In this guide, we will explore the world of the 16 most common Pacific Northwest butterflies, learning how to identify them with the help of unique identification features and beautiful photographs.
As you travel through the beautiful Northwest landscapes, keep your eyes peeled for the incredible variety of butterflies that flit about, from the delicate little blue butterflies to the large and colorful monarchs; the state is flush with the flapping, intensely colored winged creatures.
There are about 200 different species of butterflies in the Pacific Northwest, and out of this number, about 90% are native to the area, while 10% migrated to in Pacific Northwest.
Since we cannot discuss all Pacific Northwest butterflies in this guild, let’s look at the 16 most common of them.
See Also: 16 Most Common Butterflies In Connecticut: Pictures And Identifying Features
16 Most Common Pacific Northwest Butterflies
Here are the 16 Most Common Butterflies you will see in the Pacific Northwest.
#1. Monarch (Danaus plexippus)
| SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION | ||||||
| Kingdom | Phylum | Class | Order | Family | Genus | Species |
| Animalia | Arthropoda | Insecta | Lepidoptera | Nymphalidae | Danaus | D. plexippus |
The Pacific Northwest is home to numerous Monarch butterfly populations, which can be identified by the eye-catching pattern of orange and black spots on its wings.
Identifying Features:
Monarchs are large butterflies with a wingspan of 3.5 to 4 inches.
A Monarch butterfly’s orange and black wings, spotted in white, make it easy to identify a monarch butterfly.
A fully grown Monarch butterfly can have a wing span of up to 4 inches.
The behavior of Monarch Butterfly
- The monarch butterfly is a migratory species that travels great distances to reach its wintering grounds. The eastern United States and Canada’s Monarch butterfly population spends the winter in Mexico. They travel back to New Hampshire and other northern states in the United States in the spring.
- To this day, milkweed remains the sole food source for the monarch butterfly, a herbivore. The milkweed plant is toxic, but the monarch butterfly resists its effects. The milkweed’s toxins make the butterflies unpleasant to the taste of any potential predators, ensuring the Monarch butterfly population’s continued existence.
In the southern part of New Hampshire, you’re most likely to see a monarch butterfly, but you can find them all over the State.
As caterpillars, they can only eat milkweed, so look for Monarch in open areas with plenty of milkweed.
#2. Western Tiger Swallowtail (Battus philenor)
Battus philenor, also known as the Western Tiger Swallowtail, is a large and stunning butterfly found in many regions of the Pacific Northwest.
It’s one of the most familiar butterflies in the area and belongs to the swallowtail family (Papilionidae).
Identifying Features:
The Western Tiger Swallowtail is a large, black, and yellow butterfly with a wing span of up to 3.5 inches.
Males are different from females by the blue submarginal markings on their hind wings.
The butterfly’s name comes from its black and yellow markings reminiscent of a tiger’s stripes.
Behavior Western Tiger Swallowtail
- It flies slowly and leisurely, with soft wingbeats that make it easy to watch as it passes. The Western Tiger Swallowtail is a powerful flier that can cover great distances.
- They can frequently be seen migrating during the spring and fall seasons.
- It’s a common sight in wooded areas, open fields, manicured gardens, and green spaces. The presence of plenty of nectar-producing flowers is a major draw for this species.
- They are attracted to flowers, and the mock orange, lilac, and butterfly bush are among their favorites regarding the nectar they produce.
The months of May through September are the active flying months for Western Tiger Swallowtails.
The Western Tiger Swallowtail is a stunning butterfly seen from far away. This butterfly stands out thanks to its size, vivid coloring, and powerful flight.
#3. Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)
| SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION | ||||||
| Kingdom | Phylum | Class | Order | Family | Genus | Species |
| Animalia | Arthropoda | Insecta | Lepidoptera | Nymphalidae | Vane Baltimore Checkerspot ssa | V. cardui |
The Painted Lady butterfly) is a specie of butterfly that can be found throughout the Pacific Northwest and is a beautiful sight to behold.
Identifying Features
The Painted Lady butterfly is a butterfly of medium-sized with a wingspan of 2 to 2.8 inches.
