Of the approximate 100 different species of Butterflies that are found in the state of Illinois, at least 60 species can be spotted in the sheltered, river-surrounded area that is Southern Illinois. With both the Shawnee National Forest and the Ohio River as boundaries, these formidable fences apparently create somewhat of an impasse for a wider variety of Butterflies to appear here. That said, these are the species I have personally witnessed first-hand here in the south-eastern part of Illinois, specifically in White County. All photographs are by me unless otherwise noted.
Swallowtails:
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail -
Papilio glaucus
male black form female
Black Swallowtail -
Papilio polyxenes
male female female
Spicebush Swallowtail -
Papilio troilus
female
Pipevine Swallowtail -
Battus philenor
male
Giant Swallowtail -
Papilio cresphontes
Zebra Swallowtail -
Eurytides marcellus
photo by Will Chatfield-Taylor
Whites and Sulphurs:
Cabbage White -
Pieris rapae
female female male, left, and female
Checkered White -
Pontia protodice
male female
Mustard White -
Pieris oleracea
Falcate Orangetip -
Anthocharis midea
male female
Orange Sulphur -
Colias eurytheme
female white form female
Clouded Sulphur -
Colias philodice
white form female
Cloudless Sulphur -
Phoebis sennae
female
Dainty Sulphur -
Nathalis iole
Little Yellow -
Pyrisitia lisa
Coppers:
Bronze Copper -
Lycaena hyllus
male female
Hairstreaks:
Gray Hairstreak -
Strymon melinus
Banded Hairstreak -
Satyrium calanus
Red-Banded Hairstreak -
Calycopis cecrops
Juniper Hairstreak -
Callophrys gryneus
Blues:
Eastern Tailed Blue -
Cupido comyntas
male female male
Spring Azure -
Celastrina serotina
female
Summer Azure -
Celastrina neglecta
Fritillaries:
Variegated Fritillary -
Euptoieta claudia
Great Spangled Fritillary -
Speyeria cybele
Crescents and Checkerspots
Pearl Crescent -
Phyciodes tharos
male female female
Northern Crescent -
Phyciodes cocyta
Silvery Checkerspot -
Chlosyne nycteis
Brushfoots:
Monarch -
Danaus plexippus
male female female
Viceroy -
Limenitis archippus
variation
Red-Spotted Purple Admiral -
Limenitis arthemis
Red Admiral -
Vanessa atalanta
American Lady -
Vanessa virginiensis
Painted Lady -
Vanessa cardui
Common Buckeye -
Junonia coenia
Hackberry Emperor -
Asterocampa celtis
Tawny Emperor -
Asterocampa clyton
Eastern Comma -
Polygonia comma
Question Mark -
Polygonia interrogationis
summer form winter form
American Snout Butterfly -
Libytheana carinenta
female
Mourning Cloak -
Nymphalis antiopa
photo by Charles Schurch Lewallen
Satyrs:
Gemmed Satyr -
Cyllopsis gemma
Appalachian Brown -
Satyrodes appalachia
Northern Pearly Eye -
Enodia anthedon
photo by John and Jane Balaban
Spread-Wing Skippers:
Juvenal's Duskywing -
Erynnis juvenalis
Horace's Duskywing -
Erynnis horatius
Wild Indigo Duskywing -
Erynnis baptisiae
Silver-Spotted Skipper -
Epargyreus clarus
Common Checkered Skipper -
Pyrgus communis
female female
Common Sootywing -
Pholisora catullus
Hayhurst's Scallopwing -
Staphylus hayhurstii
male male
Grass Skippers:
Fiery Skipper -
Hylephila phyleus
male male female
Sachem Skipper -
Atalopedes campestris
male female
Least Skipper -
Ancyloxypha numitor
Peck's Skipper -
Politas coras
variation
Tawny-Edged Skipper -
Polites themistocles
Crossline Skipper -
Polites origenes
Dun Skipper -
Euphyes vestris
male male, left, and female
Black Dash Skipper -
Euphyes conspicua
Northern Broken Dash Skipper -
Wallengrenia egeremet
Zabulon Skipper -
Poanes zabulon
male female male
As always, I strive for this guide to be as accurate as possible, but there might be some Butterflies I've mis-identified. If any innaccuracies are spotted, please let me know.
