Maine Biota Project

Butterflies and Skippers of Maine

(Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Arthropoda, Class Hexapoda, Order Lepidoptera)


Below is a working list of Maine’s butterflies and skippers.
Family
(Subfamily)
Genus Specific Epithet authority common name Sources (full citations given after this table)
Hesperiidae
(Eudaminae)
Epargyreus clarus (Cramer) silver-spotted skipper MBS
Hesperiidae
(Eudaminae)
Urbanus proteus (L.) long-tailed skipper MBS (stray)
Hesperiidae
(Eudaminae)
Thorybes pylades (Scudder) northern cloudywing MBS; Procter (1946, p. 223.)
Hesperiidae
(Eudaminae)
Thorybes bathyllus (J. E. Smith) southern cloudywing MBS
Hesperiidae
(Pyrginae)
Erynnis icelus (Scudder & Burgess) dreamy duskywing MBS; Procter (1946, p. 223.)
Hesperiidae
(Pyrginae)
Erynnis baptisiae (W. Forbes) wild indigo duskywing MBS
Hesperiidae
(Pyrginae)
Erynnis juvenalis (Fabricius) Juvenal’s duskywing MBS
Hesperiidae
(Pyrginae)
Pholisora catullus (Fabricius) common sootywing MBS (stray, no records after 1995)
Hesperiidae
(Heteropterinae)
Carterocephalus palaemon ssp. mandan (Pallas) / (W. H. Edwards) arctic skipper MBS; Procter (1946, p. 223., as Carterocephalus palaemon ssp. mandon)
Hesperiidae
(Hesperiinae)
Ancyloxypha numitor (Fabricius) least skipper MBS; Procter (1946, p. 223.)
Hesperiidae
(Hesperiinae)
Thymelicus lineola (Ochsenheimer) European skipper MBS
Hesperiidae
(Hesperiinae)
Hylephila phyleus (Drury) fiery skipper MBS (stray)
Hesperiidae
(Hesperiinae)
Hesperia comma ssp. laurentina (L.) / (Lyman) Laurentian skipper MBS; Procter (1946, p. 224.)
Hesperiidae
(Hesperiinae)
Hesperia leonardus T. Harris Leonard's skipper MBS; Procter (1946, p. 224.)
Hesperiidae
(Hesperiinae)
Hesperia metea Scudder cobweb skipper MBS
Hesperiidae
(Hesperiinae)
Hesperia sassacus T. Harris Indian skipper MBS; Procter (1946, p. 224.)
Hesperiidae
(Hesperiinae)
Polites peckius (W. Kirby) Peck’s skipper MBS; Procter (1946, p. 224.)
Hesperiidae
(Hesperiinae)
Polites themistocles (Latreille) tawny-edged skipper MBS; Procter (1946, p. 224.)
Hesperiidae
(Hesperiinae)
Polites origenes (Fabricius) crossline skipper MBS; Procter (1946, p. 224.)
Hesperiidae
(Hesperiinae)
Polites mystic (W. H. Edwards) long dash MBS; Procter (1946, p. 224.)
Hesperiidae
(Hesperiinae)
Wallengrenia egeremet (Scudder) northern broken-dash MBS
Hesperiidae
(Hesperiinae)
Wallengrenia otho (J. E. Smith) southern broken-dash Procter (1946, p. 224., as Catia otho)
Hesperiidae
(Hesperiinae)
Pompeius verna (W. H. Edwards) little glassywing MBS
Hesperiidae
(Hesperiinae)
Anatrytone logan (W. H. Edwards) Delaware skipper MBS
Hesperiidae
(Hesperiinae)
Poanes hobomok (T. Harris) Hobomok skipper MBS; Procter (1946, p. 224.)
Hesperiidae
(Hesperiinae)
Poanes massasoit (Scudder) mulberry wing MBS
Hesperiidae
(Hesperiinae)
Poanes viator ssp. zizaniae (W. H. Edwards) / Shapiro broad-winged skipper MBS
Hesperiidae
(Hesperiinae)
Euphyes bimacula (Grote and Robinson) two-spotted skipper MBS; Procter (1946, p. 224.)