Its unique appearance characterizes it. Its wings are brownish-orange with black and white markings. The intricate pattern of eyespots on the forewings is captivating, while the delicate color bands are found on the hindwings. These colors and patterns attract mates and serve as a defensive mechanism against predators.
The behavior of the Painted Lady butterfly
- The Painted Lady is well-known for its extraordinary migrations across great distances. These butterflies make unique journeys of thousands of miles annually as they make their way from their breeding grounds to their overwintering grounds.
- The butterflies’ bright colors warn other animals to stay away, even though the butterflies themselves do not contain any poison.
The Painted Lady butterfly is a pollinator that feeds on nectar-rich plants. The Painted Lady butterfly is particularly fond of zinnias and sunflowers.
The Painted Lady butterfly is a common sight in parks and gardens in the Pacific Northwest. Many flowering plants are found in urban and suburban areas, attracting butterflies in search of nectar.
#4. Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa)
| SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION | ||||||
| Kingdom | Phylum | Class | Order | Family | Genus | Species |
| Animalia | Arthropoda | Insecta | Lepidoptera | Nymphalidae | Nymphali | N. antiopa |
One of the most interesting and unique butterflies in the Pacific Northwest is the Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa).
The Mourning Cloak butterfly is active in the spring and fall. The butterflies are strong flyers and travel long distances. They migrate from high elevations down to lower altitudes during the fall in the Pacific Northwest.
Identifying Features
It is easy to recognize the Mourning Coat by its maroon or dark brown wings, which have a wide yellow border with blue spots.
The undersides of the wings are gray and have a pattern in black, blue, or both. Its name comes from the somber coloration, said to be similar to the mourning cloak worn by widows.
Behavior
- The Mourning cloak’s early spring emergence is one of its unique features. This is one of the earliest butterfly species seen in the spring after winter. The butterfly can hibernate in colder temperatures as an adult.
- It does not migrate to warm regions, like some butterfly species. Instead, it finds shelter in protected places, such as crevices of trees or underneath loose bark. They emerge from their hibernation when temperatures begin to warm up.
- The Mourning Cloak, like many other butterflies, enjoys basking in the sun. You can see it perched on rocks or tree trunks with its wings open to absorb the sun’s heat. The butterfly can regulate body temperature by sunbathing, which makes it more agile and active during flight.
Mourning Cloak butterflies feed primarily on tree sap and rotting fruits and sometimes on the nectar of flowers.
Mourning cloak caterpillars feed on leaves from elms, willows, and poplars.
Mourning Cloak prefers woodland areas with deciduous tree types. This butterfly is best spotted in mature forests, trails, and parks.
You can find them sunbathing or fluttering in the canopy of trees.
#5. American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis)
| SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION | ||||||
| Kingdom | Phylum | Class | Order | Family | Genus | Species |
| Animalia | Arthropoda | Insecta | Lepidoptera | Nymphalidae | Vanessa | V. virginiensis |
The American Lady butterfly (Vanessa virginiensis) can be found all over the Pacific Northwest. It is a medium-sized butterfly. It is a Nymphalidae butterfly, which makes it one of the most familiar butterflies in the area.
Identifying Features
The American Lady butterfly is instantly recognizable due to its striking orange-brown wings marked with unique black and white markings. It’s a sight to behold when they show up in large numbers, as they do during migrations.
Behavior
- The American Lady butterfly is a powerful flier but does not undertake as extensive a migration as some other butterfly species. They tend to travel in flocks and are attracted to the smell of decaying fruit.
- The American Lady depends on several host plants, mainly in the Asteraceae family, for its entire life cycle.
- The Females will lay their eggs on these plants, and the resulting caterpillars will eat the leaves before pupating and emerging as the beautiful butterflies we see today.
American Lady butterflies like gardens because they can get nectar and lay their eggs safely.
From June through September, you can see many American Lady Butterflies. They can be discovered in various environments, from gardens to meadows.
Thistle, sunflowers, and dandelions are some of their favorite flowers to visit for the nectar they produce.
