Butterflies and Moths
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Species Types
Scientific Name
Colias philodice
Description
The clouded sulphur is one of our most common butterflies, flying low over fields and lawns, from late March into December.
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Scientific Name
Phoebis sennae
Description
The cloudless sulphur is the large, clear-yellow butterfly you see flying rapidly to the southward in late summer and fall: They’re migrating!
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Scientific Name
Nathalis iole
Description
Each year, dainty sulphurs arrive in Missouri from regions to our south. They are small compared to other sulphur butterflies. The wingspan of the largest individuals reaches only about 1¼ inches.
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Scientific Name
Anthocharis midea
Description
Falcate orangetip males are unmistakable with their small size, white coloration, and orange wingtips. Look for them in open woodlands in April.
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Scientific Name
Pyrisitia lisa (syn. Eurema lisa)
Description
The little yellow is just what the name says it is. The lower side is yellow with a few spots, including two tiny black spots on the basal hindwing and, often, a larger rusty spot on the hindwing margin.
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Scientific Name
Colias eurytheme
Description
One of the most common butterflies in Missouri, the orange sulphur often gathers in numbers in moist places.
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Scientific Name
Zerene cesonia (formerly Colias cesonia)
Description
The southern dogface has a dog’s head pictured on its yellow forewings. It repopulates our state each year from the south.
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Scientific Name
Satyrium titus (syn. Harkenclenus titus)
Description
The coral hairstreak is the only Missouri hairstreak lacking hindwing “tails” and without a blue spot on the outer hindwing edge.
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Scientific Name
Callophrys henrici (formerly Incisalia henrici)
Description
Henry’s elfin is a small brown butterfly with splendid camouflage markings. It lives in and near open woodlands. The adults fly only in April and early May, when redbuds and wild plums are blooming.
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Scientific Name
Celastrina ladon
Description
The spring azure is among the first butterflies of the year. It occurs in a variety of habitats. The early spring appearance helps you identify it.
See Also
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Species Types
Scientific Name
About 1,500 species in North America north of Mexico
Description
Adult caddisflies are mothlike. Their larvae are aquatic and build portable, protective cases out of local materials, including grains of sand, bits of leaves and twigs, and other debris.
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Species Types
Scientific Name
Corydalus cornutus
Description
Adult eastern dobsonflies are huge and mothlike, with large wings and a weak, fluttery flight. The fiercely predaceous aquatic larvae, called hellgrammites, are well-known to anglers, who often use them as bait.
About Butterflies and Moths in Missouri
Butterflies, skippers, and moths belong to an insect order called the Lepidoptera — the "scale-winged" insects. These living jewels have tiny, overlapping scales that cover their wings like shingles. The scales, whether muted or colorful, seem dusty if they rub off on your fingers. Many butterflies and moths are associated with particular types of food plants, which their caterpillars must eat in order to survive.