America. They are the largest butterfly in the world, measuring up to six inches in length.

Phaon Crescent

The Phaon Crescent butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that lives in tropical forests. Its wings are a bright blue, with a reddish stripe down the center. The Phaon Crescent butterfly is a migratory butterfly, and spends its winters in warm climates, such as Florida, Texas, or Mexico.

Queen

Queen butterflies usually have a wingspan of about 3 inches. They are light brown on top with a darker brown band running the length of their wings. They prefer to live in humid areas, such as forests, and are very active during the day.

Question Mark

The Question Mark butterfly is a beautiful and unique butterfly. They are typically light blue or purple in color, with a black and white pattern on their wings. They are found in the wild in Central and South America, and are often seen flying around flowers.

Red Admiral

The Red Admiral butterfly is a large, brightly-colored butterfly with a wingspan of up to two feet. They are commonly found in open areas with plenty of flowers, such as meadows, fields, and parks.

Soldier

A Soldier butterfly is typically a bright yellow or orange color with black stripes on its wings. They typically inhabit open areas such as fields, meadows, and forests.

Texan Crescent

The Texan Crescent butterfly is a medium-sized butterfly with a wingspan of about 2 inches. The wings are a rich reddish-orange with black markings. The males are brighter than the females, and the wings have a distinctive crescent shape. The butterflies are found in open, grassy areas throughout much of Texas.

Theona Checkerspot

Theona Checkerspot butterflies are usually orange or yellow with black spots on their wings. They live in the western United States, Mexico, and Central America. They prefer dry, open areas with lots of flowers.

Tiny Checkerspot

A Tiny Checkerspot butterfly is a small butterfly that has a white background with a black band across the top of its wings. They are found in the United States, Mexico, and Central America. They live in open areas with lots of flowers, and are usually found near water.

Variegated Fritillary

A Variegated Fritillary butterfly has a wingspan of about two inches, and a bright yellow and green wings. They are found in open areas, such as meadows, fields, and forests.

Viceroy

The Viceroy butterfly is a large, dark brown butterfly with a yellow band across its wings. It is found in North America, where it lives in open areas such as prairies, meadows, and savannas.


Gossamer-wing Butterflies in Zapata County, Texas

Ceraunus Blue

The Ceraunus Blue butterfly is a small, blue butterfly that lives in open, sunny areas.

Clytie Ministreak

A Clytie Ministreak butterfly is a colorful butterfly with a wingspan of about one inch. They are found in tropical areas of the world, and are known for their erratic flying behavior. They are attracted to bright colors, and are often seen perched on flowers.

Cyna Blue

The Cyna Blue butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a blue wings and blue body. They are found in open areas with lots of flowers, such as meadows, fields, and gardens.

Gray Hairstreak

The Gray Hairstreak butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that can be found in the Appalachian Mountains and in the northern Midwestern United States. They are most commonly found in moist woods, but can also be found in open fields. The Gray Hairstreak is a migratory butterfly, and spends the summer in the south and the winter in the north.

Juniper Hairstreak

The Juniper Hairstreak butterfly is a small butterfly that is typically seen flying around in open areas near woodlands. They are usually dark brown or black with a distinctive red spot on their wings. The butterfly is usually found in North America, but has also been seen in Europe. They are typically active during the day, but can be seen flying around at night as well.

Lantana Scrub-Hairstreak

The Lantana Scrub-Hairstreak butterfly is a small, drab butterfly that is found in scrubby areas near the coast. The habitat of the Lantana Scrub-Hairstreak butterfly is mainly coastal scrub, but they can also be found in open woodlands or other areas with dense vegetation.

Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak

The Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak butterfly is a orange and black butterfly with a white band across its wing. They inhabit scrub and meadows in the eastern United States.

Reakirt’s Blue

A Reakirt’s Blue butterfly has a bright blue wings with a white stripe down the center of each one. They live in open spaces, such as meadows and fields, and are attracted to light.

Red-crescent Scrub-Hairstreak

The Red-crescent Scrub-Hairstreak butterfly is a small butterfly with a red patch on its wings. It is found in scrubby areas near streams and lakes.

Western Pygmy-Blue

A Western Pygmy-Blue butterfly has a blue body with a white wingtip. They live in the mountains of western North America.


