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Butterflies Identified in Oracle and Oracle State Park
Southeastern Arizona

Photos of Local Butterflies

To identify a butterfly:  Butterflies and Moths of North America
Common Name Scientific Name Wing Colors Wingspan
Inches		 Caterpillar Food Plants
Acmon Blue Plebejus acmon closed: light brown, black and orange spots 0.75 - 1.13 Buckwheats, Lupines, Milkvetches
American Snout Libytheana carinenta closed: light brown; orange and dark brown and white spotted streak 1.4 - 2 Hackberry
Arizona Powdered Skipper Systasea zampa open: light brown and orange patches, darker brown spots 1 - 1.5 Mallows, including Hollyhock
Cassus Roadside Skipper Amblyscirtes cassus closed: mottled brown with orange streak on forewing 1 - 1.25 various grasses
Ceraunus Blue Hemiargus ceraunus closed: pale blue or brown, spots
open: blue		 0.5 - 0.75 Fairy Duster, Dalea
Checkered Skipper Pyrgus communis open: dark brown with white spots 1 Mallows, including Hollyhock
Checkered White Pontia protodice open: white with brown spots 1.5 - 2.5 Mustard family, Caper family
Cloudless Sulphur Phoebis sennae closed: bright to pale yellow, small ring spots 2 Senna
Common Sootywing Pholisora catullus closed: dark brown, white spots 1 - 1.3 Amaranth
Dainty Sulphur Nathalis iole closed: pale yellow with gray or gray 0.75 - 1.25 Aster family and Marigolds
Desert Checkered Skipper Pyrgus philetas open: brown with white checks and bars 1 - 1.12 Mallows, Sida
Elada Checkerspot Texola elada open: dark brown and orange checkerboard 0.88 - 1.25 Sunflower family
Florida White Appias drusilla open: pure white, thin black edge line 2.15 - 3 Mustard family
Golden-Headed Scallopwing Staphylus ceos open: sooty-black with golden head 1 Goosefoot family
Gulf Fritillary Agraulis vanillae open: orange with black lines & spots 2 - 3 Passion Vine
Hackberry Emperor Asterocampa celtis closed: dull brown, black and white spots 1.3 - 2.5 Hackberry
Juba Skipper Hesperia juba closed: orange-brown, white spots 1.25 - 1.62 Grasses
Leda Ministreak Ministrymon leda closed: gray 0.75 - 0.875 Mesquite
Marine Blue Leptotes marina closed: gray with light brown, black eyespots on bottom rear 0.87 - 1.13 Legumes: Acacia, Mesquite, etc.
Mormon Metalmark Apodemia mormo closed: orange with black and white spots 0.87 - 1.25 Buckwheats
Northern White Skipper Heliopetes ericetorum closed: white with pale tan marks 1.25 - 1.5 Mallows, including Hollyhock
Orange Skipperling Copaeodes aurantiacus closed: dark to pale orange 0.75 - 1 Grasses: Bamboo Muhly, etc.
Orange Sulphur Colias eurytheme closed: variable yellow to orange to white; ringed white spots 1.38 - 2.75 Clovers
Painted Lady Vanessa cardui open: orange with brown & white spots 2 Thistle, Sunflower, Lupine
Palmer's Metalmark Apodemia palmeri open: brown & orange & white spotted 0.75 - 1.13 Mesquites
Pipevine Swallowtail Battus philenor open: black with blue iridescence, yellow or white spots on back edge 4 Pipevines
Queen Danaus gilippus closed: orange with black borders & white spots 2 - 3 Milkweeds
Reakirt's Blue Echinargus isola closed: light brown, black spots with white border; open: blue 0.75 - 1.13 Legumes: Mesquite, Dalea, Mimosa, etc.
Sheep Skipper Atrytonopsis edwardsi closed: brown, few blurred white patches 1.25 - 1.5 Grasses: Sideoats Grama, etc.
Sleepy Orange Eurema nicippe closed: yellow-orange with brown spots or blotches 1.5 Senna
Southern Dogface Zerene cesonia closed: yellow with see-through dog face profile 2.1 - 3 Legumes: Dalea, Milkvetch, etc.
Streaky Skipper Celotes nessus open: dark-brown with light-brown streaks 0.87 - 1.19 Mallows, including Hollyhock
Variegated Fritillary Euptoieta claudia open: orange with light & dark brown 1.75 - 3.12 Passion Vine, Purslane


Desert Checkered Skipper (Pyrgus philetas) on Fringed Amaranth


Juba Skipper (Hesperia juba) on Turpentine Brush


Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) on Turpentine Brush


Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor) on Dakota Verbena


Queen (Danaus gilippus) on Hoary Tansyaster


Reakirt's Blue (Echinargus isola)


Sleepy Orange (Eurema nicippe) on Hoary Tansyaster


Southern Dogface (Zerene cesonia) on Hoary Tansyaster


Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia) on Turpentine Brush