List of Butterflies of California
The following list of butterflies are found in California. Clicking on the text link will show you a picture of the butterfly and which specific counties in California the butterfly is found in. Each link also provides more information about the butterfly's identification and life history. This will help you decide which Butterfly Nectar Plants and Butterfly Host Plants you will want to plant when you create your butterfly garden. Simply find which butterflies are in your area, grow the plants the caterpillars like to eat, and plants that adult butterflies feed on! You can prolong the butterfly's stay in your garden and draw in others by providing both the food and shelter they need.
Brush-footed Butterflies (Nymphalidae)
Admirals and Relatives (Limenitidinae)
Blackened
Bluewing (Myscelia cyananthe)
California
Sister (Adelpha bredowii)
Lorquin's
Admiral (Limenitis lorquini)
Viceroy (Limenitis archippus)
Weidemeyer's
Admiral (Limenitis weidemeyerii)
Emperors (Apaturinae)
Hackberry
Emperor (Asterocampa celtis)
Longwings (Heliconiinae)
Callippe
Fritillary (Speyeria callippe)
Coronis
Fritillary (Speyeria coronis)
Great
Basin Fritillary (Speyeria egleis)
Great
Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele)
Gulf
Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae)
Hydaspe
Fritillary (Speyeria hydaspe)
Mexican
Fritillary (Euptoieta hegesia)
Mormon
Fritillary (Speyeria mormonia)
Nokomis
Fritillary (Speyeria nokomis)
Northwestern
Fritillary (Speyeria hesperis)
Pacific
Fritillary (Boloria epithore)
Unsilvered
Fritillary (Speyeria adiaste)
Variegated
Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia)
Zebra
Heliconian (Heliconius charithonius)
Zerene
Fritillary (Speyeria zerene)
Milkweed Butterflies (Danainae)
Monarch (Danaus plexippus)
Queen (Danaus gilippus)
Snouts (Libytheinae)
American
Snout (Libytheana carinenta)
True Brushfoots (Nymphalinae)
American
Lady (Vanessa virginiensis)
Bordered
Patch (Chlosyne lacinia)
California
Crescent (Phyciodes orseis)
California
Patch (Chlosyne californica)
California
Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis californica)
Common
Buckeye (Junonia coenia)
Compton
Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis vaualbum)
Dotted
Checkerspot (Poladryas minuta)
Edith's
Checkerspot (Euphydryas editha)
Field
Crescent (Phyciodes pulchellus)
Gabb's
Checkerspot (Chlosyne gabbii)
Gray
Comma (Polygonia progne)
Green
Comma (Polygonia faunus)
Hoary
Comma (Polygonia gracilis)
Hoffmann's
Checkerspot (Chlosyne hoffmanni)
Leanira
Checkerspot (Thessalia leanira)
Milbert's
Tortoiseshell (Aglais milberti)
Mourning
Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa)
Mylitta
Crescent (Phyciodes mylitta)
Northern
Checkerspot (Chlosyne palla)
Northern
Crescent (Phyciodes cocyta)
Painted
Lady (Vanessa cardui)
Pearl
Crescent (Phyciodes tharos)
Phaon
Crescent (Phyciodes phaon)
Red
Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
Rockslide
Checkerspot (Chlosyne whitneyi)
Sagebrush
Checkerspot (Chlosyne acastus)
Satyr
Comma (Polygonia satyrus)
Texan
Crescent (Phyciodes texana)
Tiny
Checkerspot (Dymasia dymas)
Variable
Checkerspot (Euphydryas chalcedona)
West
Coast Lady (Vanessa annabella)
Parnassians and Swallowtails (Papilionidae)
Parnassians (Parnassiinae)
Clodius
Parnassian (Parnassius clodius)
Rocky
Mountain Parnassian (Parnassius smintheus)
Sierra
Nevada Parnassian (Parnassius behrii)
Swallowtails (Papilioninae)
Anise
Swallowtail (Papilio zelicaon)
Black
Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes)
Giant
Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes)
Indra
Swallowtail (Papilio indra)
Old
World Swallowtail (Papilio machaon)
Pale
Swallowtail (Papilio eurymedon)
Pipevine
Swallowtail (Battus philenor)
Polydamas
Swallowtail (Battus polydamas)
Two-tailed
Swallowtail (Papilio multicaudata)
Western
Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio rutulus)
Courtesy of: Opler, Paul A., Harry Pavulaan, Ray E. Stanford, Michael
Pogue, coordinators. 2006.
Butterflies and Moths of North America. Bozeman, MT: Mountain Prairie
Information Node.
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