South Fork Butterflies

People are drawn to butterflies because of their beauty and the symbolism their life cycle represents─the wonder of how something so insignificant can transform into something so delightful.

The more we learn about butterflies and the importance of the environment, the more we find we don't know a great deal about the butterflies that inhabit our area. Over 60 species of butterflies can be observed on the South Fork of Long Island, and they are very important to the success of our native plants and food crops as pollinators. Nearly 90% of all plants need a pollinator to reproduce. With bee populations declining, the role of the butterfly as a pollinator has become even more vital. Without these pollinators, many plant species would be unable to reproduce, resulting in a decline in the abundance of the wildflowers we all know and love, and affecting not only us but the animals around us as well.

Butterflies play a number of roles in the ecosystem, and their presence is an indicator of a healthy environment. In the food chain, the fauna most responsible for passing energy from plants to animals that don't eat plants are insects. So many animals depend on insects for food─spiders, rodents, reptiles, amphibians, and many of our favorite backyard birds─that removing insects, in general, from an ecosystem will cause a catastrophic collapse in the food web. As butterfly populations decrease, so will the populations of the animals that rely on them; for example, it takes 6,000 caterpillars to raise one brood of Black-capped Chickadees.

Some butterflies are becoming more abundant and some less so due to local and global changes in environments. Help SoFo track these changes as we collect data to revise our Butterflies of the South Fork checklist. The checklists SoFo offers are valuable tools for both beginner and expert nature observers to identify local species by narrowing down much larger field guides to focus more on our local area. To help SOFO with this Citizen Scientist project, we need as many pictures of the butterflies seen locally as possible. We are specifically interested in butterflies found in the Southampton and East Hampton townships. Please take as clear a picture as you can of the outside and/or inside wings, if possible, depending how the butterfly is resting. Please attach the image (original size) to an email; then we can zoom in on the field marks (pictures inserted into the body of an email are much harder to zoom in on) and send the email to info@sofo.org.

Please include the specific location (or as close as you can) where the picture was taken and by whom and let us know if we can use your picture (crediting you) in future publications. The date the picture was taken is also very important because there are a few species of butterflies whose only noticeable difference is the time when they are seen flying on the South Fork. Butterflies are active from April to first frosts in November and are most active and visible on sunny days with little or no wind. It is important to send in a picture for every butterfly you were able to observe that day, even if they repeat between days/observations, in order for us to get the most accurate results possible.

We hope you can take a few minutes on sunny days to take pictures of the butterflies visiting your gardens or on your hikes around the South Fork. Check SOFO's website for species information and species counts as well as the best pictures sent in for the week and month..

About Butterflies

Butterflies and moths belong to the order of insects known as Lepidoptera. They are often called “leps” for short by the rapidly expanding number of naturalists who have become butterfly watchers. In our area there are two superfamiles of butterflies, the true butterflies and the skippers, which combine to form seven families. Unlike the majority of moths, most butterflies are active exclusively during the daylight hours. They can be distinguished from moths by the shape of their antennae, which have a club-shaped swelling at the end, which most moths do not have. OBSERVING – The butterfly-watching season on the South Fork extends from the first warm days of spring to the last warm days of fall when the overwintering stage begins. During the season it is productive to look for butterflies in open sunny areas. Meadows, fields, and openings in the woods such as power-line cuts often produce the largest variety. A garden well planted with nectaring flowers and host plants can attract numerous butterflies. On cool cloudy days many species are inactive and hard to find. Paradoxically, it is occasionally possible to see a mourning cloak or less frequently a question mark on the wing in mid-winter. These species overwinter as adults and will sometimes become active on unusually warm sunny winter days. Since the field study of butterflies is relatively new in comparison to birding, there are many opportunities for the average person to add important information concerning behavior and field marks to the ever-expanding knowledge about these fascinating insects. To be successful identifying butterflies in the wild, one needs a field guide that shows them in their natural environment and points out their field marks, the salient characteristics that help a viewer separate two species that look similar. The guide we recommend is Butterflies through Binoculars, by Jeffrey Glassberg. It is also very helpful to have a pair of close-focusing binoculars to enable one to see details that may not be visible to the naked eye. If you wish to attract butterflies to your home, consult one of the many books on butterfly gardening that tell what nectaring and host plants to use. Be aware that the larvae or caterpillars of some species of butterflies and moths have urticating (stinging) hairs for protection against predators. Thus larvae should not be handled with bare hands. We do not recommend handling them at all.

Ethics

With the advent of close-focusing binoculars, and the availability of current field guides that point out field marks and behavior, it is no longer necessary to capture and kill butterflies to identify them. Study them in the wild or take photographs, but do not touch them. The same techniques that changed bird shooting to bird watching one hundred years ago are now being applied by a rapidly growing number of naturalists to the field identification of butterflies. Since many species are experiencing declines in population due to drastic changes and elimination of habitat, it is important that they be left in the wild to give local populations a chance to survive.