#6. Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
| SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION | ||||||
| Kingdom | Phylum | Class | Order | Family | Genus | Species |
| Animalia | Arthropoda | Insecta | Lepidoptera | Nymphalidae | Vanessa | V. atalanta |
The Red Admiral butterfly, also known as Vanessa atalanta, is a species in the Pacific Northwest. This captivating insect is also very easy to identify.
Identifying Features
The black wings of a Red Admiral butterfly are easily distinguished by the orange and white markings scattered across them.
A fully grown Red Admiral butterfly can have a wing span of up to 7.5 centimeters (3 inches).
The behavior of the Red Admiral butterfly
- The Red Admiral butterfly’s migratory habits are one of its most fascinating features. The Red Admiral butterfly migrates seasonally, just like the Monarch butterfly. When spring arrives, they head north for warmer temperatures and flowering plants. Then, as the temperatures drop in the fall, they head south to warmer climates searching for breeding sites.
- Red Admirals are territorial. Males fight for nectar-rich and breeding-friendly territories. Soaring and elaborate wing displays characterize these aerial contests.
The Pacific Northwest Red Admiral feeds on nectar from flowers and overripe fruits. Common garden flowers like asters, milkweed, and butterfly bush all attract these insects.
#7. Silver-Spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus)
| SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION | ||||||
| Kingdom | Phylum | Class | Order | Family | Genus | Species |
| Animalia | Arthropoda | Insecta | Lepidoptera | Hesperiidae | Epargyreu | E. clarus |
One of the most interesting butterfly species in the Pacific Northwest is the Silver-Spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus). Its unusual patterning and demeanor enrich the region’s already rich diversity of butterfly species.
Identifying Features:
Silver-spotted Skipper is an insect with wingspan between 2.5-3″ and a brown coloration on its forewings.
The medial patches are a bright yellow-orange. The brown hindwings have a medial silver patch. Silver spots on its hindwings give the butterfly its name.
Behavior of the Silver-Spotted Skipper
- The Silver-Spotted Skipper is famous for flying quickly and with a lot of energy. It can move swiftly and dart between plants and flowers, making it hard to watch closely.
- During the time of year when Silver-Spotted Skippers are trying to find a mate, the males can be seen doing aerial courtship displays to attract females. These butterflies chase each other through the air to impress potential mates and flap their wings.
- As it grows, the caterpillar of the Silver-Spotted Skipper goes through several stages where it sheds its skin. It eats different kinds of legumes, like clover, alfalfa, and locust trees.
The Silver-spotted Skipper prefers sunny areas where it can bask in the open air.
Silver-spotted Skippers can be attracted to gardens full of wildflowers. The abundance of nectar-rich flowers draws these active insects to the gardens.
Silver-spotted Skippers are most likely to be spotted along walking or hiking trails that pass through open areas with flowering plants.
The Silver-spotted Skipper can be found in many parks and nature reserves throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Because of its versatility, the Silver-Spotted Skipper can be spotted even in city centers.
#8. The Cabbage White (Pieris rapae)
| SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION | ||||||
| Kingdom | Phylum | Class | Order | Family | Genus | Species |
| Animalia | Arthropoda | Insecta | Lepidoptera | Pieridae | Pieris | P. rapae |
In the Pacific Northwest, you will see the tiny and delicate Cabbage White butterfly (Pieris rapae). This unassuming butterfly, found throughout the Pacific Northwest, is easily recognizable by the white color of its wings and the sparse black spots that decorate it.
Identifying Features:
The Cabbage White butterfly has a wing span of one to one and a half inches, and its white wings have black markings.
There are two small black spots on the upper side of the female’s forewing, while the male only has one.
The name of this butterfly comes from the fact that it particularly enjoys eating cabbage and other cruciferous plants.
Behavior of The Cabbage White Butterfly
- The Cabbage White butterfly lays eggs on cabbage family plants (Brassicaceae). Cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, and mustard are hosts. Caterpillars from these eggs eat host plant leaves.
- Even though it looks fragile, the Cabbage White butterfly is a skilled flier that moves quickly and unpredictably. This allows it to avoid predators and move through various habitats.
The Cabbage White butterfly is often seen in gardens, other towns, and cities where its host plants are grown.
