List of butterflies of Canada facts for kids

Compton tortoiseshell (Nymphalis vaualbum)

Canada is home to nearly three hundred amazing species of butterflies. These colorful flying insects belong to large scientific groups called families. They live across wide prairies, tall mountain peaks, deep forests, and icy northern tundras. Each species has special physical features and unique habits that help it survive in cold northern climates. Many Canadian butterflies are famous for bright colors, while others use clever camouflage to hide from predators like birds and frogs. Exploring these insect groups helps us understand how rich and delicate Canadian nature really is.

Skippers: Family Hesperiidae

Dreamy duskywing (Erynnis icelus)

The family Hesperiidae includes small, quick butterflies known as skippers. They get their name because they dart rapidly from flower to flower. Skippers have thick, furry bodies and large heads. Their antennae feature tiny hooked tips, unlike the straight knobs found on most other butterflies.

Subfamily Pyrginae – pyrgine skippers

Skippers in the subfamily Pyrginae usually hold their wings flat when resting in the sun. Many species have dark brown, mottled patterns that resemble tree bark or dry leaves.

• Epargyreus clarus – silver-spotted skipper
• Urbanus proteus – long-tailed skipper
• Achalarus lyciades – hoary edge
• Thorybes bathyllus – southern cloudywing
• Thorybes pylades – northern cloudywing
• Staphylus hayhurstii – Hayhurst's scallopwing
• Erynnis icelus – dreamy duskywing
• Erynnis brizo – sleepy duskywing
• Erynnis juvenalis – Juvenal's duskywing
• Erynnis propertius – propertius duskywing
• Erynnis horatius – Horace's duskywing
• Erynnis martialis – mottled duskywing
• Erynnis pacuvius – Pacuvius duskywing
• Erynnis zarucco – Zarucco duskywing
• Erynnis funeralis – funereal duskywing
• Erynnis lucilius – columbine duskywing
• Erynnis baptisiae – wild indigo duskywing
• Erynnis afranius – Afranius duskywing
• Erynnis persius – Persius duskywing
• Pyrgus centaureae – grizzled skipper
• Pyrgus ruralis – two-banded checkered skipper
• Pyrgus scriptura – small checkered skipper
• Pyrgus communis – common checkered skipper
• Pholisora catullus – common sootywing

Subfamily Heteropterinae – intermediate skippers

Arctic skipper (Carterocephalus palaemon)

The subfamily Heteropterinae contains unique skippers that lack the special scent patches seen in other groups. They live in cool woodlands and damp meadows.

• Carterocephalus palaemon – Arctic skipper

Subfamily Hesperiinae – branded skippers

Hobomok skipper (Poanes hobomok)

Members of Hesperiinae are called branded skippers. Males have dark, scent-producing patches of scales called brands across their forewings. When resting, these insects hold their front wings upright while spreading their hind wings out flat.

• Lerema accius – clouded skipper
• Ancyloxypha numitor – least skipper
• Oarisma poweshiek – Poweshiek skipperling
• Oarisma garita – Garita skipperling
• Thymelicus lineola – European skipper
• Hylephila phyleus – fiery skipper
• Hesperia uncas – uncas skipper
• Hesperia juba – juba skipper
• Hesperia comma – common branded skipper
• Hesperia colorado – western branded skipper
• Hesperia assiniboia – plains skipper
• Hesperia ottoe – Ottoe skipper
• Hesperia leonardus – Leonard's skipper
• Hesperia pahaska – Pahaska skipper
• Hesperia dacotae – Dakota skipper
• Hesperia sassacus – Indian skipper
• Hesperia nevada – Nevada skipper
• Polites peckius – Peck's skipper
• Polites sabuleti – sandhill skipper
• Polites draco – draco skipper
• Polites themistocles – tawny-edged skipper
• Polites origenes – crossline skipper
• Polites mystic – long dash skipper
• Polites rhesus – rhesus skipper
• Polites sonora – sonoran skipper
• Polites vibex – whirlabout
• Wallengrenia egeremet – northern broken-dash
• Pompeius verna – little glassywing
• Atalopedes campestris – sachem
• Anatrytone logan – Delaware skipper
• Ochlodes sylvanoides – woodland skipper
• Poanes massasoit – mulberry wing
• Poanes hobomok – Hobomok skipper
• Poanes zabulon – Zabulon skipper
• Poanes viator – broad-winged skipper
• Euphyes dion – Dion skipper
• Euphyes dukesi – Dukes' skipper
• Euphyes conspicua – black dash
• Euphyes bimacula – two-spotted skipper
• Euphyes vestris – dun skipper
• Atrytonopsis hianna – dusted skipper
• Amblyscirtes simius – simius roadside skipper
• Amblyscirtes oslari – Oslar's roadside skipper
• Amblyscirtes hegon – pepper and salt skipper
• Amblyscirtes vialis – common roadside skipper
• Calpodes ethlius – Brazilian skipper
• Panoquina ocola – ocola skipper

