Nebraska Butterflies & Skippers List

Butterflies & Skippers

Butterflies and Skippers (210 Total)

Click on a species name for photographs, status, range, Nebraska Natural Heritage ranking*, flight times, size and hostplants.

*The Nebraska Natural Heritage Program description on each species page presents information about at-risk species. The first number is the State Natural Heritage Conservation Status rank. The second is the Natural Legacy Plan Status. Tier 1 means nationally at-risk of extinction. Tier 2 means at-risk of disappearing from Nebraska. To read more about the program click here and here.

^#Range for species chart divided between West (W), North Central (NC), Northeast (NE), Southwest (SW), South Central (SC) and Southeast (SE).

Nebraska Butterfly List

Butterfly Families

Hesperiidae / Skippers

Papilionidae / Swallowtails & Parnassians

Pieridae / Whites, Sulphurs, Yellows

Lycaenidae / Blues, Coppers & Hairstreaks

Nymphalidae / Brush-footed

Scientific Name	Common Name	Occurrence	Range^#
Family: HESPERIIDAE	Skippers
Epargyreus clarus	Silver Spotted Skipper	Common Resident	Statewide
Thorybes lyciades	Hoary Edge	Rare Stray	SE
Thorybes bathyllus	Southern Cloudywing	Rare Resident	SE
Thorybes pylades	Northern Cloudywing	Occasional Resident	Statewide
Staphylus hayhurstii	Hayhurst’s Scallopwing	Rare Resident	NE, SW, SC, SE
Grais stigmaticus	Hermit	Very Rare Stray	Varies
Erynnis brizo	Sleepy Duskywing	Uncommon Resident	SE
Erynnis juvenalis	Juvenal’s Duskywing	Uncommon Resident	NC, NE, SE
Erynnis horatius	Horace’s Duskywing	Occasional Resident	W, NC, NE, SC
Erynnis martialis	Mottled Duskywing	Rare Resident	W, NC, SE
Erynnis funeralis	Funereal Duskywing	Uncommon Stray	Varies
Erynnis baptisiae	Wild Indigo Duskywing	Uncommon Resident	Statewide
Erynnis afranius	Afranius Duskywing	Occasional Resident	W
Erynnis persius	Persius Duskywing	Rare Resident	W
Pyrgus scriptura	Small Checkered-Skipper	Likely Extirpated	W
Burnsius communis	Common Checkered-Skipper	Common Resident/Stray	Statewide
Pholisora catullus	Common Sootywing	Common Resident	Statewide
Ancyloxypha numitor	Least Skipper	Locally Common	Statewide
Oarisma garita	Garita Skipperling	Rare Resident	W
Thymelicus lineola	European Skipper	Very Rare Stray	Varies
Hylephila phyleus	Fiery Skipper	Stray	Varies
Hesperia uncas	Uncas Skipper	Uncommon Resident	W, NC, SW
Hesperia juba	Juba Skipper	Very Rare Stray	Varies
Hesperia colorado	Western Branded Skipper	Local Resident	W, NC, SW
Hesperia ottoe	Ottoe Skipper	Rare Resident	Statewide
Hesperia leonardus pawnee	Pawnee / Leonard’s Skipper	Uncommon Resident	W, NC, NE, SW, SC
Hesperia pahaska	Pahaska Skipper	Rare Resident	W
Hesperia metea	Cobweb Skipper	Possible Rare Resident	SC
Hesperia viridis	Green Skipper	Possible Rare Resident	W, SW
Hesperia attalus	Dotted Skipper	Extirpated Resident	SE
Polites rhesus	Rhesus Skipper	Rare Resident	W
Polites carus	Carus Skipper	Very Rare Stray	Varies
Polites peckius	Peck’s Skipper	Occasional Resident	Statewide
Polites sabuleti	Sandhills Skipper	Rare Stray/Resident	W
Polites themistocles	Tawny-edged Skipper	Common Resident	Statewide
Polites origenes	Crossline Skipper	Uncommon Resident	Statewide
Polites mystic	Long Dash	Uncommon Resident	W, NC, SE, SW
Polites egeremet	Northern Broken-Dash	Rare Resident	W, NC, NE, SC, SE
Vernia verna	Little Glassywing	Uncommon Resident	NC, NE, SE
Atalopedes campestris	Sachem	Common Stray	Statewide
Atrytone arogos	Arogos Skipper	Rare Resident	Statewide
Anattrytone logan	Delaware Skipper	Common Resident	Statewide
Problema byssus	Byssus Skipper	Rare Resident	SE
Poanes massasoit	Mulberry Wing	Rare Resident	NE
Lon hobomok	Hobomok Skipper	Uncommon Resident	Statewide
Lon zabulon	Zabulon Skipper	Uncommon Resident	NE, SC, SE
Lon taxiles	Taxiles Skipper	Uncommon Resident	W, NC
Poanes viator	Broad-winged Skipper	Uncommon Resident	W, NC, NE
Euphyes dion	Dion Skipper	Uncommon Resident	NE, SE
Euphyes conspicua	Black Dash	Rare Resident	NE
Euphyes bimacula	Two-spotted Skipper	Uncommon Resident	W, NC, NE
Euphyes vestris	Dun Skipper	Occasional Resident	Statewide
Atrytonopsis hianna	Dusted Skipper	Uncommon Resident	Statewide
Notamblyscirtes simius	Simius Roadside-Skipper	Rare Resident	W
Amblyscirtes oslari	Oslar’s Roadside-Skipper	Rare Resident	W, NC, SW, SC
Amblyscirtes nysa	Nysa Roadside-Skipper	Rare Stray	Varies
Amblyscirtes vialis	Common Roadside-Skipper	Occasional Resident	Statewide
Lerodea eufala	Eufala Skipper	Occasional Stray	Varies
Calpodes ethlius	Brazilian Skipper	Very Rare Stray	Varies
Panoquina ocola	Ocola Skipper	Very Rare Stray	Varies
Megathymus yuccae	Yucca Giant-Skipper	Uncommon Resident	W, NC, SW, SC
Megathymus streckeri	Strecker’s Giant-Skipper	Uncommon Resident	W, NC