You’ll probably see butterflies flying around if you have a vegetable garden or grow plants from the cabbage family.
Because they like cruciferous vegetables, Cabbage White butterflies are often found where these crops are grown on farms.
These butterflies are significant for the crops because they spread pollen.
#9. Common Ringlet (Coenonympha tullia)
| SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION | ||||||
| Kingdom | Phylum | Class | Order | Family | Genus | Species |
| Animalia | Arthropoda | Insecta | Nymphalidae | Pieridae | Coenony | C. tullia |
Although the Common Ringlet butterfly lacks the eye-catching colors of some of its flashy counterparts, it is an integral part of the region’s rich biodiversity in the Pacific Northwest. Since this species thrives in grasslands and meadows, those are the best places to spot it.
Identifying Features:
The Common Ringlet’s wingspan ranges from 1.5-2 inches, and its wings are brown with a thin black edging.
The underside of the wings is light brown with a black border and several rings on them. The rings on the wings’ bottom are where the butterfly got its name.
The behavior of the Common Ringlet’s
- The Common Ringlet butterfly has a unique way of flying that involves quick, low, and erratic movements. It usually flies close to the ground, which makes it hard to see from far away.
- The butterfly is most active in the late spring and throughout the summer. There may be several generations of it in some areas during the growing season.
The Common Ringlet butterfly is typically found in areas with a higher altitude, such as mountains.
Trails and meadows in these regions may provide opportunities to see them.
You will have no trouble spotting the enchanting Common Ringlet butterfly if you travel to the grasslands, meadows, nature reserves, and mountainous regions of the Pacific Northwest.
These are the environments in which the butterfly is most likely to be found.
#10. The Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia)
| SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION | ||||||
| Kingdom | Phylum | Class | Order | Family | Genus | Species |
| Animalia | Arthropoda | Insecta | Lepidoptera | Nymphalidae | Junonia | J. coenia |
The Common Buckeye butterfly is a beautiful and interesting insect with its distinctive eye spots and wing patterns.
Because of its versatility, this species is common and easy to spot throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Identifying Features:
The Common Buckeye is a medium-sized butterfly with a wingspan of 1.75 to 2.6 inches (4.4 to 6.6 cm).
The Common Buckeye has a unique and recognizable wing pattern, with the prominent eyespots being its most distinctive feature.
The wings are textured, and the intricate markings provide excellent camouflage.
This butterfly has brown wings with prominent orange eyespots on the upper side. The forewings feature two large eyespots, while the hindwings have a row of smaller eyespots.
The undersides of its wings are marbled with intricate patterns of brown, cream, and black.
Behaviors of the Common Buckeye
- It has a fast and erratic flight, often perching on low vegetation.
- This butterfly is known for its territorial behavior, defending its favorite perching spots.
- The Common Buckeye has some fascinating habits, including seasonal migration. In some areas, the birds migrate greatly during breeding and feeding seasons.
You will have a better chance of seeing the beautiful Common Buckeye butterfly fluttering gracefully in its natural habitat if you explore gardens, parks, nature reserves, meadows, and hiking trails. This will increase your chances of seeing the butterfly.
#11. The Common Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni)
| SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION | ||||||
| Kingdom | Phylum | Class | Order | Family | Genus | Species |
| Animalia | Arthropoda | Insecta | Lepidoptera | Pieridae | Goneptery | G. rhamni |
The Common Brimstone butterfly is a beautiful species, renowned for its delicate flight and pale yellow wings. It is a common sight in the Pacific Northwest’s forests, parks, and meadows.
Identifying Features:
The wings of the Common Brimstone are 2-2.5 inches in length and are a brilliant yellow with black margins.
The wings are a pale yellow on the underside, with black margins and a scattering of black spots.
The butterfly was given its name after the yellow sulfur compound brimstone.
Behavior
- The flight of this butterfly is slow and elegant. It’s beautiful to watch as it floats gracefully from flower to flower.
- In the Pacific Northwest, the Common Brimstone butterfly is most common from early spring to late summer. It comes out of hibernation when the weather gets warmer in the spring and stays active through the late summer.