Swallowtails and Parnassians: Family Papilionidae

Rocky Mountain parnassian (Parnassius smintheus)

The family Papilionidae includes some of the largest and most magnificent insects in North America. Many swallowtails have slender projections on their hindwings that look like tails. Parnassians are tough mountain dwellers with translucent white or yellow wings.

Subfamily Parnassiinae – parnassians

Parnassians survive in cold alpine meadows high in the mountains. Their dark bodies absorb heat from the sunshine during chilly mornings.

• Parnassius eversmanni – Eversmann's parnassian
• Parnassius clodius – Clodius parnassian
• Parnassius phoebus – Phoebus parnassian
• Parnassius smintheus – Rocky Mountain parnassian

Subfamily Papilioninae – swallowtails

Short-tailed swallowtail (Papilio brevicauda)

Swallowtails are famous for their bold yellow, black, and blue patterns. Their young caterpillars have special defensive organs called osmeteria that smell like stinky cheese to scare hungry predators.

• Battus philenor – pipevine swallowtail
• Eurytides marcellus – zebra swallowtail
• Papilio polyxenes – black swallowtail
• Papilio brevicauda – short-tailed swallowtail
• Papilio machaon – Old World swallowtail
• Papilio zelicaon – anise swallowtail
• Papilio indra – Indra swallowtail
• Papilio cresphontes – giant swallowtail
• Papilio glaucus – eastern tiger swallowtail
• Papilio canadensis – Canadian tiger swallowtail
• Papilio rutulus – western tiger swallowtail
• Papilio multicaudatus – two-tailed swallowtail
• Papilio eurymedon – pale swallowtail
• Papilio troilus – spicebush swallowtail

Whites and Sulphurs: Family Pieridae

Checkered white (Pontia protodice)

The family Pieridae contains delicate white, yellow, and orange butterflies. These insects are common visitors in gardens, farm fields, and forest clearings. Their bright yellow and orange pigments come from chemical compounds stored inside their scales.

Subfamily Pierinae – whites, marbles, and orangetips

Whites and orangetips flutter through open woods and fields during spring and summer. Some caterpillars feed on mustard plants and store plant juices for growth.

• Neophasia menapia – pine white
• Pontia beckerii – Becker's white
• Pontia sisymbrii – spring white
• Pontia protodice – checkered white
• Pontia occidentalis – western white
• Pieris angelika – Arctic white
• Pieris marginalis – margined white
• Pieris oleracea – mustard white
• Pieris virginiensis – West Virginia white
• Pieris rapae – cabbage white
• Ascia monuste – great southern white
• Euchloe ausonides – large marble
• Euchloe naina – green marble
• Euchloe creusa – northern marble
• Euchloe lotta – desert marble
• Euchloe olympia – Olympia marble
• Anthocharis sara – Pacific orangetip
• Anthocharis stella – Stella orangetip

Subfamily Coliadinae – sulphurs

Palaeno sulphur (Colias palaeno)

Sulphur butterflies are easily spotted by their cheerful yellow and orange colors. Several species thrive in cold northern regions, including subarctic bogs and windswept mountain ridges.