Metalmark Butterflies in Zapata County, Texas

Fatal Metalmark

The Fatal Metalmark butterfly is a large, metallic-colored butterfly with a wingspan of up to three inches. They are found in open, grassy areas near streams and rivers in the southeastern United States.

Red-bordered Metalmark

A Red-bordered Metalmark butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that is found in the eastern United States. They are generally seen flying around flowers in open areas. They are also known to inhabit areas with lots of trees and other vegetation.


Parnassian and Swallowtail Butterflies in Zapata County, Texas

Black Swallowtail

The Black Swallowtail butterfly is one of the most beautiful butterflies in the world. It is a dark brown butterfly with a bright yellow tail. It lives in open areas with lots of flowers.

Giant Swallowtail

A Giant Swallowtail butterfly is a large, colorful butterfly with a wingspan up to 5 inches. They are found in open habitats, including meadows, prairies, and forests, and are often seen flying in groups.

Pipevine Swallowtail

Pipevine Swallowtail butterflies have vibrant colors and long tails. They live in meadows and gardens with lots of flowering plants.

Thoas Swallowtail

The Thoas Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a bright blue wings and black stripes down the center. They are found in open habitats with plenty of flowers to feed on.

Three-tailed Swallowtail

The Three-tailed Swallowtail butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that can be found in tropical forests. They are usually seen perched on tree branches looking for food.


Skipper Butterflies in Zapata County, Texas

Brown Longtail

A Brown Longtail butterfly has brown wings and a black tail. They live in open, grassy areas near water.

Clouded Skipper

A Clouded Skipper butterfly is a medium-sized butterfly with a wingspan of about 1 3/4 inches. It has a dark brown body with a light-colored stripe down its center. The habitat of a Clouded Skipper butterfly is mostly open spaces, such as fields and meadows, but it can also be found near streams and ponds.

Common Sootywing

A Common Sootywing butterfly is a brown and black butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. They are found in open areas with dense vegetation, such as old-growth forests or meadows.

Common Streaky-Skipper

The Common Streaky-Skipper butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that can be found in a variety of habitats, including woodlands, gardens, and open fields. These butterflies are generally shy and difficult to spot, but are sometimes seen flitting about near water or flowers.

Coyote Cloudywing

The Coyote Cloudywing butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of about one and a half inches. They are found in the eastern United States, but are also found in the West Indies. They like to live in damp areas, such as near streams and rivers.

Desert Checkered-Skipper

A Desert Checkered-Skipper butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that is found in the hot, dry desert regions of North America. They are usually seen flying around in large groups, and are known for their brightly-colored wings and tails. Desert Checkered-Skippers are usually found in small areas of scrubby vegetation, and their habitat is often threatened by development.

Erichson’s White-Skipper

The Erichson’s White-Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly with a white body and a blue tail. The butterfly is found in the warmest parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The butterfly lives in open areas, such as fields and meadows, and is attracted to flowers.

Eufala Skipper

The Eufala Skipper butterfly is a small butterfly that is usually brown or yellow with a white stripe on its wings. They live in open areas such as fields, meadows, and forests.

Fiery Skipper

A Fiery Skipper butterfly is typically a bright orange or red with black markings, and their wings are typically decorated with fiery-colored stripes. They are found in open habitats, such as meadows and fields, and are often seen flying in groups.

Funereal Duskywing

The Funereal Duskywing butterfly is a brown and black butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. It lives in open habitats, such as fields and meadows.

Golden-headed Scallopwing

The Golden-headed Scallopwing butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a metallic sheen to its wings. It lives in open areas with plenty of flowers to feed on.

Hecebolus Skipper

The Hecebolus Skipper butterfly is small with a short wingspan. They are usually light brown or tan with a few dark spots. They are mostly found in open habitats such as prairies, meadows, and deserts.

Hoary Skipper

A Hoary Skipper butterfly is a medium-sized butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. Its wings are a dull grayish-white and its body is covered in a thick, fuzzy layer of grayish-white hair. The Hoary Skipper butterfly is found in open areas near woods and fields, where it feeds on nectar from flowers.

Laviana White-Skipper

Most Laviana White-Skipper butterflies are yellow and have black spots on their wings. They live in the tropical rainforest.

Nysa Roadside-Skipper

A Nysa Roadside-Skipper butterfly looks like a small, brown and white butterfly with a black band across its wings. They are found in open, grassy areas and are often seen flying around flowers. They are also found in areas with lots of woods.