The Common Brimstone butterfly is usually found in wooded areas and along the edges of forests, where its host plants are prevalent. Look for these butterflies flying around the trees and flowers gracefully.
The common brimstone butterfly is most often seen in open, sunny areas, where it can feed and bask in the sun.
#12. Great spangled fritillary
| SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION | ||||||
| Kingdom | Phylum | Class | Order | Family | Genus | Species |
| Animalia | Arthropoda | Insecta | Lepidoptera | Nymphalidae | Speyeria | S. cybele |
The Great Spangled Fritillary butterfly (Speyeria cybele) of the Pacific Northwest is a beautiful and fascinating creature. This butterfly is a favorite among wildlife spectators as a result of its large size and striking appearance.
Identifying Features:
The Great Spangled Fritillary is a bright orange butterfly with black spots that measure 2.5 to 3 inches in wing span.
Brown with orange and black markings can be seen on the underside of the wings. The large, glittering eyespot on the butterfly’s hindwings is where the name “eyespot” comes from.
Behavior of the Great Spangled Fritillary
- The flight pattern of this butterfly is intense and unpredictable. It isn’t easy to get a good look at it as it flits from flower to flower due to its swift and skillful flight.
- In the Pacific Northwest, the Great Spangled Fritillary butterfly is most active in the summer. It comes out of its chrysalis in the summer when it is warm and sunny, and you can see it until early fall.
As an adult, the Great Spangled Fritillary eats the nectar of many different kinds of flowers. It is primarily attracted to flowers with deep tubes, like thistles, milkweed, and coneflowers.
#13. The Milbert’s Tortoiseshell (Aglais milberti)
| SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION | ||||||
| Kingdom | Phylum | Class | Order | Family | Genus | Species |
| Animalia | Arthropoda | Insecta | Lepidoptera | Nymphalidae | Aglais | A. milberti |
The stunning Milbert’s Tortoiseshell, also known as Aglais milberti, is a butterfly indigenous to the Pacific Northwest.
Identifying Features
It is famous for its striking appearance, consisting of bright orange wings with black markings resembling a tortoiseshell pattern, where it gets its name.
The wingspan of this butterfly typically ranges from 2.5 to 3.5 inches which is about 6.4 to 8.9 cm, which classifies it as a butterfly with a size somewhere in the middle.
Behavior of the Milbert’s Tortoiseshell
- This species continues to be active throughout the winter, unlike most other butterfly species, which hibernate. They have adapted to survive in colder temperatures, enabling them to fly even on days when other butterflies are inactive due to the cold weather.
- Adult Milbert’s Tortoiseshell butterflies feed on flower nectar, preferring thistles, asters, and milkweed. These nectar-rich sources sustain their short adult lifespan of a few weeks.
The Milbert’s Tortoiseshell is most comfortable in habitats that are located near water, such as rivers, streams, and wetlands.
These regions offer them an abundance of food sources and breeding grounds that suit them.
It is common to find them in heavily wooded areas because they can effortlessly blend in with the vegetation there.
Milbert’s Tortoiseshell, like many butterflies, is threatened. Urbanization, deforestation, and pollution threaten their habitat.
Climate change threatens their habitats and migration.
#14. The Lorquin’s Admiral (Limenitis lorquini)
| SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION | ||||||
| Kingdom | Phylum | Class | Order | Family | Genus | Species |
| Animalia | Arthropoda | Insecta | Lepidoptera | Nymphalidae | Limenitis | L. lorquini |
Lorquin’s Admiral butterflies are a stunning example of the Pacific Northwest’s abundant flora and fauna.
This species should be treasured and protected because of the beauty and diversity it brings to the area.
Identifying Features:
The Lorquin’s Admiral is characterized by a wing span of 3.5 to 3.7 inches, a color scheme of black and white, and white median bands on its wings.
The underside of the wings is marked in black and white and has a brown coloration. Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Dechauffour de Lorquin, a French entomologist, was the one who first described the butterfly in 1866. He is the one who gave the butterfly its name.
