List of Butterflies of Iowa
The following list of butterflies are found in Iowa. Clicking on the text link will show you a picture of the butterfly and which specific counties in Iowa 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)
'Astyanax'
Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis astyanax)
Common
Mestra (Mestra amymone)
Red-spotted
Purple (Limenitis arthemis)
Viceroy
(Limenitis archippus)
White
Admiral (Limenitis arthemis arthemis)
Emperors (Apaturinae)
Hackberry
Emperor (Asterocampa celtis)
Tawny
Emperor (Asterocampa clyton)
Leafwings (Charaxinae)
Goatweed
Leafwing (Anaea andria)
Longwings (Heliconiinae)
Aphrodite
Fritillary (Speyeria aphrodite)
Atlantis
Fritillary (Speyeria atlantis)
Great
Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele)
Gulf
Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae)
Meadow
Fritillary (Boloria bellona)
Regal
Fritillary (Speyeria idalia)
Silver-bordered
Fritillary (Boloria selene)
Variegated
Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia)
Milkweed Butterflies (Danainae)
Monarch
(Danaus plexippus)
Queen
(Danaus gilippus)
Snouts (Libytheinae)
American
Snout (Libytheana carinenta)
True Brushfoots (Nymphalinae)
American
Lady (Vanessa virginiensis)
Baltimore
(Euphydryas phaeton)
California
Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis californica)
Common
Buckeye (Junonia coenia)
Compton
Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis vaualbum)
Eastern
Comma (Polygonia comma)
Gorgone
Checkerspot (Chlosyne gorgone)
Gray
Comma (Polygonia progne)
Green
Comma (Polygonia faunus)
Milbert's
Tortoiseshell (Aglais milberti)
Mourning
Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa)
Painted
Lady (Vanessa cardui)
Pearl
Crescent (Phyciodes tharos)
Question
Mark (Polygonia interrogationis)
Red
Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
Silvery
Checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis)
Tawny
Crescent (Phyciodes batesii)
Harvesters (Miletinae)
Harvester
(Feniseca tarquinius)
Parnassians and Swallowtails (Papilionidae)
Swallowtails (Papilioninae)
Black
Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes)
Eastern
Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus)
Giant
Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes)
Pipevine
Swallowtail (Battus philenor)
Spicebush
Swallowtail (Papilio troilus)
Zebra
Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus)
Skippers (Hesperiidae)
Spread-wing Skippers (Pyrginae)
Columbine
Duskywing (Erynnis lucilius)
Common
Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus communis)
Common
Sootywing (Pholisora catullus)
Common
Streaky-Skipper (Celotes nessus)
Dreamy
Duskywing (Erynnis icelus)
Hayhurst's
Scallopwing (Staphylus hayhurstii)
Hoary
Edge (Achalarus lyciades)
Horace's
Duskywing (Erynnis horatius)
Juvenal's
Duskywing (Erynnis juvenalis)
Mottled
Duskywing (Erynnis martialis)
Northern
Cloudywing (Thorybes pylades)
Persius
Duskywing (Erynnis persius)
Silver-spotted
Skipper (Epargyreus clarus)
Sleepy
Duskywing (Erynnis brizo)
Southern
Cloudywing (Thorybes bathyllus)
Wild
Indigo Duskywing (Erynnis baptisiae)
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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