• Colias philodice – clouded sulphur
• Colias eurytheme – orange sulphur
• Colias occidentalis – western sulphur
• Colias alexandra – Queen Alexandra's sulphur
• Colias christina – Christina sulphur
• Colias meadii – Mead's sulphur
• Colias johanseni – Johansen's sulphur
• Colias hecla – hecla sulphur
• Colias tyche – Booth's sulphur
• Colias canadensis – Canada sulphur
• Colias nastes – Labrador sulphur
• Colias gigantea – giant sulphur
• Colias pelidne – pelidne sulphur
• Colias interior – pink-edged sulphur
• Colias chippewa – heath sulphur
• Colias palaeno – Palaeno sulphur
• Zerene cesonia – southern dogface
• Phoebis sennae – cloudless sulphur
• Phoebis philea – orange-barred sulphur
• Eurema mexicanum – Mexican yellow
• Eurema lisa – little yellow
• Eurema nicippe – sleepy orange
• Nathalis iole – dainty sulphur

Gossamer-Winged Butterflies: Family Lycaenidae

Harvester

The family Lycaenidae contains small, delicate butterflies with shimmering wings. It includes coppers, hairstreaks, and blues. Many species form close partnerships with ants, which protect the caterpillars from enemies in exchange for sweet honeydew fluid.

Subfamily Miletinae – harvesters

The harvester butterfly is the only carnivorous butterfly in North America. Its caterpillar eats woolly aphids instead of plants.

• Feniseca tarquinius – harvester

Subfamily Lycaeninae – coppers

Bronze copper (Lycaena hyllus)

Copper butterflies feature blazing metallic orange, red, and brown colors. They live near wetlands, grassy meadows, and mountain slopes.

• Lycaena phlaeas – American copper
• Lycaena cuprea – lustrous copper
• Lycaena dione – grey copper
• Lycaena hyllus – bronze copper
• Lycaena rubidus – ruddy copper
• Lycaena heteronea – blue copper
• Lycaena epixanthe – bog copper
• Lycaena dorcas – dorcas copper
• Lycaena dospassosi – Maritime copper
• Lycaena helloides – purplish copper
• Lycaena nivalis – lilac-bordered copper
• Lycaena mariposa – mariposa copper

Subfamily Theclinae – hairstreaks

Henry's elfin (Callophrys henrici)

Hairstreaks have slender, hair-like tails on their hind wings. Near these tails are tiny eye-spots that fool hungry birds into attacking the wrong end of their body.

• Satyrium behrii – Behr's hairstreak
• Satyrium fuliginosum – sooty hairstreak
• Satyrium acadicum – Acadian hairstreak
• Satyrium californica – California hairstreak
• Satyrium sylvinum – sylvan hairstreak
• Satyrium titus – coral hairstreak
• Satyrium edwardsii – Edwards' hairstreak
• Satyrium calanus – banded hairstreak
• Satyrium caryaevorum – hickory hairstreak
• Satyrium liparops – striped hairstreak
• Satyrium saepium – hedgerow hairstreak
• Fixsenia favonius – southern hairstreak
• Calycopis cecrops – red-banded hairstreak
• Callophrys affinis – western green hairstreak
• Callophrys sheridanii – Sheridan's hairstreak
• Callophrys spinetorum – thicket hairstreak
• Callophrys johnsoni – Johnson's hairstreak
• Callophrys rosneri – Rosner's hairstreak
• Callophrys barryi – Barry's hairstreak
• Callophrys gryneus – juniper hairstreak
• Callophrys augustinus – brown elfin
• Callophrys mossii – Moss's elfin
• Callophrys polios – hoary elfin
• Callophrys irus – frosted elfin
• Callophrys henrici – Henry's elfin
• Callophrys lanoraieensis – bog elfin
• Callophrys niphon – eastern pine elfin
• Callophrys eryphon – western pine elfin
• Parrhasius m-album – white hairstreak
• Strymon melinus – grey hairstreak
• Erora laeta – early hairstreak

Subfamily Polyommatinae – blues

Lucia azure (Celastrina lucia)

Blues are tiny insects with lovely sky-blue wings on top. The undersides of their wings are pale gray with intricate black dots. One European species is an invasive insect that established populations in eastern Canada.

