Michigan butterflies offer a vivacious tapestry of colors flitter through diverse habitats , from lush woodlands to urban gardens . With over 150 specie commemorate , Michigan provides a haven for butterfly stroke enthusiasts and investigator alike , showcasing the rich biodiversity of these finespun wing creature .
The article below will avail you explore the 44 most vulgar butterfly species found in Michigan , discover about their characteristics , and identify them .
Different Types of Michigan Butterflies
Eastern Comma
Eastern Comma butterfly ( Polygonia comma butterfly ) display yellowed - orangeness and brown coloration , with lighter forewings marked by disastrous or colored brown spots . Their bodies are gray - dark-brown . These butterfly have specific boniface plant preferences : adults swear on nettles , while caterpillar often populate common trees like the American Elm .
Painted Lady
Painted Lady butterflies ( Vanessa cardui ) are identified by theirorange base color with blackforewings featuring white-hot spot . Their bodies are light brown , match the ventral wing color , which also displays eyespots . Migratory in nature , they move south after summer , primarily feeding on nectar from various aster specie .
Canadian Tiger Swallowtail
Canadian Tiger Swallowtails ( Papilio canadensis ) in Michigan have xanthous - dominant wings with black security deposit and two little pitch-black tails on their hindwings . Present in the summer , this species migrates from Canada and has only one brood yearly . Their strikingyellow and blackcoloration makes them easy identifiable .
American Lady
American Lady butterfly ( Vanessa virginiensis ) have orange wings withblack sections and whitemarks . Their ventral annex are brown - grizzly with large blue ocellus . These eyespots assist amuse predatory animal attacks to less full of life areas , enhancing survival of the fittest prospect . They resemble Painted Lady butterflies but can be describe by their alone ocellus patterns .
Essex Skipper
Essex Skippers ( Thymelicus lineola ) feature dour orange or dark brown wing with colored brown to contraband margins . Their ventral wings have a muted gray - brown people of color . Identified by their V - form folding forewings , female lie light-green - yellowish testis ongreen plants . This coinage ’ moody coloration helps it meld into its surround .
Compton Tortoiseshell
Compton Tortoiseshell romance ( Nymphalis l - record album ) are typically found in riparian areas , favor willows and aspen . Both caterpillars and adults utilize willows for hosting and nectar . adult also consume plant fool and once in a while corrode fruit . Their front near water beginning makes them relatively easy to espy .
Clouded Sulphur
Clouded Sulphurs ( Colias philodice ) depart in color from yellow to light putting surface , with rare white female morphs . They feed on various plants , including legumes , making them common pesterer . Caterpillar are often found on whiteplums . Their color variability and plant associations help identify them .
Hobomok Skipper
Hobomok Skippers ( Lon hobomok ) belong to the Hesperiidae family and are describe by their jaundiced and browned coloration , often confused with other skippers . They have typical upward - facing forewings . These skippers are commonly found near woodland throughout the state .
Eastern Tailed-Blue
Eastern chase - Blue butterfly ( Cupido comyntas ) are dark - colored and considered pesterer in crop and garden , feeding on various vegetable leaves . They are occasionally seen eatingsmall plantsand legume seeds . Their bearing often indicates likely damage to agricultural and garden plant .
Small Copper
Small Copper butterflies ( Lycaena phlaeas ) privilege cheery home ground near timber or clearings . They are characterize by orange forewings and mostly dark brown hindwings , with brown spots on the orange sections . dock plant are among their preferred emcee plant .
Banded Hairstreak
Banded Hairstreak butterfly ( Satyrium calanus ) employ mimicry with their gray - brown ventral wings resemblingtree barkto evade predator . They feed on tree diagram leaves , with preferredspecies admit hardwood treeslike oak tree and hickory . Despite their feeding habits , they have minimal disconfirming shock on tree health .
Question Mark
Question Mark butterflies ( Polygonia interrogationis ) primarily feed on Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree sap but do not harm Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree . They choose decaying matter , including carrion and modest , rotting yield . place by their discrete question mark - shaped grading , they gasconade a wingspan of up to 3 column inch .
Least Skipper
Least Skippers ( Ancyloxypha numitor ) boom in humid habitats with tall grass . participating from May to September in Tennessee , their flight season differ from those in warmer climates , where activity can extend until December . name by their preference for humid environments , they frequent areas with dense vegetation .
