While getting our PhD degrees from the University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA, we got a chance to explore the state and witness some of the most beautiful butterflies in North America.
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Junonia evarete – Tropical Buckeye
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Battus philenor - Pipevine Swallowtail
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Heliconius charothonia- Zebra Longwing
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Ephyriades brunnea - Florida Duskywing
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Asterocampa celtis - Hackberry Emperor
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Limenitis arthemis astyanax - Red-spotted Admiral
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Eumaeus atala – Atala
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Phocides pigmalion - Mangrove Skipper
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Atrytone arogos - Arogos Skipper
While pursuing our PhD degree at the University of Florida in Gainesvill, Florida, USA, we had the privilege of exploring the state's natural beauty and discovering some of North America's most stunning butterflies.
Florida’s diverse landscapes, ranging from subtropical wetlands and pine flatwoods to coastal dunes and hardwood hammocks, provided a rich and dynamic setting for butterfly exploration. Despite the challenges of navigating remote habitats and unpredictable weather conditions, we remained committed to documenting the region’s butterfly fauna. Through persistence and dedication, we successfully highlighted the incredible diversity of Florida's butterflies and their fascinating ecological adaptations.
Rarity Index:
extremely rare/endangered
very rare/vulnerable
rare
uncommon
common
* beside rarity color represents the species is local. For instance, * represents the species is rare and local.
Some species images on this site are taken from other locations (given in captions) and may not accurately reflect the appearance or characteristics of species in the specific location featured. Please click on the images and read the captions carefully before drawing any conclusions.
Hesperiids are commonly known as skippers and are members of true butterflies (Papilionoidea). They have hooked antennae and small wings compared to their bulky bodies. Some groups keep their wings closed while some prefer to keep them flat open. Hesperiids have a very fast flight what with some are called swifts and darts.
Commonly known as Swallowtails, members of this family are some of the largest butterflies in the world. They can be easily recognized by their upturned antennae, lack of palpi, large eyes and the presence of osmaterium in larval stage. Ancient families such as Parnassiinae show some exceptions. Despite the common name, not all species have tails.
Also known as the whites and yellows, Pieridae can often be seen mud-puddling. The name "butterfly" is believed to have originated from common brimstone Gonepteryx rhamni which is butter in color.
Also known as the blues because of the blue upperwings of most species, this family contains some of the smallest butterflies of the world. Brephidium exilis - Western Pygmy-blue, is considered to be the smallest butterfly found in the USA.
Commonly known as Metalmarks in the Americas, these butterflies show rather weak flight, often perch under the leaves. They are mostly found inside forests.
Commonly known as the brush-footed butterflies, members of this family have only four functional legs while the forelegs are vestigial. Previously it was separated into different families such as Danaindae, Satyridae, Libytheidae, etc. which now are treated as the subfamilies of Nymphalidae.
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