Ohio Butterfly Guide

There’s something enchanting about a brightly colored butterfly flitting by and daintily landing on a blooming flower. Across Ohio, there are plenty of opportunities to catch a glimpse of different kinds of these delightful insects. Nearly 140 species of butterflies, from the large, vivid varieties to smaller, moth-like types, have been recorded here. Although their caterpillars require specific host plants, nearly all adult butterflies feed on flower nectar, making them easier to find than you might think. 

“If you did a quick search, you would find mountains and mountains of poetry on butterflies, and all of it’s flattering,” says Jim McCormac, co-author of Gardening for Moths: A Regional Guide. “They’re probably easily the most popular group of insects. They’re out in the day and around flowers. Everything people like is there.”

McCormac, an accomplished nature photographer, spent 31 years with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources as a botanist and working on special projects involving animals. He shares 12 butterfly species found in the Buckeye State, their distinguishing characteristics and where to look for them.  

Black Swallowtail 
The black swallowtail is unique for the distinctive yellow stripes on its black wings. It also has vivid blue dots along the bottom of its wings and two orange dots. It can be seen across the state from April through October and does not migrate. 

Common Buckeye
This brown butterfly is known for its large faux eye spots and little orange dots and bars on its wings. Scientists theorize the eye spots are meant to distract predators and cause them to strike the butterfly away from its body. Common Buckeyes are seen throughout most of Ohio in open areas but prefer areas of soil without much vegetation.

Monarch
Ohio’s most recognizable butterfly, the monarch, is one of the easiest to spot. This orange and black butterfly has a 3-to-4-inch wingspan and is seen across Ohio from May through November. (The Monarch migrates thousands of miles to Mexico each fall.) Its population is declining, but you can help by planting milkweed, the plant its caterpillars eat. 

Clouded Sulphur
This yellow butterfly flies low over open areas and, in the fall, congregates in hay fields with alfalfa and clover. It has one of the longest flight seasons of any Ohio butterfly and is seen from mid-March into early December. It does not migrate. Its folded wings are all yellow, and its unfolded wings, which span up to 2 inches, display brown tips. 

Great Spangled Fritillary
This orange, brown and black butterfly can be seen across Ohio from mid-May through October. Violets are its host plant, and with 28 species of violets across the state, Ohio is a perfect place for it to thrive. These butterflies are easy to find and frequently stop at a variety of flowers. 

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
This large butterfly is similar in size to a monarch and is seen throughout the state from late March through mid-September. Its brilliant yellow and black wings, marked with bright blue streaks and orange spots, make it easily identifiable. It leaves its offspring in Ohio over the winter to hatch in the spring while it migrates to the southern United States. 

Coral Hairstreak
This adorable butterfly is brownish gray with orange and black dots under its wings and black and white striped antennae. It is found in most of Ohio from June through August in overgrown clearings, fields, woodland borders, meadows and roadsides covered with weeds. 

Silver-Spotted Skipper
This butterfly might be Ohio’s friendliest because it tends to land on people. Twenty-five percent of butterflies are skippers, which are similar to moths. This one is easy to identify because of its namesake big silvery splotches under its wings. Its wingspan can reach 2.5 inches, making it bigger than most skippers.

Red Admiral
This black, red and white butterfly is native to Ohio but also has populations that migrate from southern states, at times making its numbers here incredibly abundant. It is found across the state from early April through the end of October and has a wingspan of 1.75 to 3 inches. 

Red-Spotted Purple
The red-spotted purple prefers the forest, which can make it less likely to be noticed. It also likes parks and gardens. It tends to be more blue than purple and has brilliant blue open wings. (Its folded wings are black with blue and orange spots). They can be seen here from early April through the end of October. 

Spring and Summer Azure
These two little blue butterfly species are nearly identical and ubiquitous throughout the state. The easiest way to tell them apart is when they are seen. Spring azure are spotted March through May, and summer can be found June through September. Their wingspan is about an inch, and their wings are completely blue.

Mourning Cloak
It’s difficult to miss this conspicuous butterfly when its wings are open with its deep, velvety purple, bordered with gold and marked with blue spots. When the wings are up though, they mimic tree bark. Mourning cloaks eat rotten fruit and tree sap, allowing them to be out in cold weather. They are most often seen from early March through late October. 

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