Appalachian Brown
The Appalachian Brown Butterfly ( Lethe appalachia ) is recognized by its legion eyespot , boasting 10 distinct ventral eyespots with dark chocolate-brown marrow outline in yellowish and black , each sport a white central point . Its dorsal wings are predominantly dark brown , while the adaxial wings display a light brown - gray hue .
Common Checkered-Skipper
The Common Checkered - Skipper ( Burnsius communis ) frequents undefended fields , valleys , and hayfield in Tennessee . Identified by its checkerboard model wing , it boast gray to gloomy hair along its body . Despite its flyspeck sizing , its distinct markings make it easily recognisable , with a wingspan as short as 19 mm .
Common Buckeye
Common Buckeye butterflies ( Junonia coenia ) feature large eyespots on their dorsal wings , with dark-brown coloring dominate the forewings and upper hindwings . This specie show migrant behavior , relocate to Southern nation , including habitats in California , to quash insensate Northern wintertime .
Dun Skipper
Dun Skippers ( Euphyes Gaetan Vestris ) are petite butterflies with black chocolate-brown backstage adorned with light dark-brown spots on the forewings . They typically feed on empurpled vetch and peppermint , while mountain odoriferous serves as sustenance at high elevations . Their caterpillars exclusively feed on sedges , aid in their identification .
Common Ringlet
Common Ringlet butterfly ( Coenonympha california ) are little with white or off - snowy coloring and gray - tan areas on their adaxial fender . Small dim eyespots dot their adaxial flank . They fly close to the ground , often in grassy habitats .
Orange Sulphur
The Orange Sulphur butterfly stroke ( Colias eurytheme ) is often considered a serious pest , specially for alfalfa crop . Its nocturnal Caterpillar can cause terms to legumes , include pea family unit plants . Due to its association with alfalfa , it ’s sometimes called “ The Alfalfa Butterfly . ”
Summer Azure
Summer Azures ( Celastrina neglecta ) thrive in habitats with cornel , as their Caterpillar depend on these plant for food . Adults seek plant ambrosia in various area . Despite their modest size , with a wingspan just over 1 inch , they may gather in group until overcrowd prompt dispersion .
Northern Azure
northerly Azures ( Celastrina lucia ) feature bright blue coloring on the dorsal wings with narrower black margins compared to Summer Azures . They inhabit areas rich in blueberries , hillside blueberries , and cranberries , where both adults and caterpillars can be base .
Monarch
The Monarch butterfly stroke ( Danaus plexippus ) is renowned as the most vulgar butterfly in the state . Named after King William III , know as the King of Orange , it in the first place associates with innkeeper plant like Showy milkweed . Migratory in nature , it steer South just before wintertime . Additionally , Monarchs mime Viceroy butterfly stroke to deter predators by appearing unpalatable .
Red-spotted Admiral
The Red - spotted Admiral ( Limenitis arthemis ) is abundant in areas with willows . It apply sinister cherry and sour cherry as hosts , with black cherry red being more common in the South and sour cherry in the North . Identified by its up to 3.5 - inch wingspan , it feature disgraceful and blue upper forewings and weak aristocratic lower hindwings , with orangish spots on both dorsal and adaxial face .
Black Swallowtail
Black Swallowtails ( Papilio polyxenes ) are striking largebutterflies with classifiable tenacious black-tailed deer , wings , and physical structure . They feature yellow , gamey , and orangish scoring , adding to their salient appearance . Males engage in luxuriant group conjugation rituals , where females select mates from gathered groups .
Cabbage White
Cabbage White butterflies ( Pieris rapae ) are similar to Large snowy species , favoring cabbages and crucifers as larval hosts . They ’re find in urban sphere in small numbers and in crops and valleys in high numbers . Their base people of colour is whitened , with black marker diverge in male and female . They ’re comparatively small , with a wingspan of up to 1.9 in .
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Eastern Tiger Swallowtails ( Papilio glaucus ) are tell apart by their yellow and black colouring . Found across the United States and Michigan , they utilise various bloom , like raving mad rosebush and Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , as hosts . They ’re often seen puddling , where males amass to feed on mud for nutrients .