• Leptotes marina – marine blue
• Echinargus isola – Reakirt's blue
• Cupido comyntas – eastern tailed-blue
• Cupido amyntula – western tailed-blue
• Celastrina ladon – spring azure
• Celastrina lucia – lucia azure
• Celastrina neglecta – summer azure
• Celastrina serotina – cherry gall azure
• Euphilotes battoides – square-spotted blue
• Euphilotes ancilla – Rocky Mountain dotted blue
• Glaucopsyche piasus – arrowhead blue
• Glaucopsyche lygdamus – silvery blue
• Plebejus idas – northern blue
• Plebejus melissa – Melissa blue
• Icaricia icarioides – Boisduval's blue
• Icaricia lupini – lupine blue
• Icaricia saepiolus – greenish blue
• Icaricia shasta – shasta blue
• Agriades optilete – cranberry blue
• Agriades glandon – Arctic blue
• Polyommatus icarus – common blue

Metalmarks: Family Riodinidae

Mormon metalmark

The family Riodinidae gets its common name from the small metallic flecks decorating their wings. Only one species from this tropical group lives in the dry valleys of southern British Columbia and Saskatchewan.

• Apodemia mormo – Mormon metalmark

Brush-Footed Butterflies: Family Nymphalidae

American snout

The family Nymphalidae is the largest butterfly family in the world. These insects are called brush-footed butterflies because their two front legs are tiny and hairy. They stand and walk using only their four rear legs.

Subfamily Libytheinae – snouts

Snout butterflies have long mouthparts that project forward like a funny bird beak.

• Libytheana carinenta – American snout

Subfamily Heliconiinae – fritillaries

Great spangled fritillary (Speyeria cybele)

Fritillaries have bright orange wings patterned with black checkerboards. Many display bright, mirror-like silver spots across their underwings.

• Agraulis vanillae – gulf fritillary
• Euptoieta claudia – variegated fritillary
• Euptoieta hegesia – Mexican fritillary
• Speyeria cybele – great spangled fritillary
• Speyeria aphrodite – Aphrodite fritillary
• Speyeria idalia – regal fritillary
• Speyeria edwardsii – Edwards' fritillary
• Speyeria coronis – coronis fritillary
• Speyeria zerene – zerene fritillary
• Speyeria callippe – callippe fritillary
• Speyeria atlantis – Atlantis fritillary
• Speyeria hesperis – northwestern fritillary
• Speyeria hydaspe – hydaspe fritillary
• Speyeria mormonia – Mormon fritillary
• Boloria napaea – mountain fritillary
• Boloria eunomia – bog fritillary
• Boloria selene – silver-bordered fritillary
• Boloria bellona – meadow fritillary
• Boloria frigga – Frigga fritillary
• Boloria improba – dingy fritillary
• Boloria epithore – Pacific fritillary
• Boloria polaris – Polaris fritillary
• Boloria freija – Freija fritillary
• Boloria natazhati – Beringian fritillary
• Boloria alberta – Alberta fritillary
• Boloria astarte – Astarte fritillary
• Boloria chariclea – Arctic fritillary

Subfamily Nymphalinae – tortoiseshells, anglewings, and ladies

Mourning cloak (Nymphalis antiopa)

Butterflies in Nymphalinae have jagged wing edges that mimic dead leaves. Many species survive cold northern winters by hibernating as adults beneath tree bark.

