List of Butterflies of Tennessee
The following list of butterflies are found in Tennessee. Clicking on the text link will show you a picture of the butterfly and which specific counties in Tennessee 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)
Red-spotted
Purple (Limenitis arthemis)
Viceroy
(Limenitis archippus)
Emperors (Apaturinae)
Hackberry
Emperor (Asterocampa celtis)
Tawny
Emperor (Asterocampa clyton)
Leafwings (Charaxinae)
Goatweed
Leafwing (Anaea andria)
Longwings (Heliconiinae)
Aphrodite
Fritillary (Speyeria aphrodite)
Diana
(Speyeria diana)
Great
Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele)
Gulf
Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae)
Meadow
Fritillary (Boloria bellona)
Variegated
Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia)
Milkweed Butterflies (Danainae)
Monarch
(Danaus plexippus)
Snouts (Libytheinae)
American
Snout (Libytheana carinenta)
True Brushfoots (Nymphalinae)
American
Lady (Vanessa virginiensis)
Baltimore
(Euphydryas phaeton)
Common
Buckeye (Junonia coenia)
Eastern
Comma (Polygonia comma)
Gray
Comma (Polygonia progne)
Green
Comma (Polygonia faunus)
Mourning
Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa)
Painted
Lady (Vanessa cardui)
Pearl
Crescent (Phyciodes tharos)
Question
Mark (Polygonia interrogationis)
Red
Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
Silvery
Checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis)
Harvesters (Miletinae)
Harvester
(Feniseca tarquinius)
Parnassians and Swallowtails (Papilionidae)
Swallowtails (Papilioninae)
Black
Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes)
Eastern
Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus)
Giant
Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes)
Palamedes
Swallowtail (Papilio palamedes)
Pipevine
Swallowtail (Battus philenor)
Spicebush
Swallowtail (Papilio troilus)
Zebra
Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus)
Skippers (Hesperiidae)
Giant-Skippers (Megathyminae)
Cofaqui
Giant-Skipper (Megathymus cofaqui)
Spread-wing Skippers (Pyrginae)
Common
Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus communis)
Common
Sootywing (Pholisora catullus)
Confusing
Cloudywing (Thorybes confusis)
Dorantes
Longtail (Urbanus dorantes)
Dreamy
Duskywing (Erynnis icelus)
Golden
Banded-Skipper (Autochton cellus)
Hayhurst's
Scallopwing (Staphylus hayhurstii)
Hoary
Edge (Achalarus lyciades)
Horace's
Duskywing (Erynnis horatius)
Juvenal's
Duskywing (Erynnis juvenalis)
Long-tailed
Skipper (Urbanus proteus)
Mottled
Duskywing (Erynnis martialis)
Northern
Cloudywing (Thorybes pylades)
Silver-spotted
Skipper (Epargyreus clarus)
Sleepy
Duskywing (Erynnis brizo)
Southern
Cloudywing (Thorybes bathyllus)
Wild
Indigo Duskywing (Erynnis baptisiae)
Zarucco
Duskywing (Erynnis zarucco)
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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