How to identify butterflies

1
Learn easy ways to remember
Tip Think of your own ways to remember
butterflies by knowing their field marks.
Q. What are field marks?

• Field marks are lines, spots,
• patterns, shapes and colors that help us
• identify animals, including butterflies.

Spicebush Swallowtail
The Spicebush Swallowtail has a blue tooth.
Here are some examples of how you can associate
unrelated things to field marks. The connection
will help you remember the butterfly.
Southern Skipperling
Viceroy
Little Yellow
The Southern Skipperling has a white ray on its
hind wing. What would you associate with this
field mark to help you remember the butterfly?
These lines appear on the Viceroy like a smiley
face. No similar butterfly has these lines.
The Little Yellow has two small dots by the body.
The word little has two Ts.
2
Observe still butterflies
What is similar about these butterflies?
What is different ?
Tip Look carefully at the butterfly while its
still before you identify it.
Example The Orange Sulphur and Clouded
Sulphur, which look alike, can easily be confused
with the Sleepy Orange, especially as they fly.
All of these are bright yellow to orange when
they fly. They also share a dark margin on the
dorsal (upper) side of their wings.
Orange Sulphur
Sleepy Orange
Notice the smudgy line on the ventral side of
the hind wing.
Note the row of dots on the ventral (underneath)
side of the hind wing.
3
Look at the ventral side
Tip Sometimes looking at the ventral side of the
wings helps with ID.
Painted Lady Dorsal views of each butterfly are
very similar.
American Lady
Painted Lady
Example Get a look at the ventral view to see
that the Painted Lady has four small eyespots.
The American Lady has two large ones.
American Lady
4
Note similar field marks in sexes
Tip Learn the similarities in field marks
between males and females.
Notice the similar markings between the male and
female of these two species. The pattern of the
field marks is always similar between the two
sexes, even though wing color and appearance of
the field marks sometimes differs between males
and females of the same species.
female
male
These Checkered Whites have similar field marks,
but the wing color is different.
(left photo) Markings on the female are larger
and more distinct. (right photo) Two male
Cloudless Sulphurs puddle, or sip moisture,
to gather salts and proteins.
female
males
5
Note similar field marks in sexes
Tip Learn the similarities in field marks
between males and females.
The pattern of field marks is always similar
between the two sexes, even though the appearance
of the field marks can differ between males and
females of the same species.
Both the males and females of these two species
have blue on the dorsal hind wing. The females
have more blue.
Tiger Swallowtail
Tiger Swallowtail
-- male
-- female
Q. Which are the females?

• If you answered each of the
• ones on the right, you are
• correct!

Black Swallowtail
Black Swallowtail
-- male
-- female
6
Note similar field marks across seasons
Tip Learn the similarities in field marks that
appear differently throughout the year,
especially among whites and sulphurs.
Barred Yellow, white form, summer
Note These are not the same individuals pictured
for each species. New generations display
differences in appearance throughout the year.
Barred Yellow, yellow form, summer
The Barred Yellow transitions between two colors.
But note the bright yellow field mark on the
ventral forewing. It is always present.
The Dainty Sulphur transitions between yellow,
with some black scales, to a drab olive on the
hind wing. But note the black dot field mark on
the forewing. It is always there.
Dainty Sulphur, summer form
Dainty Sulphur, winter form
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Become a specialist
Tip Learn a few similar butterflies, then learn
another batch after you master the first.
Black Swallowtail
The Black Swallowtail has an extra orange dot.
The Spicebush Swallowtail has a blue tooth.
Spicebush Swallowtail
Tiger Swallowtail (black female)
The black female Tiger Swallowtail has the same
pattern of black stripes as the yellow females
and males (male below).
An outline of the row of orange dots on the
Pipevine Swallowtail resembles a curved pipe.
Pipevine Swallowtail
8
Part II

• Challenge your identification skills

Dukes Skipper
9
Challenge your identification skills
Viceroy or Monarch? Hint What is the field mark
for the Viceroy? Click on the butterfly you think
is the Viceroy.
Viceroy! See how the smile line appears on the
ventral hind wing.
Monarch
Tip Think of your own ways to remember
butterflies by knowing their field marks.
Clouded Skipper
This butterfly has dark scaling on the ventral
side of the hind wing. How would this field mark
help you remember the name of the butterfly?
Stumped? Click on the butterfly for a suggestion.
The dark scaling is shaped like a tornado, or
funnel cloud. The cloud shape can help you
remember the name, Clouded Skipper.
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Challenge continued
Are these the same kind of butterfly?
Tip Learn the similarities in field marks that
appear differently throughout the year,
especially among the whites and sulphurs.
Yes! They are all Sleepy Oranges. They are the
same species of butterfly, but they are not the
same individual. New generations, and males and
females, display differences in the same field
marks throughout the year.
Q. How can you tell they are Sleepy Oranges?
A. They have the same field mark-- a smudgy
line--that identifies them as the Sleepy Orange.
11
Challenge continued
Tip Learn the similarities in field marks
between males and females.
Which two butterflies are the same species?
12
Challenge continued
Q. Which two butterflies are the same Species?
Pipevine Swallowtail, male

• The Black Swallowtails. Earlier you learned the
  females have more blue on the hind wing than the
  males. The blue scaling is a similar field mark
  each sex shares.
• Another field mark the male and female share is
  the dot near the top edge of the forewings.

Black Swallowtail, female
Tiger Swallowtail, black female
Black Swallowtail, female
13
Challenge continued
Tip Learn the similarities in field marks that
appear differently throughout the year,
especially among the whites and sulphurs.
Which butterfly is a different species?
14
Challenge continued
Tip Learn the similarities in field marks that
appear differently throughout the year,
especially among the whites and sulphurs.
Little Yellow
Barred Yellow--summer
The Little Yellow at the upper left is the
different species. Remember a good field mark is
the two small dots by the body. The other two
butterflies are the Barred Yellow which have
winter and summer forms.
Which butterfly is a different species?
Barred Yellow--winter
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Congratulations! You are well on your way
to identifying butterflies. Get out soon and
take a look!!!