Hesperiidae
(Hesperiinae)
Euphyes conspicua (W. H. Edwards) black dash MBS
Hesperiidae
(Hesperiinae)
Euphyes vestris ssp. metacomet (Boisduval) / (T. Harris) dun skipper MBS; Procter (1946, p. 224., as Euphyes ruricola)
Hesperiidae
(Hesperiinae)
Amblyscirtes hegon (Scudder) pepper and salt skipper MBS; Procter (1946, p. 224.)
Hesperiidae
(Hesperiinae)
Amblyscirtes vialis (W. H. Edwards) common roadside skipper MBS; Procter (1946, p. 224.)
Hesperiidae
(Hesperiinae)
Atrytonopsis hianna (Scudder) dusted skipper MBS
Hesperiidae
(Hesperiinae)
Panoquina ocola (W. H. Edwards) Ocola skipper MBS (stray)
Papilionidae
(Papilioninae)
Battus philenor (L.) pipevine swallowtail MBS (stray)
Papilionidae
(Papilioninae)
Heraclides cresphontes (Cramer) giant swallowtail MBS
Papilionidae
(Papilioninae)
Papilio polyxenes ssp. asterius Fabricius / Stoll black swallowtail MBS; Procter (1946, p. 217., as Papilio polyxenes.)
Papilionidae
(Papilioninae)
Papilio brevicauda ssp. gaspeensis Saunders / McDunnough short-tailed swallowtail MBS
Papilionidae
(Papilioninae)
Pterourus glaucus (L.) eastern tiger swallowtail MBS (rare temporary colonist / stray); Procter (1946, p. 217., as Papilio glaucus)
[see note 1 below]
Papilionidae
(Papilioninae)
Pterourus canadensis (Rothschild and Jordan) Canadian tiger swallowtail MBS
Papilionidae
(Papilioninae)
Pterourus troilus (L.) spicebush swallowtail MBS
Pieridae
(Pierinae)
Pontia protodice (Boisduval and Le Conte) checkered white MBS (stray / no records after 1995)
Pieridae
(Pierinae)
Pieris rapae (L.) cabbage white MBS; Procter (1946, p. 218.)
Pieridae
(Pierinae)
Pieris oleracea (T. Harris) mustard white MBS; Procter (1946, p. 217.)
Pieridae
(Coliadinae)
Colias philodice Godart clouded sulphur MBS; Procter (1946, p. 217.)
Pieridae
(Coliadinae)
Colias eurytheme Boisduval alfalfa butterfly MBS; Procter (1946, p. 217.)
Pieridae
(Coliadinae)
Colias interior ssp. laurentina Scudder / Scudder pink-edged sulphur MBS; Procter (1946, p. 217.)
Pieridae
(Coliadinae)
Phoebis sennae ssp. eubule (L.) / (L.) cloudless sulphur MBS (stray)
Pieridae
(Coliadinae)
Phoebis philea (L.) orange-barred sulphur MBS (stray / no records after 1995)
Pieridae
(Coliadinae)
Phoebis agarithe ssp. maxima Boisduval / Neumoegen large orange sulphur MBS
Pieridae
(Coliadinae)
Pyrisitia lisa (Boisduval and Le Conte) little sulphur MBS (stray); Procter (1946, p. 217.)
Lycaenidae
(Miletinae)
Feniseca tarquinius (Fabricius) harvester MBS; Procter (1946, p. 222.)
Lycaenidae
(Lycaeninae)
Lycaena phlaeas ssp. hypophlaeas (L.) / (Boisduval) American copper MBS; Procter (1946, p. 222.)
