Butterflies of Houston and Southeast Texas

Checklist taken from the following publication:
Tveten, John and Gloria, Butterflies of Houston and Southeast Texas, University of Texas Press, published in 1996. (Used by permission of the authors.)

The Tvetens write: "This checklist covers the butterfly species that occur in Harris County and the neighboring counties of Southeast Texas. Scientific names follow the lepidopterists' Society's A Catalogue / Checklist of the Butterflies of America North of Mexico by Lee Miller and F. Martin Brown, published in 1981, and its supplement, edited by Clifford Ferris in 1989. Most of the common names follow Jacqueline Miller's 1992 publication, The Common Names of North American Butterflies. In some cases, however, we have adopted common names proposed by the nomenclature committee of the North American Butterfly Association where those new names seem to have particular merit.

"In compiling this list, we have relied on range maps and records in current butterfly books; Houston-area checklists by Williams and Orr; personal communications from Rickard, Smith and other area lepidopterists; and our own observations. Some of the species are abundant throughout the region; others occur less frequently. A few claim a place on the checklist by virtue of a single specimen. More butterflies will undoubtedly be added to the Houston list through the years, particularly as strays from deep South Texas.

"Although not all species on the list are treated in this book, we believe the accounts and accompanying photographs will serve to identify the vast majority of butterflies observed in Houston. Many less common species are also discussed briefly in the accounts of similar or closely related butterflies. Checklist species omitted in the text are those that are uncommon or accidental to the area and are unlikely to be observed by the casual butterfly watcher."

Checklist key:

• (c) - Common, discussed in the book with full account and photographs
• (u) - Less common, discussed in the book with related species
• (r) - Uncommon or rare species, not in the book
• (Number) - Entries with a number show the common name as used by the Tvetens, with a list at the end of the North American Butterfly Association's new common name for the species.

The checklist:

SWALLOWTAILS, Papilionidae

___ Pipevine Swallowtail, Battus philenor, (c)
___ Polydamas Swallowtail, Battus polydamas, (u)
___ Zebra Swallowtail, Eurytides marcellus, (c)
___ Black Swallowtail, Papilio polyxenes, (c)
___ Thoas Swallowtail, Papilio thoas, (u)
___ Giant Swallowtail, Papilio cresphontes, (c)
___ Tiger Swallowtail (1), Papilio glaucus, (c)

___ Two-tailed Swallowtail, Papilio multicaudata, (u)
___ Spicebush Swallowtail, Papilio troilus, (c)
___ Palamedes Swallowtail, Papilio palamedes, (c)

WHITES and SULPHURS, Pieridae

___ Tropical White (2), Appias drusilla, (r)
___ Checkered White, Pontia protodice, (c)
___ Cabbage White, Pieris rapae, (c)
___ Great Southern White, Ascia monuste, (c)
___ Giant White, Ganyra josephina, (r)
___ Falcate Orangetip, Anthocharis midea, (c)
___ Clouded Sulphur, Colias philodice, (u)
___ Orange Sulphur, Colias eurytheme, (c)
___ Dog Face (3), Colias cesonia, (c)
___ White Angled-Sulphur, Anteos chlorinde, (r)
___ Yellow Angled-Sulphur, Anteos maerula, (r)
___ Cloudless Sulphur, Phoebis sennae, (c)
___ Orange-barred Sulphur, Phoebis philea, (u)
___ Large Orange Sulphur, Phoebis agarithe, (c)
___ Lyside Sulphur, Kricogonia lyside, (r)
___ Barred Yellow, Eurema daira, (u)
___ Mexican Yellow, Eurema mexicana, (c)
___ Little Sulphur (4), Eurema lisa, (c)
___ Sleepy Orange, Eurema nicippe, (c)
___ Dainty Sulphur, Nathalis iole, (c)