Orange Skipperling

The Orange Skipperling butterfly is a small butterfly that is mostly green with a brown band across the middle of its wings. They are found in open habitats such as fields, meadows, and gardens.

Sachem

A Sachem butterfly has a wingspan of about 2 inches and is a light brown and black. They are found in meadows and forests, where they feed on flower nectar.

Southern Skipperling

The Southern Skipperling butterfly is a small butterfly with a wingspan of about 2 inches. The wings are a light yellow with black stripes and a black-edged white band. The butterfly is found in open woods and fields, and prefers sunnier areas.

Texas Powdered Skipper

A Texas Powdered Skipper butterfly is a colorful butterfly that is commonly found in open areas such as fields, meadows, and forest edges. They are usually seen in flocks and can be difficult to spot because they are so small.

Turk’s-cap White-Skipper

The Turk’s-cap White-Skipper butterfly is a small, white butterfly that is found in open habitats such as meadows and prairies.

Two-barred Flasher

The Two-barred Flasher butterfly is a small, colorful butterfly that is found in open, grassy areas.

Veined White-Skipper

A Veined White-Skipper butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that can be found in open areas near water. They are usually seen flitting around in the air and can be difficult to spot.

White Checkered-Skipper

The White Checkered-Skipper butterfly is a beautiful butterfly that is found in open country with lots of sun. They are often seen fluttering around flowers.

White-patched Skipper

A White-patched Skipper butterfly has a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. It has a creamy-white ground color with a black patch on each wingtip. The habitat of a White-patched Skipper butterfly is open, grassy areas with scattered trees.


White and Sulphur Butterflies in Zapata County, Texas

Cabbage White

The Cabbage White butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly with a wingspan of about two inches. The butterfly is mostly white, with a black line running the length of each wing. The butterfly lives in open habitats, such as fields, meadows, and forests, and is most common in the fall.

Checkered White

The Checkered White butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a distinctive pattern of white and black lines on its wings. The butterfly is found in open areas with plenty of flowers, such as meadows, fields, and forests.

Cloudless Sulphur

The Cloudless Sulphur butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with a blue wings and a yellow band on the hind wings. They live in the tropical forests of Central and South America.

Dainty Sulphur

The Dainty Sulphur butterfly is a small butterfly that is typically light green and brown. They are found in the United States, Mexico, and Central America. They are usually found in open areas, such as fields, meadows, and prairies.

Giant White

The Giant White butterfly is one of the largest butterflies in North America. They are usually seen in open areas near water, such as meadows, forests, or fields. They are also commonly found in suburbs and rural areas.

Large Orange Sulphur

A Large Orange Sulphur butterfly has a wingspan of about 2.5 inches and is mostly yellow with a light orange stripe down the center of each wing. They are found in open habitats with a lot of flowers, such as meadows, fields, orchards, and forest edges.

Little Yellow

The Little Yellow butterfly is a small, delicate butterfly with a yellow and black body. They are usually found in open habitats such as meadows, fields, and forests.

Lyside Sulphur

Lyside Sulphur butterflies are very small, delicate creatures that look like colorful butterflies. They live in tropical forests, and their wings are brightly colored, often with a pattern of black and yellow.

Mexican Yellow

Mexican Yellow butterflies are small and brightly colored. They are usually found in open areas with lots of flowers, such as prairies.

Mimosa Yellow

A Mimosa Yellow butterfly is a beautiful butterfly with bright yellow wings. They are found in open areas with plenty of nectar sources, such as meadows and fields.

Orange Sulphur

A Orange Sulphur butterfly is a beautiful creature with a bright orange body and wings. They are found in tropical and subtropical regions of the world, and are usually found in moist forests.

Sleepy Orange

Sleepy Orange butterflies are typically light tan or brown with a dark band across their wings. They are found in open areas with plenty of flowers, such as meadows, fields, and pastures.

Southern Dogface

A Southern Dogface butterfly has bright yellow and black wings with a brown and black body. They live in open woodlands and gardens with lots of flowers.

Tailed Orange

A Tailed Orange butterfly has a dark orange body with a black tail. They live in warm, dry areas with plenty of flowers.

White Angled-Sulphur

The White Angled-Sulphur butterfly has a wingspan of about 2 inches. It is a beautiful butterfly with a white wingtip and a narrow black border. It is found in the eastern US, Canada and south to central Mexico. It is most common in moist forests, but can also be found in scrub and open areas.


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