Scientific Name	Common Name	Occurrence	Range^#
Family: PAPILIONIDAE	Swallowtails, Parnassians
Parnassius smintheus sayi	Says’ Parnassian	Possibly Extirpated	W
Battus philenor	Pipevine Swallowtail	Uncommon Stray	Varies
Eurytides marcellus	Zebra Swallowtail	Resident	NE, SE
Papilio polyxenes	Black Swallowtail	Common Resident	Statewide
Papilio machaon	Old World Swallowtail	Uncommon Resident	W, NC, SW, SC
Papilio zelicaon	Anise Swallowtail	Uncommon Resident	W
Papilio indra	Indra Swallowtail	Uncommon Resident	W
Heraclides cresphontes	Giant Swallowtail	Occasional Resident	NC, NE, SW, SC, SE
Pterourus glaucus	Eastern Tiger Swallowtail	Common Resident	Statewide
Pterourus rutulus	Western Tiger Swallowtail	Rare Stray/Resident	W
Pterourus multicaudata	Two-tailed Swallowtail	Occasional Resident	W, NC, SW, SC
Pterourus troilus	Spicebush Swallowtail	Rare Stray	Varies
Pterourus palamedes	Palamedes Swallowtail	Very Rare Stray	Varies

Scientific Name	Common Name	Occurrence	Range^#
Family: PIERIDAE	Whites, Sulphurs, Yellows
Neophasia menapia	Pine White	Possibly Extirpated	W
Glutophrissa drusilla	Florida White	Very Rare Stray	Varies
Pontia sisymbrii	Spring White	Occasional Resident	W
Pontia protodice	Checkered White	Common Resident	Statewide
Pontia occidentalis	Western White	Uncommon Resident	W, SW
Ganyra josephina	Giant White	Rare Stray	Varies
Pieris rapae	Cabbage Butterfly	Common Resident	Statewide
Euchloe ausonides	Large Marble	Rare Resident	W
Euchloe olympia	Olympia Marble	Occasional Resident	Statewide
Anthocharis midea	Falcate Orangetip	Possibly Extirpated	NE, SE
Colias philodice	Clouded Sulphur	Common Resident	Statewide
Colias eurytheme	Orange Sulphur/Alfalfa Butterfly	Common Resident	Statewide
Colias alexandra	Queen Alexandra’s Sulphur	Uncommon Resident	W
Zerene cesonia	Southern Dogface	Stray	Varies
Anteos clorinde	White Angled Sulphur	Very Rare Stray	Varies
Anteos maerula	Yellow Brimstone	Very Rare Stray	Varies
Phoebis sennae	Cloudless Sulphur	Occasional Stray	Statewide
Phoebis philea	Orange-barred Sulphur	Very Rare Stray	Varies
Phoebis agarithe	Large Orange Sulphur	Rare Stray	Varies
Kricogonia lyside	Lyside	Very Rare Stray	Varies
Aphrissa statira	Statira Sulphur	Very Rare Stray	Varies
Eurema daira	Barred Yellow	Very Rare Stray	Varies
Abaeis mexicana	Mexican Sulphur	Occasional Stray	Statewide
Pyrisitia proterpia	Tailed Orange	Very Rare Stray	Varies
Pyrisitia lisa	Little Yellow	Stray	NC, NE, SC, SE
Pyrisitia nise	Mimosa Sulphur	Very Rare Stray	Varies
Abaeis nicippe	Sleepy Orange	Occasional Stray	Statewide
Nathalis iole	Dainty Sulphur	Common Stray	Statewide