Lycaenidae
(Lycaeninae)
Lycaena hyllus (Cramer) Bronze copper MBS
Lycaenidae
(Lycaeninae)
Lycaena epixanthe ssp. phaedrus (Boisduval and Le Conte) / (G. Hall) bog copper MBS; Procter (1946, p. 222., as Lycaena epixanthe)
Lycaenidae
(Lycaeninae)
Lycaena epixanthe ssp. michiganensis (Boisduval and Le Conte) / Rawson bog copper MBS
Lycaenidae
(Lycaeninae)
Lycaena dorcas W. Kirby Dorcas copper MBS
Lycaenidae
(Theclinae)
Callophrys hesseli (Rawson and Ziegler) Hessel’s hairstreak MBS (as Mitoura hesseli)
Lycaenidae
(Theclinae)
Callophrys gryneus (Hübner) juniper hairstreak MBS (as Mitoura gryneus)
Lycaenidae
(Theclinae)
Callophrys augustinus (Westwood) brown elfin MBS as Incisalia augustinus; Procter (1946, p. 222.)
Lycaenidae
(Theclinae)
Callophrys polios (Cook and F. Watson) hoary elfin MBS (as Incisalia polios); Procter (1946, p. 222.)
Lycaenidae
(Theclinae)
Callophrys henrici (Grote and Robinson) Henry’s elfin MBS (as Icisalia henrici)
Lycaenidae
(Theclinae)
Callophrys lanoraieensis (Sheppard) bog elfin MBS (as Incisalia lanoraieensis)
Lycaenidae
(Theclinae)
Callophrys niphon ssp. clarki (Hübner_ / (T. Freeman) eastern pine elfin MBS (as Incisalia niphon ssp. clarki); Procter (1946, p. 222.)
Lycaenidae
(Theclinae)
Callophrys eryphon (Boisduval) western pine elfin MBS (as Incisalia eryphon)
Lycaenidae
(Theclinae)
Satyrium titus (Fabricius) coral hairstreak MBS
Lycaenidae
(Theclinae)
Satyrium acadica (W. H. Edwards) Acadian hairstreak MBS
Lycaenidae
(Theclinae)
Satyrium edwardsii (Grote and Robinson) Edwards’ hairstreak MBS; Procter (1946, p. 222.)
Lycaenidae
(Theclinae)
Satyrium calanus ssp. falacer (Hübner) / (Godart) banded hairstreak MBS; Procter (1946, p. 222.)
Lycaenidae
(Theclinae)
Satyrium liparops ssp. strigosa (Le Conte) / (T. Harris) striped hairstreak MBS; Procter (1946, p. 222.)
Lycaenidae
(Theclinae)
Strymon melinus ssp. humuli Hübner / (T. Harris) gray hairstreak MBS; Procter (1946, p. 222., as Satyrium melinus)
Lycaenidae
(Theclinae)
Parrhasius m-album (Boisduval and Le Conte) white m hairstreak MBS (rare temporary colonist); Procter (1946, p. 222., as Satyrium melinus)
Lycaenidae
(Theclinae)
Erora laeta (W. H. Edwards) early hairstreak MBS (no records after 1995); Procter (1946, p. 222.)
Lycaenidae
(Polyommatinae)
Cupido comyntas (Godart) eastern tailed blue MBS; Procter (1946, p. 223.)
Lycaenidae
(Polyommatinae)
Cupido amyntula ssp. maritima (Boisduval) / (Leblanc) western tailed blue MBS; Procter (1946, p. 223.)
Lycaenidae
(Polyommatinae)
Celastrina lucia ssp. lucia (W. Kirby) / (W. Kirby) northern azure MBS
Lycaenidae
(Polyommatinae)
Celastrina neglecta (W. H. Edwards) summer azure MBS
Lycaenidae
(Polyommatinae)
Glaucopsyche lygdamus ssp. couperi (E. Doubleday) / Grote silvery blue MBS
Lycaenidae
(Polyommatinae)
Plebejus idas ssp. empetri (L.) / T. Freeman crowberry blue MBS; [Procter (1946, p. 223., as Plebejus saepiolus ssp. amica ?)]