GOSSAMER-WINGED BUTTERFLIES, Lycaenidae

___ Harvester, Feniseca tarquinius, (c)
___ Great Purple Hairstreak, Atlides halesus, (c)
___ Soapberry Hairstreak, Phaeostrymon alcestis, (c)
___ Banded Hairstreak, Satryium calanus, (c)
___ King's Hairstreak, Satyrium kingi, (u)
___ Striped Hairstreak, Satyrium liparops, (u)
___ Northern Hairstreak (5), Fixsenia favonius, (c)
___ Frosted Elfin, Callophrys irus, (u)
___ Henry's Elfin, Callophrys henrici, (c)
___ Eastern Pine Elfin, Callophrys niphon, (c)
___ Olive Hairstreak, formerly Juniper, Mitoura grynea, (c)
___ White-M Hairstreak, Parrhasius m-album, (u)
___ Gray Hairstreak, Strymon melinus, (c)
___ Columella Hairstreak (6), Strymon columella, (r)
___ Red-banded Hairstreak, Calycopis cecrops, (c)
___ Dusky-blue Hairstreak (7), Calycopis isobeon, (c)
___ Western Pygmy-Blue, Brephidium exile, (c)
___ Eastern Pygmy-Blue, Brephidium isophthalma, (u)
___ Cassius Blue, Leptotes cassius, (c)
___ Marine Blue, Leptotes marina, (c)
___ Ceraunus Blue, Hemiargus ceraunus, (c)
___ Reakirt's Blue, Hemiargus isola, (c)
___ Eastern Tailed-Blue, Everes comyntas, (c)
___ Spring Azure, Ceslastrina ladon, (c)

METALMARKS, Riodinidae

___ Little Metalmark, Calephelis virginiensis, (c)

SNOUT BUTTERFLIES, Libytheidae

___ Snout Butterfly (8), Libytheana bachmanii, (c)

LONGWINGS, heliconiidae

___ Gulf Fritillary, Agraulis vanillae, (c)
___ Julia, Dryas iulia, (c)
___ Zebra, Heliconius charitonius, (c)

NYMPHALIDS, Nymphalidae

___ Variegated Fritillary, Euptoieta claudia, (c)
___ Bordered Patch, Chlosyne lacinia, (c)
___ Gorgone Checkerspot, Chlosyne gorgone, (u)
___ Silvery Checkerspot, Chlosyne nycteis, (c)
___ Texan Crescent, Phyciodes texana, (c)
___ Phaon Crescent, Phyciodes phaon, (c)
___ Pearl Crescent, Phyciodes tharos, (c)
___ Question Mark, Polygonia interrogationis, (c)
___ Eastern Comma, Polygonia comma, (u)
___ Mourning Cloak, Nymphalis antiopa, (c)
___ American Painted Lady (9), Vanessa virginiensis, (c)
___ Painted Lady, Vanessa cardui, (c)
___ Red Admiral, Vanessa atalanta, (c)
___ Buckeye (10), Junonia coenia, (c)
___ Red-spotted Purple, Limenitis arthemis astyanax, (c)
___ Viceroy, Limenitis archippus, (c)
___ California Sister, Adelpha bredowii, (r)
___ Blue-eyed Greenwing (11), Dynamine dyonis, (r)
___ Amymone (12), Mestra amymone, (c)
___ Goatweed Leafwing, Anaea andria, (c)
___ Hackberry Emperor, Asterocampa celtis, (c)
___ Tawny Emperor, Asterocampa clyton, (c)

SATYRS, WOOD NYMPHS, and BROWNS, Satyridae

___ Southern Pearly Eye, Enodia portlandia, (c)
___ Creole Pearly Eye, Enodia creola, (u)
___ Gemmed Satyr, Cyllopsis gemma, (c)
___ Carolina Satyr, Hermeuptychia sosybius, (c)
___ Georgia Satyr, Neonympha areolata, (c)
___ Little Wood Satyr, Megisto cymela, (c)
___ Red Satyr, Megisto rubricata, (u)
___ Common Wood Nymph, Cercyonis pegala, (c)