Scientific Name	Common Name	Occurrence	Range^#
Family: LYCAENIDAE	Blues, Coppers, Hairstreaks
Feniseca tarquinius	Harvester	Rare Resident	SE
Lycaena phlaeas	American Copper	Uncommon Resident	NC, NE
Tharsalea dione	Gray Copper	Common Resident	Statewide
Tharsalea hyllus	Bronze Copper	Occasional Resident	Statewide
Tharsalea rubida	Ruddy Copper	Uncommon Resident	W, NC
Tharsalea helloides	Purplish Copper	Uncommon Resident	Statewide
Satyrium titus	Coral Hairstreak	Occasional Resident	Statewide
Satyrium acadica	Acadian Hairstreak	Uncommon Resident	Statewide
Satyrium edwardsii	Edwards’ Hairstreak	Possibly Extirpated	NE, SE
Satyrium calanus	Banded Hairstreak	Uncommon Resident	NC, NE, SC, SE
Satyrium caryaevorus	Hickory Hairstreak	Rare Resident	SE
Satyrium liparops	Striped Hairstreak	Rare Resident	Statewide
Ministrymon leda	Leda Hairstreak	Very Rare Stray	Varies
Calycopis cecrops	Red-banded Hairstreak	Possibly Extirpated	SE
Callophrys affinis apama	Apama/Western Green Hairstreak	Rare Resident	W
Callophrys gryneus	Olive Hairstreak	Locally Common Resident	W, NC, SW
Callophrys henrici	Henry’s Elfin	Uncommon Resident	SE
Callophrys niphon	Eastern Pine Elfin	Possibly Extirpated	SE
Callophrys eryphon	Western Pine Elfin	Uncommon Resident	W, NC
Strymon melinus	Gray Hairstreak	Common Resident	Statewide
Parrhasius m-album	White-M Hairstreak	Rare Stray	SE
Brephidium exilis	Pygmy Blue	Rare Stray	Varies
Leptotes marina	Marine Blue	Uncommon Stray	Statewide
Hemiargus ceraunus	Ceraunus Blue	Very Rare Stray
Echinargus isola	Reakirt’s Blue	Occasional Stray	Statewide
Cupido comyntas	Eastern Tailed-Blue	Common Resident	Statewide
Cupido amyntula	Western Tailed-Blue	Stray/Possibly Extirpated	W
Celastrina neglecta	Summer Azure	Occasional Resident	Statewide
Euphilotes enoptes	Dotted Blue	Rare Resident	W
Euphilotes rita	Rita Blue	Rare Resident	W
Glaucopsyche piasus	Arrowhead Blue	Occasional Resident	W
Glaucopsyche lygdamus	Silvery Blue	Occasional Resident	W, SW, SC
Plebejus melissa	Melissa Blue	Common Resident	Statewide
Icaricia saepiolus	Greenish Blue	Rare Resident	W
Icaricia icarioides	Icarioides Blue	Locally Common Resident	W
Icaricia shasta	Shasta Blue	Uncommon Resident	W
Icaricia lupini	Lupine Blue	Uncommon Resident	W, NC, SW, SC