Glossary of Terms

Aestivates – Passing the hot months of summer in a state of torpor Extirpated – Once but no longer extant on Long Island Introduced – Not native to North America Migratory – Moving in and out of an area on a seasonal basis (In some species entire populations move; in other only a portion of the population moves.) Southern Emigrant – A species that moves northward into our area in mid to late summer, only to perish with the onset of cold weather Variable Immigrant – A species that can arrive in large numbers in some years and be almost completely absent in other years Checklists complied by Jim Ash, 2000 Cover Illustration: Red Admiral, by Dave Taft Species order of this list follows Butterflies through Binoculars by Jeffrey Glassberg. It is updated periodically. We welcome your sightings.

Key

On the Wing – The time of ear you can expect to see adult butterflies flying Number of Broods – The number of separate generations born each year Larval Host Plants – The species of plants an adult must lay its eggs on for the caterpillar to survive Overwintering Stage – One of the four stages of a butterfly’s life, the one in which it will pass the cold months of winter Abundance – Occurrence in appropriate habitats and season C – Common; Should see FC – Fairly Common; Likely to see U – Uncommon; Possible to see R – Rare; Unlikely to see EX – Extirpated

Species Accounts

Common Name (Scientific Name)

Abundance
On the Wing
Number of Broods
Larval Host Plants
Overwintering Stage

Swallowtails (Papilionidae)

Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor)

Rare
Late May to September
Two Broods
Pipevine, knotweed
Pupa or adult

Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes)

Fairly Common
Late April to September
Two Broods
Wild Carrot, parsley dill
Pupa

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus)

Fairly Common
Late Aprill to mid-June & July to mid-September
Two Broods
Wild Cherry, Tulip Tree
Pupa

Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio Troilus)

Fairly Common
Late April to mid-June & late June to mid-September
Two Broods
Sassafras, Spicebush
Pupa

Whites and Yellows (Pieridae)

Cabbage White (Pieris rapae) Introduced

Common
Late March to first hard frost
Three Broods
Mustards (crucifers)
Pupa

Clouded Sulphur (Colias philodice)

Common
April to November
Three Broods
White Clover
Pupa

Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme)

Common
April to November
Four Broods
Alfalfa and others of the pea family
Pupa

Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae) Southern Emigrant

Uncommon
September to November
No Broods Here
Sennas and other related species
No Overwintering Stage Here

Little Yellow (Eurema lisa) Emigrant

Rare
August to September
No Broods Here
Sennas and other related species
No Overwintering Stage Here

Gossamer Wings (Lycaenidae)

American Copper (Lycaena phlaeas)

Common
Late April to mid-October
Three Broods
Sheep sorrel, dock
Pupa

Bog Copper (Lycaena epixanthe)

Uncommon
Late June to early July
One Brood
Cranberry
Egg

Coral Hairstreak (Satyrium titus)

Fairly Common
Mid-June to mid-July
One Brood
Wild Cherry, Wild Plum
Egg

Edward’s Hairstreak (Satyrium edwardsii)

Uncommon
Mid-June to July
One Brood
Scrub Oak
Egg or Larva

Banded Hairstreak (Satyrium calanus)

Fairly Common
Mid-June to late July
One Brood
Oaks, hickories
Egg

Striped Hairstreak (Satyrium liparops)

Fairly Common
Mid-June to July
One Brood
Blueberry, wild cherry
Egg

Olive Hairstreak (Callophrys gryneus)

Uncommon
Late April to May & mid-July to early August
Two Broods
Red Cedar
Pupa

Brown Elfin (Callophrys augustinus)

Common
Late April to mid-May
One Brood
Blueberry, Bearberry
Pupa

Frosted Elfin (Callophrys irus)

Uncommon
May to mid-June
One
Lupine, wild indigo
Pupa

Eastern Pine Elfin (Callophrys niphon)

Fairly Common
Late April to mid-June
One Brood
Pitch Pine, White Pine
Pupa

White M Hairstreak (Parrhasius m-album)

Rare
Late April to September
Two Broods
Oaks
Pupa

Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus)

Fairly Common
Late April to October
Two Broods
Many species of plants
Pupa

Eastern Tailed Blue (Everes comyntas)

Common
Late April to October
Three Broods
Pea family
Egg

Spring Azure (Celastrina ladon)

Common
April to May
One Brood
Many different plants
Pupa

Summer Azure (Celastrina ladon form neglecta)

Common
Mid-June to September
One Brood
Many different plants
Pupa

Snout Butterflies (Libytheidae)

American Snout (Libytheana carinenta)

Rare
July to September
Two or Three Broods
Hackberry
Pupa

Brush-footed Butterflies (Nymphalidae)

