Mud-puddling
Guides
Adelpha californica
California sister
Adelpha californica, the California sister, is a butterfly species in the family Nymphalidae found in western North America. Adults are active from March through November, with one to three generations per year depending on conditions. The species is unpalatable to predators and serves as the model for a large mimicry complex involving other butterflies. Larvae feed exclusively on oaks (Quercus), particularly canyon live oak and coast live oak.
Agathymus neumoegeni
orange giant-skipper, Neumogen's giant-skipper, Neumogen's agave borer, Neumogen's moth-skipper, tawny giant-skipper
Agathymus neumoegeni, the orange giant-skipper, is a large skipper butterfly of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Adults are univoltine, flying in September and October, and are strongly associated with agave plants. The species is notable for its distinctive orange and black wing patterning and its unique life history involving caterpillars that bore into agave leaves. Males exhibit mud-puddling behavior while females are non-feeding.
Aphrissa statira
statira sulphur
Aphrissa statira is a medium-sized yellow butterfly known for its dramatic annual migrations in tropical regions of the Americas. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism, with males displaying brighter lemon-yellow upper wings and females appearing paler yellow to greenish-white. It has been extensively studied for its navigational abilities, including use of Earth's magnetic field for orientation during migration. The species ranges from the southern United States through Central America to northern Argentina, with notable population densities in the Amazon basin.
Colias philodice
common sulphur, clouded sulphur
Colias philodice is a North American pierid butterfly commonly known as the clouded sulphur or common sulphur. It is a multivoltine species that produces multiple generations per year. Adults are typically pale yellow above with no orange traces, distinguishing them from the closely related orange sulphur (C. eurytheme). Females exhibit a white form (alba) that can be common in some populations. The species is a legume-feeder whose larvae primarily develop on alfalfa (Medicago sativa) and various clovers, making it economically significant in agricultural settings. It ranges across most of North America except for the far northern regions of Labrador, Nunavut, and northern Quebec.
Diaethria
eighty-eight butterflies
Diaethria is a genus of brush-footed butterflies in the subfamily Biblidinae, distributed across the Neotropics from Mexico to Paraguay. The genus is renowned for distinctive ventral hindwing patterns that resemble the numerals "88" or "89," formed by black dots surrounded by concentric white and black lines. Adults are vividly colored with aposematic black, white, and red wing patterns. The genus comprises approximately twelve described species, including well-known taxa such as D. clymena and D. anna.
Dryadula phaetusa
Banded Orange Heliconian, Banded Orange, Orange Tiger
Dryadula phaetusa, the sole species in its genus, is a Neotropical heliconiine butterfly recognizable by its bold orange and black banded wing pattern. It ranges from Brazil to central Mexico, with occasional summer vagrants reaching central Florida. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism in color intensity and participates in Müllerian mimicry complexes due to its unpalatability to birds.
Epiphelini
Epiphelini is a tribe of butterflies within the subfamily Biblidinae (Nymphalidae). Members of this tribe are Neotropical in distribution and are characterized by their medium to large size and often striking wing patterns. The tribe includes genera such as Epiphile and Catonephele, commonly known as the 'fire-winged' or 'banner' butterflies. These butterflies are primarily forest-dwelling and are often encountered along forest edges and streams.
Megathymus yuccae
Yucca Giant-skipper
Megathymus yuccae is a large, robust-bodied butterfly in the family Hesperiidae, subfamily Megathyminae. It is an early-season species found across the southern United States in habitats supporting yucca plants, which serve as exclusive larval hosts. Adults are non-feeding, though males engage in mud-puddling behavior. The species is considered rare throughout its range.
Osminiini
clearwing moths (tribe)
Osminiini is a tribe of clearwing moths within the family Sesiidae, established by Duckworth & Eichlin in 1977. Members are characterized by Batesian mimicry of stinging Hymenoptera, including spider wasps (Pompilidae) and bees. The tribe includes genera such as Melanosphecia, Akaisphecia, and Heterosphecia. Species exhibit specialized morphological adaptations including metallic coloration, transparent wings, long hind legs, and wasp-waist illusions that enhance their resemblance to hymenopteran models.
Papilio multicaudata
Two-tailed Swallowtail
Papilio multicaudata, the two-tailed swallowtail, is a large butterfly species in the family Papilionidae found across western North America. It is distinguished from related tiger swallowtails by having two tails on each hindwing rather than one, and by the presence of a black 'slit pupil' in the orange eyespot on each hindwing. It is the largest swallowtail in western North America and serves as the state butterfly of Arizona. Adults fly during spring and summer with one brood per year.
Pieridae
Whites, Yellows, Sulphurs, Orangetips
Pieridae is a large family of butterflies containing approximately 76 genera and 1,100 species, characterized by white, yellow, or orange coloration with black markings. The family was established by William Swainson in 1820. The name "butterfly" is believed to derive from the brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni), a member of this family historically called the "butter-coloured fly." The family is divided into four subfamilies: Dismorphiinae, Pierinae, Coliadinae, and Pseudopontiinae. Many species are economically significant as agricultural pests, particularly those feeding on brassicas.
Pieris rapae
small white, cabbage white, cabbage butterfly, small cabbage white, imported cabbageworm (larval stage), white butterfly (New Zealand)
Pieris rapae is a small to medium-sized butterfly in the family Pieridae, native to Europe and Asia and introduced to North America, Australia, New Zealand, and Hawaii. Adults are white with black wing markings; females bear two additional black spots on the forewings. The species is a significant agricultural pest in its larval stage, known as the imported cabbageworm, feeding on cruciferous crops. It has been extensively studied for its responses to climate change, with long-term data showing progressively earlier spring emergence in North America.
Speyeria mormonia
Mormon fritillary
Speyeria mormonia, commonly known as the Mormon fritillary, is a small montane butterfly distributed across western North America from the Yukon to California and Nevada. The species exhibits extreme protandry, with males emerging at least two weeks before females, leading to skewed adult sex ratios toward males. It occupies diverse habitats including rocky mountainsides, meadows, grasslands, and forest clearings, with populations typically occurring in small, semi-isolated patches. Multiple subspecies have been described, reflecting the species' broad geographic range and high genetic variability.