Pasadena Audubon Society
Preliminary Checklist of the Butterflies of the Pasadena AreaThese butterflies either have been recorded on Pasadena and Mt. Baden-Powell Butterfly Counts or have been seen flying in the spring before the count. An incomplete list. Excludes rarities.
Names from Butterflies Through Binoculars, The West, A Field Guide to the Butterflies of Western North America, by Jeffrey Glassberg. Check the book for habitat, flight time and food plants. Another book useful for beginners is An Introduction to Southern California Butterflies by Fred Heath and Herb Clarke.
Swallowtails (Subfamily Papilioninae)
Anise Swallowtail (Papilio zelicaon)
Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes)
Western Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio rutulus)
Pale Swallowtail (Papilio eurymedon)
Whites and Sulphurs (Family Pieridae)
Whites (Subfamily Pierinae)
Becker's White (Pontia beckerii)
Checkered White (Pontia protodice)
Cabbage White (Pieris rapae)
Sara Orangetip (Anthocharis sara)Sulphurs (Subfamily Coliadinae)
Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme)
Harford's Sulphur (Colias alexandra harfordii)
California Dogface (Colias (Zerene) eurydice)
Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae)
Sleepy Orange (Eurema nicippe)
Dainty Sulphur (Nathalis iole)
Gossamer-wing Butterflies (Family Lycaenidae)
Coppers (Subfamily Lycaeninae)
Tailed Copper (Lycaena arota)
Great Copper (Lycaena xanthoides)
Gorgon Copper (Lycaena gorgon)Hairstreaks (Subfamily Theclinae)
Great Purple Hairstreak (Atlides halesus)
Golden Hairstreak (Habrodais grunus)
California Hairstreak (Satyrium californica)
Sylvan Hairstreak (Satyrium sylvinus)
Gold-hunter's Hairstreak (Satyrium auretorum)
Mountain Mahogany Hairstreak (Satyrium tetra)
Hedgerow Hairstreak (Satyrium saepium)
Bramble Hairstreak (Callophrys dumetorum)
Brown Elfin (Callophrys augustinus)
Western Pine Elfin (Callophrys eryphon)
Thicket Hairstreak (Callophrys (Mitoura) spinetorum)
Nelson's Juniper Hairstreak (Callophrys (Mitoura) gryneus nelsoni)
Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus)Blues (Subfamily Polyommatinae)
Western Pygmy-Blue (Brephidium exile)
Marine Blue (Leptotes marina)
Ceraunus Blue (Hemiargus ceraunus)
Western Tailed Blue (Everes amyntula)
Spring Azure (Celastrina ladon)
Sonoran Blue (Philotes sonorensis)
'Bernardino' Square-spotted Blue (Euphilotes battoides bernardino)
Arrowhead Blue (Glaucopsyche piasus)
Silvery Blue (Glaucopsyche lygdamus)
Melissa Blue (Lycaeides melissa)
Boisduval's Blue (Plebeius icarioides)
Acmon Blue (Plebeius acmon)
Lupine Blue (Plebeius lupini)
Metalmarks (Family Riodinidae)
Mormon Metalmark (Apodemia mormo virgulti)
Brush-footed Butterflies (Family Nymphalidae)
Heliconians and Fritillaries (Subfamily Heliconiinae)
Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae)
Coronis Fritillary (Speyeria coronis)
Callippe Fritillary (Speyeria callippe)True Brush-foots (Subfamily Nymphalinae)
Leanira Checkerspot (Thessalia leanira)
Gabb's Checkerspot (Chlosyne gabbii)
Field Crescent (Phyciodes pratensis)
Mylitta Crescent (Phyciodes mylitta)
Variable Checkerspot (Euphydryas chalcedona)
Edith's Checkerspot (Euphydryas editha)
Satyr Comma (Polygonia satyrus)
Hoary Comma (Polygonia gracilis)
California Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis californica)
Milbert's Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis milberti)
Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa)
American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis)
Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)
West Coast Lady (Vanessa annabella)
Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia)Admirals and Relatives (Subfamily Limenitidinae)
Lorquin's Admiral (Limenitis lorquini)
California Sister (Adelpha bredowii)Satyrs (Subfamily Satyrinae)
Common Ringlet (Coenonympha tullia)
Great Basin Wood Nymph (Cercyonis sthenele)Monarchs (Subfamily Danainae)
Monarch (Danaus plexippus)
Queen (Danaus gilippus)
Skippers (Family Hesperiidae)
Spread-wing Skippers (Subfamily Pyrginae)
Propertius Duskywing (Erynnis propertius)
Mournful Duskywing (Erynnis tristis)
Funereal Duskywing (Erynnis funeralis)
Pacuvius Duskywing (Erynnis pacuvius)
Afranius Duskywing (Erynnis afranius)
'White' Commmon Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus communis albescens)
Northern White-Skipper (Heliopetes ericetorum)Grass Skippers (Subfamily Hesperiinae)
Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus)
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Juba Skipper (Hesperia juba)
Rural Skipper (Ochlodes agricola)
Woodland Skipper (Ochlodes sylvanoides)
Umber Skipper (Poanes melane)
Go to Butterfly Trips in the Pasadena Area
URL: http://www.PasadenaAudubon.org/butterfly-list.html | Email: paudubon@yahoo.com