Variegated Fritallary (Euptoieta Claudia) Southern Emigrant

Rare
June to November
No Broods Here
Violets
No Overwintering Stage Here

Regal Fritillary (Speyeria idalia) Extirpated

Extirpated
Formerly July to August
One Brood
Violets
Larva

Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos)

Common
May to June & July to October
Two Broods
Asters
Larva

Question Mark (Polygonia interrogationis) Migratory

Fairly Common
April to July & August to September
Two Broods
Nettles, Elm
Adult

Compton Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis vau-album)

Rare
March to June
One Brood
Birches, willows
Adult

Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa) Aestivates

Fairly Common
March to June & September to October
Two Broods
Willows
Adult

American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis)

Common
Mid-April to October
Two Broods
Everlastings, many other plants
Adult, pupa

Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) Variable Immigrant

Rare to Fairly Common
May to October
Two Broods
Thistles
Adult, Pupa

Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) Migratory

Fairly Common
Mid-April to October
Two Broods
Nettles
Adult, Pupa

Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia) Migratory

Fairly Common
May to October
Two Broods
Gerardias, toadflax, plantain
Adult (often dies)

Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis astyanax)

Uncommon
Mid-May to September
Three Broods
Cherry and other trees and bushes
Larva

Viceroy (Limenitis archippus)

Uncommon
June to October
Two Broods
Willows
Larva

Satyrs and Browns (Satyrinae)

Appalachian Brown (Satyrodes Appalachia)

Uncommon
Mid-June to early August
One Brood
Sedges
Larva

Little Wood Satyr (Megisto cymela)

Common
May to July
One Brood
Grasses
Larva

Common Ringlet (Coenonympha tullia)

Rare
June to August
One Brood
Grasses
Larva

Common Wood Nymph (Cercyonis pegala)

Common
Late June to early September
One Brood
Grasses
Larva

Milkweed Butterflies (Danainae)

Monarch (Danaus plesippus) Migratory

Common
Late May to November
Three Broods
Milkweeds
Adult in Mexico

Spread-winged Skippers (Pyrginae)

Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus)

Fairly Common
May to September
One Brood
Black Locust
Pupa

Southern Cloudywing (Thorybes bathyllus)

Uncommon
Mid-June to mid-July
One Brood
Legumes
Pupa

Northern Cloudywing (Thorybes pylades)

Fairly Common
Late May to mid-July
Two Broods
Legumes
Pupa

Sleepy Duskywing (Erynnis brizo)

Late April to May
One Brood
Scrub Oak
Larva

Juvenal’s Duskywing (Erynnis juvenalis)

Common
Mid-April to mid-June
One Brood
Oaks
Larva

Wild Indigo Duskywing (Erynnis baptisiae)

Fairly Common
Mid-May to mid-June & early July to early August
Two Broods
Wild Indigo
Larva

Common Sootywing (Pholisora catullus)

Fairly Common
Mid-May to mid-September
Two Broods
Lamb’s quarters
Larva

Folded-wing Skippers (Hesperiidae)

Swarthy Skipper (Nastra lherminier)

Rare
Mid-June to early July
One Brood
Little Bluestem grass
Unknown

Least Skipper (Ancyloxpha numitor)

Common
June to October
Three Broods
Grasses
Unknown

European Skipper (Thymelicus lineola) Introduced

Common
June to early July
One Brood
Timothy Grass
Egg

Leonard’s Skipper (Hesperia leonardus)

Uncommon
Late August to September
One Brood
Grasses
Larva

Cobweb Skipper (Hesperia metea)

Fairly Common
May
One Brood
Bluestem Grasses
Pupa

Peck’s Skipper (Polites peckius)

Fairly Common
Late May to June & late July to September
Two Broods
Grasses
Larva

Tawny-edged Skipper (Polites thermistocles)

Fairly Common
Late May to early June & Late July to early September
Two Broods
Grasses
Larva (probable)

Crossline Skipper (Polites origenes)

Uncommon
Late June to July
One Brood
Purple-top Grasses
Larva

Long Dash Skipper (Polites mystic)

Uncommon
June
One Brood
Grasses
Larva

Northern Broken Dash (Wallengrenia egeremet)

Uncommon
Late June to July
One Brood
Panic Grasses
Larva

Little Glassywing (Pompeius verna)

Uncommon
Late June to July
One Brood
Purple-top Grasses
Larva (probable)

Hobomok Skipper (Poanes hobomok)

Common
Late May to early July
One Brood
Grasses
Unknown

Zabulon Skipper (Poanes zabulon)

Fairly Common
Late May to June & late July to early September
Two Broods
Grasses
Unknown

Broad-winged Skipper (Poanes viator zizaniae)

Fairly Common
July to August
One Brood
Phragmites
Unknown

Dun Skipper (Euphyes vestris)

Common
Late June to early August & August to early September
Two Broods
Sedges
Unknown

Dusted Skipper (Atrytonopsis hianna)

Uncommon
Late May to mid-June
One Brood
Bluestem Grasses
Larva