Butterflies

THERE ARE 17,500 SPECIES OF BUTTERFLIES FOUND WORLDWIDE AND AT LEAST 400 SPECIES FOUND IN THE STATE OF TEXAS

BUTTERFLIES ARE FOUND ON EVERY CONTINENT EXCEPT ANTARCTICA!

How do Butterflies pollinate?

Butterflies help with pollination. As they sip nectar at one flower, some pollen will get stuck to their bodies and come with them to another flower. But they're actually much less efficient at moving pollen between plants compared to bees. They lack the specialized structures on their bodies to collect pollen (like hair throughout their body and on their legs).

Butterflies sip nectar with their proboscis, which acts as a drinking straw to eat.

Butterflies of Texas

Black swallowtail

These are large butterflies with a 4+ inch wingspan. They are deep black in color with yellow spots that trail along the edges of the wings. These butterflies love to eat from milkweed, clover and thistle. Black Swallowtails are found throughout Texas, but are commonly found in urban areas

monarch

This is easily the most recognizable species of butterfly found in North America. Monarch's are known for their striking orange and black wings and their massive migrations that happen twice a year. The best time to see Monarchs in Texas is during the fall or spring when they are migrating through the state.

Here is a great video explaining the Monarch Migration in under 4 minutes!

texan crescent

This species is orange and brown with white spots. Their wing tips will be brown and the orange will be closest to their body. You'll find Texan Crescents throughout all of Texas. They are commonly found in residential gardens or city parks.

american lady

This species has mostly solid orange wings with dark brown/black near the edges, and two eyespots on the underside of the hind wings. American Lady butterflies are found throughout most of Texas, but they will typically migrate south for the winter. They are also attracted to a variety of flowers and will often be spotted in patches of wildflowers in the spring and summer.

Cosmos Flowers; Source

What types of flowers are butterflies attracted to?

In clusters and provide landing platforms

Brightly colored (red, yellow, orange)
Open during the day
Ample nectar producers, with nectar deeply hidden
Nectar guides present
May be clusters of small flowers like goldenrods and Spirea

Moths and Butterflies Can Sometimes be Mistaken for One or the Other...

There are multiple distinguishable characteristics that can be noted between moths and butterflies. For instance, butterflies will have club-shaped antennae, whereas moths antennae are feathery or tapered. Moths also tend to have furry bodies in comparison to butterflies.

Check out this great clip below that describes more of their differences and how to tell them apart!

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