Scientific Name	Common Name	Occurrence	Range^#
Family: NYMPHALIDAE	Brush-footed Butterflies
Libytheana carinenta	Snout Butterfly	Stray	Statewide
Dione vanillae	Gulf Fritillary	Rare Stray	Varies
Dryas iulia	Julia	Rare Stray	Varies
Heliconius charithonia	Zebra	Rare Stray	Varies
Euptoieta claudia	Variegated Fritillary	Common Stray	Statewide
Argynnis cybele	Great Spangled Fritillary	Occasional Resident	Statewide
Argynnis aphrodite	Aphrodite Fritillary	Occasional Resident	W
Argynnis idalia	Regal Fritillary	Uncommon Resident	Statewide
Argynnis edwardsii	Edwards’ Fritillary	Locally Common Resident	W, NC
Argynnis coronis	Coronis Fritillary	Locally Common Resident	W
Argynnis zerene	Zerene Fritillary	Rare Resident	W
Argynnis callippe	Callippe Fritillary	Uncommon Resident	W
Argynnis hesperis	Northwestern Fritillary	Possibly Extirpated	W
Argynnis mormonia	Mormon Fritillary	Very Rare Resident	W
Boloria selene	Silver-bordered Fritillary	Uncommon Resident	W, NC, NE
Boloria bellona	Meadow Fritillary	Rare Resident	NE
Boloria chariclea helena	Purplish Fritillary	Rare Stray/Resident	W
Poladryas arachne	Arachne Checkerspot	Rare Resident	W
Chlosyne fulvia	Fulvia Checkerspot	Uncommon Resident	W, SW, SC
Chlosyne lacinia	Bordered Patch	Occasional Stray	Varies
Chlosyne gorgone	Gorgone Checkerspot	Occasional Resident	Statewide
Chlosyne nycteis	Silvery Checkerspot	Occasional Resident	W, NC, NE, SC, SE
Chlosyne acastus	Acastus Checkerspot	Rare Resident	W
Anthanassa texana	Texan Crescent	Uncommon stray	Varies
Phyciodes graphica	Graphic Crescent	Very Rare Stray	Varies
Phyciodes phaon	Phaon Crescent	Uncommon stray	Varies
Phyciodes tharos	Pearl Crescent	Common Resident	Statewide
Phyciodes cocyta	Northern Crescent	Rare Resident	W
Phyciodes batesii	Tawny Crescent	Rare Resident	W
Phyciodes pulchella	Field Crescent	Rare Resident	W
Phyciodes picta	Painted Crescent	Uncommon Resident	W, SW
Phyciodes pallida	Pale Crescent	Rare Resident	W
Phyciodes mylitta	Mylitta Crescent	Rare Resident	W
Euphydryas anicia	Anicia Checkerspot	Occasional Resident	W
Euphydryas phaeton	Baltimore	Rare Stray	Varies
Polygonia interrogationis	Question Mark	Occasional Resident	Statewide
Polygonia comma	Eastern Comma	Occasional Resident	Statewide
Polygonia satyrus	Satyr Anglewing	Rare Stray/Resident	W
Polygonia gracilis zephyrus	Zephyr	Rare Resident	W
Polygonia progne	Gray Comma	Uncommon Resident	W, NC, NE, SC, SE
Nymphalis l-album	Compton Tortoise Shell	Rare Stray	Varies
Nymphalis antiopa	Mourning Cloak	Uncommon Resident	Statewide
Nymphalis californica	California Tortoise Shell	Rare Stray	Varies
Aglais milberti	Milbert’s Tortoise Shell	Occasional Resident	W
Vanessa virginiensis	American Lady	Occasional Resident	Statewide
Vanessa carduii	Painted Lady	Common Migrant	Statewide
Vanessa annabella	West Coast Lady	Rare Stray	W, SW
Vanessa atalanta	Red Admiral	Common Resident	Statewide
Junonia coenia	Buckeye	Occasional Stray	Statewide
Anartia jatrophae	White Peacock	Very Rare Stray	Varies
Limenitis arthemis astyanax	Red-spotted Purple	Occasional Resident	NC, NE, SC, SE
Limenitis archippus	Viceroy	Occasional Resident	Statewide
Limenitis weidemeyerii	Weidemeyer’s Admiral	Occasional Resident	W, NC
Mestra amymone	Amymone	Very Rare Stray	Varies
Marpesia petreus	Ruddy Daggerwing	Very Rare Stray	Varies