MILKWEED BUTTERFLIES, Danaidae

___ Monarch, Danaus plexippus, (c)
___ Queen, Danaus gilippus, (c)

SKIPPERS, Hesperiidae

___ Silver-spotted Skipper, Epargyreus clarus, (c)
___ White-striped Longtail, Chiodes catillus, (u)
___ Long-tailed Skipper, Urbanus proteus, (c)
___ Dorantes Longtail, Urbanus dorantes, (c)
___ Hoary Edge, Achalarus lyciades, (u)
___ Southern Cloudywing, Thorybes bathyllus, (u)
___ Northern Cloudywing, Thorybes pylades, (c)
___ Confused Cloudywing, Thorybes confusis, (u)
___ Southern Scalloped Sootywing (13), Staphylus mazans, (r)
___ Scalloped Sootywing (14), Staphylus hayhurstii, (r)
___ Sickle-winged Skipper, Achlyodes mithridates, (c)
___ White-patched Skipper, Chiomara asychis, (r)
___ False Duskywing, Gesta gesta, (r)
___ Sleepy Duskywing, Erynnis brizo, (r)
___ Juvenal's Duskywing, Erynnis juvenalis, (c)
___ Horace's Duskywing, Erynnis horatius, (c)
___ Funereal Duskywing, Erynnis funeralis, (c)
___ Wild Indigo Duskywing, Erynnis baptisiae, (c)
___ Common Checkered-Skipper, Pyrgus communis (includes albescens), (c)
___ Tropical Checkered-Skipper, Pyrgus oileus, (c)
___ Common Sootywing, Pholisora catullus, (r)
___ Swarthy Skipper, Nastra lherminier, (c)
___ Julia's Skipper, Nastra julia, (c)
___ Neamathla Skipper, Nastra neamathla, (c)
___ Clouded Skipper, Lerema accius, (c)
___ Least Skipper, Ancyloxypha numitor, (c)
___ Orange Skipperling, Copaeodes aurantiacus, (u)
___ Southern Skipperling, Copaeodes minimus, (c)
___ Fiery Skipper, Hylephila phyleus, (c)
___ Meske's Skipper, Hesperia meskei, (r)
___ Tawny-edged Skipper, Polites themistocles, (r)
___ Crossline Skipper, Polites origenes, (r)
___ Whirlabout, Polites vibex, (c)
___ Southern Broken-Dash, Wallengrenia otho, (c)
___ Northern Broken-Dash, Wallengrenia egeremet, (u)
___ Little Glassywing, Pompeius verna, (c)
___ Sachem, Atalopedes campestris, (c)
___ Arogos Skipper, Atrytone arogos, (r)
___ Delaware Skipper, Atrytone logan, (r)
___ Byssus Skipper, Problema byssus, (r)
___ Zabulon Skipper, Poanes zabulon, (r)
___ Aaron's Skipper, Poanes aaroni, (r)
___ Yehl Skipper, Poanes yehl, (u)
___ Broad-winged Skipper, Poanes viator, (c)
___ Dukes' Skipper, Euphyes dukesi, (r)
___ Dun Skipper, Euphyes vestris, (c)
___ Lace-winged Roadside-Skipper, Amblyscirtes aesculapius, (c)
___ Common Roadside-Skipper, Amblyscirtes vialis, (c)
___ Celia's Roadside-Skipper, Amblyscirtes celia, (c)
___ Dusky Roadside-Skipper, Amblyscirtes alternata, (c)
___ Eufala Skipper, Lerodea eufala, (c)
___ Twin-spot Skipper, Oligoria maculata, (c)
___ Brazilian Skipper, Calpodes ethlius, (c)
___ Salt Marsh Skipper, Panoquina panoquin, (c)
___ Obscure Skipper, Panoquina panoquinoides, (c)
___ Ocola Skipper, Panoquina ocola, (c)
___ Yucca Giant-Skipper, Megathymus yuccae, (u)

Common and Latin Names per NABA:

1. Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Papilio glaucus
2. Florida White, Appias drusilla
3. Southern Dogface, Colias cesonia
4. Little Yellow, Eurema lisa
5. Southern Hairstreak, formerly Northern, Fixsenia favonius
6. Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak, Strymon columella
7. Dusky-blue Groundstreak, Calycopis isobeon
8. American Snout, Libytheana carinenta (includes bachmanii and motya)
9. American Lady, Vanessa virginiensis
10. Common Buckeye, Junonia coenia
11. Blue-eyed Sailor, Dynamine dyonis
12. Common Mestra, Mestra amymone
13. Mazans Scallopwing, Staphylus mazans
14. Hayhurst's Scallopwing, Staphylus hayhurstii

• Eagle Optics Ranger Platinum Class Binoculars: close focusing binoculars for butterfly watching (we use the 8 x 32)

  Photo Highlights of the 1999 Houston Area Butterfly Counts

  Photos of some of the butterflies and other beasties seen on 3 of the counts: Brazos Bend State Park, Trinity River Wildlife Refuge and High Island.

  Butterfly Count Reports

  • Second Annual Brazos Bend State Park Count, June 22, 1996
  • First Annual High Island Count, July 13, 1996

Butterflies around the Web

• Results of the High Island Butterfly Count, July 1996
• Results of the Brazos Bend State Park Butterfly Count, June, 1996
• Subscribe to a mailing/discussion list about butterflies to LISTSERV@YALEVM.CIS.YALE.EDU with the message SUBSCRIBE LEPS-L
• The Butterfly Site
• A Butterfly Checklist from Charlie Sassine of butterflies seen at Hans Suter Wildlife Area near Corpus Christi
• The Butterfly Guide
• Texas Monarch Watch
• SE Arizona butterflies : a checklist
• Texas Environmental Studies Institute
• Electronic Resources on Lepidoptera
• Butterflies: National Biological Services
• Monarch Watch
• Butterflies of Texas : Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
• Lepidopterists' Society Home Page: moths, butterflies