Behavior of the Lorquin’s Admiral
- Lorquin’s Admiral’s seasonal behavior is intriguing. It feeds on flower nectar while flying high in the tree canopies in summer. Lorquin’s Admiral descends to lower elevations in cooler months, making it more accessible to butterfly and nature lovers.
- Lorquin’s Admirals are mainly flower-nectar eaters as adults. They are especially fond of the wildflowers, flowering plants, and other flowers found in abundance throughout the Pacific Northwest.
This type of butterfly likes to live in wooded areas and is often found near rivers and streams.
It is often seen in forest areas, where it moves gracefully through the trees and plants.
Lorquin’s Admirals like to hang out in meadows because they can get nectar and lay their eggs.
#15. The Western White (Pontia occidentalis)
| SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION | ||||||
| Kingdom | Phylum | Class | Order | Family | Genus | Species |
| Animalia | Arthropoda | Insecta | Lepidoptera | Pieridae | Pontia | P. occidentalis |
The Western White butterfly represents the region’s natural grace and beauty. Pure white wings and graceful flight make this butterfly a favorite among those who appreciate the natural world.
Identifying Features:
The Western White butterfly is easily distinguished from other local butterfly species by the stark whiteness of its wings.
This butterfly is considered medium size, with a wingspan between 3.8 and 6.4 centimeters (1.5 and 2.5 inches).
Despite being one of the smallest butterfly species, the Western White is a favorite of butterfly watchers and photographers.
Behavior
- One of the most fascinating aspects of the Western White is how it behaves on sunny days. When the sun shines on their wings, they emit a dazzling glow that gives them an almost ethereal appearance as they flutter in the warm breeze.
You can often find these butterflies in open fields, meadows, and grassy areas, where they flit gracefully among wildflowers looking for nectar.
Adult Western White butterflies mainly eat nectar. They go to flowering plants like daisies, asters, and clovers to get the essential nutrients for energy and survival.
#16. The Anise Swallowtail (Papilio zelicaon)
| SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION | ||||||
| Kingdom | Phylum | Class | Order | Family | Genus | Species |
| Animalia | Arthropoda | Insecta | Lepidoptera | Papilionidae | Papilio | P. zelicaon |
Papilio zelicaon, also known as the Anise Swallowtail, is a stunning butterfly that can be found in the Pacific Northwest.
It is a member of the family of Swallowtail butterflies and is one of the largest butterflies that can be found in this area.
Identifying Features
The wings of the Anise Swallowtail are marked with yellow and blue, and the butterfly itself is black with a wing span of three to four inches.
The underside of the wings are marked in black and yellow, and have a brown color overall.
The anise-like odor that the butterfly gives off when it is disturbed is where the name “butterfly” comes from.
Behavior of the Anise Swallowtails
- Anise Swallowtails are powerful fliers that can be spotted flitting about in search of nectar. Another common behavior is visiting mud puddles, where they drink the mineral-rich water.
- The name “Anise Swallowtail” comes from the fact that it likes to eat plants that smell like anise, like fennel, dill, and parsley. The caterpillars of Anise Swallowtail eat the leaves of these plants, which give them the nutrients they need to grow and develop.
From May through September, you can see Anise Swallowtails flying around.
Anise Swallowtails can be found in a wide variety of environments, such as gardens, meadows, and forests.
Anise Swallowtails are drawn to flowers, and among the plants that produce nectar, anise, fennel, and Queen Anne’s lace are among their favorites.
The Anise Swallowtail is beautiful but threatened. Urbanization, agricultural expansion, and climate change threaten their populations’ habitats.
To preserve these butterflies, we must preserve native plant species, create butterfly-friendly habitats, and raise awareness.
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CONCLUSION: 16 Most Common Pacific Northwest Butterflies (ID Features With Pictures)
Beautiful and unique butterfly species can be found throughout the Pacific Northwest. This article describes the 16 Most Common Pacific Northwest Butterflies, including how to recognize them and where they like to live.
If you remember this, the next time you see one of these incredible animals, you’ll be able to recognize it right away and give it the respect it deserves.
There are many more species of butterflies in the Pacific Northwest than just the ones mentioned in this article.
You can do your part to preserve these butterflies and ensure they continue to do well in our area if you take the time to read up on them.