Lycaenidae
(Polyommatinae)
Plebejus idas ssp. scudderii (L.) / (W. H. Edwards) northern blue MBS; [Procter (1946, p. 223., as Plebejus saepiolus ssp. amica ?)]
Lycaenidae
(Polyommatinae)
Plebejus saepiolus ssp. amica (Boisduval) / (W. H. Edwards) greenish blue MBS; Procter (1946, p. 223.)
Nymphalidae
(Libytheinae)
Libytheana carinenta ssp. bachmanii (Cramer) / (Kirtland) American snout MBS (stray)
Nymphalidae
(Danainae)
Danaus plexippus (L.) monarch MBS; Procter (1946, p. 218.)
Nymphalidae
(Heliconiinae)
Euptoieta claudia (Cramer) bariegated fritillary MBS (rare temporary colonist)
Nymphalidae
(Heliconiinae)
Speyeria cybele ssp. cybele (Fabricius) great spangled fritillary MBS; Procter (1946, p. 219.)
Nymphalidae
(Heliconiinae)
Speyeria cybele ssp. novascotiae (Fabricius) / (McDunnough) great spangled fritillary MBS
Nymphalidae
(Heliconiinae)
Speyeria aphrodite ssp. aphrodite (Fabricius) Aphrodite fritillary MBS; Procter (1946, p. 219.)
Nymphalidae
(Heliconiinae)
Speyeria aphrodite ssp. winni (Fabricius) / (Gunder) Aphrodite fritillary MBS
Nymphalidae
(Heliconiinae)
Argynnis idalia (Drury) regal fritillary MBS (extirpated / no records after 1995)
Nymphalidae
(Heliconiinae)
Speyeria atlantis (W. H. Edwards) Atlantis fritillary MBS; Procter (1946, p. 219.)
Nymphalidae
(Heliconiinae)
Boloria eunomia ssp. dawsoni (Esper) / (Barnes and McDunnough) bog fritillary MBS
Nymphalidae
(Heliconiinae)
Boloria selene ssp. atrocostalis (Schiffermüller) / (Huard) silver-bordered fritillary MBS
Nymphalidae
(Heliconiinae)
Boloria selene ssp. myrina (Schiffermüller) / (Cramer) silver-bordered fritillary MBS
Nymphalidae
(Heliconiinae)
Boloria bellona ssp. toddi (Fabricius) / (W. Holland) meadow fritillary MBS; Procter (1946, p. 219., as Boloria bellona)
Nymphalidae
(Heliconiinae)
Boloria frigga ssp. saga (Thunberg) / (Staudinger) Frigga fritillary MBS
Nymphalidae
(Heliconiinae)
Boloria chariclea ssp. grandis (Schneider) / (W. Barnes and McDunnough) purple lesser fritillary or arctic fritillary MBS
Nymphalidae
(Nymphalinae)
Chlosyne nycteis (E. Doubleday) silvery checkerspot MBS; Procter (1946, p. 220. as Phyciodes nycteis)
Nymphalidae
(Nymphalinae)
Chlosyne harrisii ssp. albimontana (Scudder) / (Avinoff) Harris’s checkerspot MBS; Procter (1946, p. 219., as Chlosyne harrisii)
Nymphalidae
(Nymphalinae)
Phyciodes tharos (Drury) pearl crescent MBS; Procter (1946, p. 220.)
Nymphalidae
(Nymphalinae)
Phyciodes cocyta (Cramer) northern crescent MBS
Nymphalidae
(Nymphalinae)
Euphydryas phaeton (Drury) Baltimore checkerspot MBS; Procter (1946, p. 219.)
Nymphalidae
(Nymphalinae)
Junonia coenia Hübner common buckeye MBS rare to frequent colonizer); Procter (1946, p. 221.)
Nymphalidae
(Nymphalinae)
Polygonia interrogationis (Fabricius) question mark MBS; Procter (1946, p. 220.)
Nymphalidae
(Nymphalinae)
Polygonia comma (T. Harris) eastern comma MBS; Procter (1946, p. 220.)
