The Top 25 Butterflies in Missouri

Missouri’s diverse habitats make it home to over 150 species of beautiful butterflies. From the woodlands and prairies to urban parks and gardens, these winged beauties add color and wonder to the Show-Me State.

In this article, we’ll highlight the 25 most common butterflies spotted in Missouri, along with tips on how to attract them to your yard.

1. Monarch

The iconic Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is arguably Missouri’s most beloved butterfly. Its bright orange wings spanning 3.5-4 inches are unmistakable. Look for them in open fields, meadows, and anywhere milkweed grows, as it’s the caterpillars’ sole food source.

Monarchs are strong migrators, traveling thousands of miles to and from Mexico each year Missouri plays a critical role in their lifecycle, providing breeding and feeding grounds during their multi-generational journey.

2. Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Missouri’s state butterfly, the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) is a large butterfly with a 4-6 inch wingspan. Males are vibrant yellow with bold black stripes, while females can be yellow or black, both with iridescent blue hindwings.

These beauties enjoy woods, parks and suburban yards. They get their name from the caterpillars which mimic small snakes!

3. Red Admiral

The Red Admiral’s (Vanessa atalanta) velvety black wings are marked with bright reddish-orange bands and white spots. Look for them along forest edges and in yards, where they occasionally visit fruit and sap flows. Caterpillars feed on stinging nettles.

4. Painted Lady

Painted Ladies (Vanessa cardui) sport orange, black and white patterned wings ranging 1.75-2.75 inches across. They thrive in open habitats like fields and deserts. These opportunistic butterflies sometimes have massive migratory flights.

5. American Lady

American Ladies (Vanessa virginiensis) resemble Painted Ladies, but have larger and brighter wing patches. Look for their 2-3 inch wings in sunny fields and meadows. Caterpillars feed on Everlastings, pussytoes and cudweeds.

6. Question Mark

Question Marks (Polygonia interrogationis) are named for the silvery question mark shapes on their hindwings. These medium-sized butterflies favor forest edges and wooded yards. As caterpillars, they eat elm, false nettle, hop and hackberry leaves.

7. Mourning Cloak

Mourning Cloaks (Nymphalis antiopa) are one of the first butterflies seen in spring, sometimes even when snow’s still on the ground! Their deep maroon wings edged in yellow span 3-4 inches. Look for them along wooded streams and in parks where tree sap flows.

8. Eastern Comma

Eastern Commas (Polygonia comma) have scalloped wings in rich reddish-brown tones decorated with light commas. The 2-2.5 inch wings close to mimic dead leaves when resting. Caterpillars feed on elm, false nettle and hackberry.

9. Pearl Crescent

True to their name, Pearl Crescents (Phyciodes tharos) have a crescent shape on their underside. The 1-1.5 inch orange and black wings flutter low in fields and roadsides. Caterpillars eat asters.

10. Silvery Checkerspot

Checkered with black on bright yellow, Silvery Checkerspots (Chlosyne nycteis) have metallic silvery spots on their hindwings. Look for them up to 2.5 inches wide in wetlands and moist meadows. Sunflowers host their caterpillars.

11. Baltimore Checkerspot

Baltimore Checkerspots (Euphydryas phaeton) are velvety black with vibrant red and white markings, including checks down their 1.6-2.5 inch wings. These beauties thrive in moist woodlands where turtlehead plants grow for caterpillars.

12. Great Spangled Fritillary

Great Spangled Fritillaries (Speyeria cybele) live up to their name with large 2.5-4 inch wings blanketed in orange and black. Silver spangles line the undersides. Find these beauties in prairies and fields where violets grow.

13. Red-spotted Purple

Despite its name, male Red-spotted Purples (Limenitis arthemis astyanax) are a shimmering blue-green with red spots. Females are more purplish-black. Both have a 3-4 inch wingspan. Look for them along streams in wooded areas.

14. Viceroy

The Viceroy (Limenitis archippus) is often mistaken for the Monarch due to its similar orange and black wings. However, Viceroys have a black line crossing their hindwings and grow up to 3 inches wide. Look for them in willow swamps and cottonwood stands.

15. Hackberry Emperor

True to their name, Hackberry Emperors (Asterocampa celtis) thrive wherever hackberries grow. The 1.5-2 inch wings’ tawny browns resemble dry leaves. Caterpillars feed exclusively on hackberry trees.

16. Tawny Emperor

In the southern half of Missouri, keep watch for Tawny Emperors (Asterocampa clyton), a smaller lookalike to the Hackberry. Their wings span 1.2-2 inches in various shade of orange-brown. Caterpillars feed on hackberry and sugarberry trees.

17. Little Wood Satyr

Little Wood Satyrs (Megisto cymela) live in shady forests, where their 1.3-1.8 inch wings’ leaf-like patterns blend into the understory. Instead of flowers, they get nutrients from sap, fungi and decaying matter.

18. Common Buckeye

With eyespots warding off predators, Common Buckeyes (Junonia coenia) are a familiar sight soaring through fields and suburbs. Their 2-2.5 inch wings vary from tawny orange to brown and pinkish. Caterpillars feed on snapdragons, toadflax and plantains.

19. Common Wood Nymph

Common Wood Nymphs (Cercyonis pegala) favor sunny fields and forest openings. The 1.6-2.5 inch wings feature prominent eyespots and camouflage patterns in shades of brown, ideal for resting on leaf litter. Caterpillars eat grasses.

20. Little Yellow

One of Missouri’s smallest butterflies, Little Yellows (Eurema lisa) have bright 1-1.5 inch wings. Males are solid yellow, while females have black wing edges. Look for their fluttering flight low in fields and roadsides. Caterpillars eat partridge pea.

21. Sleepy Orange

Aptly named, Sleepy Oranges (Eurema nicippe) fly slowly and with fluttery wing beats. The 1-1.5 inch wings are deep orange on males, pale orange on females. Find them in openings with legumes for caterpillars.

22. Clouded Sulphur

Clouded Sulphurs (Colias philodice) are a common Missouri sight, fluttering energetically through meadows and gardens. Their wings reach 1.5-2.5 inches in light yellow or orange with a pink spot. Caterpillars feed on legumes like clover and alfalfa.

23. Orange Sulphur

Orange Sulphurs (Colias eurytheme) love open fields where alfalfa grows to host their caterpillars. True to their name, these fast-flying butterflies have vivid 2-2.75 inch orange wings with black borders. Males also have a black cell spot.

24. Giant Swallowtail

Giant Swallowtails (Papilio cresphontes) are Missouri’s largest butterfly, with a 4-6 inch wingspan! Wings are dark with bold yellow bands and spots. Look for them fluttering powerfully through citrus groves, flower gardens and wooded waterways.

25. Black Swallowtail

Last but not least, Black Swallowtails (Papilio polyxenes) are a Missouri garden favorite, attracted to parsley and other herbs. Their wings span 3-4 inches in black with rows of yellow spots. The caterpillars are plump and green with black and yellow bands.

Those are Missouri’s most common and colorful butterflies. To attract more winged beauty to your yard, provide native nectar plants like coneflowers, asters, and joe-pye weed. And consider growing host plants like milkweed for Monarchs or spicebush for swallowtails. With a little encouragement, your garden can flourish with butterflies!