• Polygonia interrogationis – question mark
• Polygonia comma – eastern comma
• Polygonia satyrus – satyr comma
• Polygonia faunus – green comma
• Polygonia gracilis – hoary comma
• Polygonia oreas – oreas comma
• Polygonia progne – grey comma
• Nymphalis vaualbum – Compton tortoiseshell
• Nymphalis californica – California tortoiseshell
• Nymphalis antiopa – mourning cloak
• Nymphalis milberti – Milbert's tortoiseshell
• Vanessa virginiensis – American lady
• Vanessa cardui – painted lady
• Vanessa annabella – West Coast lady
• Vanessa atalanta – red admiral
• Junonia coenia – common buckeye
• Chlosyne gorgone – gorgone checkerspot
• Chlosyne nycteis – silvery checkerspot
• Chlosyne harrisii – Harris's checkerspot
• Chlosyne palla – northern checkerspot
• Chlosyne acastus – sagebrush checkerspot
• Chlosyne hoffmanni – Hoffmann's checkerspot
• Phyciodes tharos – pearl crescent
• Phyciodes cocyta – northern crescent
• Phyciodes batesii – tawny crescent
• Phyciodes pallida – pale crescent
• Phyciodes pulchella – field crescent
• Phyciodes mylitta – mylitta crescent
• Euphydryas gillettii – Gillette's checkerspot
• Euphydryas chalcedona – variable checkerspot
• Euphydryas editha – Edith's checkerspot
• Euphydryas phaeton – Baltimore checkerspot

Subfamily Limenitidinae – admirals

Viceroy (Limenitis archippus)

Admirals are strong fliers that glide gracefully through forests. The viceroy butterfly closely mimics the poisonous monarch butterfly to avoid being eaten by hungry birds.

• Limenitis arthemis – white admiral, red-spotted purple
• Limenitis archippus – viceroy
• Limenitis weidemeyerii – Weidemeyer's admiral
• Limenitis lorquini – Lorquin's admiral

Subfamily Apaturinae – emperors

Hackberry emperor (Asterocampa celtis)

Emperors are forest dwellers that feed on tree sap and rotting fruit rather than flower nectar.

• Asterocampa celtis – hackberry emperor
• Asterocampa clyton – tawny emperor

Subfamily Satyrinae – satyrs and wood-nymphs

Little wood-satyr (Megisto cymela)

Satyrs are woodland and tundra butterflies with brown or gray wings. Many species show large round eye-spots on their wings to scare predators. Species in the genus Erebia and Oeneis live in freezing alpine mountaintops and arctic tundra.

• Enodia anthedon – northern pearly-eye
• Satyrodes eurydice – eyed brown
• Satyrodes appalachia – Appalachian brown
• Megisto cymela – little wood-satyr
• Coenonympha tullia – common ringlet
• Coenonympha nipisiquit – maritime ringlet
• Cercyonis pegala – common wood-nymph
• Cercyonis sthenele – Great Basin wood-nymph
• Cercyonis oetus – small wood-nymph
• Erebia vidleri – Vidler's alpine
• Erebia rossii – Ross's alpine
• Erebia disa – Disa alpine
• Erebia mancinus – taiga alpine
• Erebia magdalena – Magdalena alpine
• Erebia mackinleyensis – Mt. McKinley alpine
• Erebia fasciata – banded alpine
• Erebia discoidalis – red-disked alpine
• Erebia pawlowskii – yellow-dotted alpine
• Erebia youngi – four-dotted alpine
• Erebia anyuica – scree alpine
• Erebia lafontainei – reddish alpine
• Erebia epipsodea – common alpine
• Neominois ridingsii – Ridings' satyr
• Oeneis nevadensis – great arctic
• Oeneis macounii – Macoun's arctic or Canada arctic
• Oeneis chryxus – chryxus arctic or brown arctic
• Oeneis uhleri – Uhler's arctic
• Oeneis alberta – Alberta arctic
• Oeneis bore – white-veined arctic
• Oeneis jutta – Jutta arctic
• Oeneis melissa – Melissa arctic
• Oeneis polixenes – Polixenes arctic
• Oeneis rosovi – Philip's arctic
• Oeneis alpina – sentinel arctic

Subfamily Danainae – milkweed butterflies

Monarch (Danaus plexippus)

The monarch butterfly is famous for its long autumn migration from southern Canada to warmer forests in Mexico. Its caterpillars feed exclusively on milkweed plants, making the adults toxic to birds.

• Danaus plexippus – monarch

Subfamily Charaxinae – leafwings

Leafwings look almost exactly like dried, dead leaves when their wings are folded shut.

• Anaea andria – goatweed leafwing

See also

• List of butterflies of North America
• List of moths of Canada
• List of damselflies of Canada
• List of dragonflies of Canada