Nymphalidae
(Nymphalinae)
Polygonia satyrus ssp. neomarsyas (W. H. Edwards) / dos Passos satyr comma MBS
Nymphalidae
(Nymphalinae)
Polygonia faunus (W. H. Edwards) green comma MBS; Procter (1946, p. 220.)
Nymphalidae
(Nymphalinae)
Polygonia gracilis (Grote and Robinson) hoary comma MBS
Nymphalidae
(Nymphalinae)
Polygonia progne (Cramer) gray comma MBS; Procter (1946, p. 220.)
Nymphalidae
(Nymphalinae)
Nymphalis I-album ssp. j-album (Esper) / (Boisduval and Le Conte) Compton tortoiseshell MBS; Proctor (1946, p. 220., as Roddia vaualbum)
Nymphalidae
(Nymphalinae)
Aglais milberti (Godart) Milbert's tortoiseshell MBS; Procter (1946, p. 220.)
Nymphalidae
(Nymphalinae)
Nymphalis antiopa (L.) mourning cloak MBS; Procter (1946, p. 220.)
Nymphalidae
(Nymphalinae)
Vanessa atalanta ssp. rubria (L.) / Fruhstorfer red admiral MBS; Procter (1946, p. 221., as Vanessa atalanta)
Nymphalidae
(Nymphalinae)
Vanessa cardui (L.) painted lady MBS; Procter (1946, p. 221.)
Nymphalidae
(Nymphalinae)
Vanessa virginiensis (Drury) American lady MBS; Procter (1946, p. 221.)
Nymphalidae
(Limenitidinae)
Limenitis arthemis (Drury) white admiral MBS; Procter (1946, p. 221.)
Nymphalidae
(Limenitidinae)
Limenitis archippus (Cramer) viceroy MBS; Procter (1946, p. 221.)
Nymphalidae
(Satyrinae)
Lethe anthedon ssp. borealis (A. Clark) / (A. Clark) northern pearly-eye MBS; Procter (1946, p. 218., as Enodia anthedon)
Nymphalidae
(Satyrinae)
Lethe eurydice (L.) eyed brown MBS; Procter (1946, p. 218., as Satyrodes eurydice)
Nymphalidae
(Satyrinae)
Lethe appalachia R. Chermock Appalachian brown MBS
Nymphalidae
(Satyrinae)
Megisto cymela (Cramer) little wood-satyr MBS
Nymphalidae
(Satyrinae)
Coenonympha tullia ssp. inornata (Müller) / Westwood inornate ringlet MBS (as Coenonympha california ssp. inornata)
Nymphalidae
(Satyrinae)
Cercyonis pegala ssp. nephele (Fabricius) (W. Kirby) common wood-nymph MBS; Procter (1946, p. 218.
Nymphalidae
(Satyrinae)
Cercyonis pegala ssp. alope (Fabricius) (Fabricius) common wood-nymph MBS; Procter (1946, p. 218.
Nymphalidae
(Satyrinae)
Oeneis jutta (Hübner) Jutta arctic MBS; Procter (1946, p. 219., as Oeneis jutta ssp. ascerta)
Nymphalidae
(Satyrinae)
Oeneis polixenes ssp. katahdin (Fabricius) / (Newcomb} Katahdin arctic MBS


Notes:
1. Procter’s report was probably of Papilio canadensis Rothschild & Jordan.
2. Procter (1946, p. 223.) reported Lycaneopsis pseudargiolus in the Lycaenidae from Mount Desert Island, but no equivalent was reported in the MBS.

Sources:
MBS = Maine Butterfly Survey (https://mbs.umf.maine.edu accessed 19 August 2020).
Procter, William. 1946. Biological Survey of the Mount Desert Region, Part VII. Philadelphia: Wistar Institute.



Thank you to Amy Gagnon, Ruth Gortner Grierson, Carol Muth, and Emma Walsh for their contributions to this page.