Silver-spotted Skipper
ash grey - spotted Skippers ( Epargyreus clarus ) are the predominant skipper butterfly in the land , recognize by their drab brown colour and green larvae . Notably , the larvae cocoon themselves in silk shelters around host plants as a protective bar against marauder , includingwasps .
Mourning Cloak
Mourning Cloak butterfly stroke ( Nymphalis antiopa ) are widespread across the Northern Hemisphere . They often rest on Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree barque with wing closed for camouflage . Dorsal wing exhibit brown , yellowed , and blasphemous hues . While adults camouflage well , caterpillars face predator like wasp andbirdswith less auspices .
Red Admiral
Red Admirals ( Vanessa atalanta ) are large butterfly with wingspans overstep 70 mm , characterized by mostly contraband wings . Originating from Europe , they migrate to Southern US states for winter before return in bounce . They frequent arena with stinging nettle and are among the mostcommon butterfliesin the body politic .
Spicebush Swallowtail
Spicebush Swallowtails ( Papilio troilus ) favor spicebush as their primary plant . They frequentlantana , thistle , and milkweed for nectar . Among the big butterflies in the state , they feature mostly black wings with spicy , orange , and white markings on their hindwings . contrast white Zen adorn the flank margins .
Peck’s Skipper
Peck ’s Skippers ( Polites peckius ) are usual grassland butterflies in the state of matter , often recognise in meadow and along roadside . They fertilize on clover nectar , with a preference for thistles . identify by the V - form crimp of their fore-wing , they typically have at least two broods per year .
Pearl Crescent
Pearl Crescents ( Phyciodes tharos ) are diminutiveorange butterfliesin Michigan with wingspan range from 20 to 34 mm . Predominantly orangish , their wings featureblack patterns and whitedots along the edges . dynamic until November , their presence correlates with the blooming of asters .
Northern Crescent
Northern Crescents ( Phyciodes cocyta ) share similarity with Pearl Crescents in sizing and coloring . Their wings expose orange with ignominious margins and patterns . With a size of it of up to 38 millimetre , they are comparatively modest . Found on asters near meadow and woodlands , they bung on dogbane ambrosia as adults .
Great Spangled Fritillary
The Great Spangled Fritillary ( Speyeria cybele ) is characterized by brown upper wings and yellow hindwings adorned with smutty formula . Its ventral wings feature loose brown hues with largewhite spots . These butterflies are medium to large , with a wingspan of up to 88 mm .
Northern Pearly-Eye
northerly Pearly - Eye butterflies ( Lethe anthedon ) frequent lawns , garden , and parks , utilize variousgrassesas host plants for their caterpillars , with whiskery short-grass being common . discover by their moody browned coloration and multiple ignominious eyespots , both dorsal and ventral .
Viceroy
Viceroy butterfly ( Limenitis archippus ) closely resemble Monarchs with their predominantly orange offstage , black veins , and security deposit . They mimic distasteful metal money for auspices . Active during the day , they favor mornings for feeding and mating .
Eastern Giant Swallowtail
Eastern Giant Swallowtails ( Papilio cresphontes ) are citrous fruit pests , with Caterpillar damaging various crop . Among the largest butterflies in the State Department , they feature black fore-wing and hindwings . lily-livered dialect , including a horizontal band and fender margins , contrast with their sorry wings .
Little Wood Satyr
Little Wood Satyr butterflies ( Megisto cymela ) in Michigan are distinguished by their unique shade of Robert Brown , resembling gray . They feature prominent brownish ocellus on both dorsal and ventral extension , visible from afar . While typically small , some individuals may reach medium size with wingspread nearing 50 mm .
Baltimore Checkerspot
Baltimore Checkerspot butterflies ( Euphydryas tourer ) are often found near host plant likewhite polo-neck caput . Identified by their brown bag colour with white and orange Zen on the wing ’ outer perimeter , they are combat-ready in summertime . Ascaterpillars , they lark about orangish soundbox with dark spots and job , and can winter beneath dead leafage .
Common Wood-Nymph
Common Wood - Nymph butterflies ( Cercyonis pegala ) inhabit forest edge , mirror their brown - dominated coloring . Dark Brown University dominate their dorsal wings , adorned with lite dark-brown patches and two dark eyespots . Ventral extension feature light brown hue , with two extra ocellus boast snowy centers .
