In the spring of 2012 I began taking pictures of any interesting animals that I happened upon, which, since they are all interesting in one way or another, means that in the spring of 2012 I began taking pictures of just about every wild critter that I happened upon. So my computer is now overflowing with folders, all bulging with pictures of everything from ants to zebras. Well ok, no zebras yet, but just about anything else that's likely to be found in the woods or along the rivers and streams that run through them here in mid Missouri. An ongoing lifetime love and fascination with nature has resulted in me spending an inordinate amount of time in those wild places so I've long been aware that there was a wide variety of wildlife around me. But I have to admit that once I actually began documenting all the various species, I was truly surprised at the incredible biological diversity that surrounded me .
That knowledge brought with it a desire to organize and compile a list of all the individual species that lived around me. A few weeks ago I posted a diary highlighting the different dragonfly species I'd found here in Missouri and mentioned then that I was getting my butterfly pics sorted out and would be posting a photo diary of them soon. After double checking my IDs and getting them all organized into their respective families I've come up with 54 separate species. I'm pretty sure it's actually more like 60 something if I could ID every Skipper I've shot but some of them are so hard to identify that I've decided not to include several of them here because my IDs on them are too iffy. Luckily some Skippers aren't that tough and I've been able to ID 17 of them with a reasonable amount of confidence, though I wouldn't go so far as to bet the farm on a few of those either. As with the dragonfly IDs, these butterflies are IDd to the best of my abilities, and I believe they are correct but can't rule out the possibilities of mistakes. Differing opinions are welcome. An accurate record is the goal.
As anyone that read my dragonfly diary knows, it stretched the limits of most peoples desire to wade through it all and I promised that my upcoming butterfly diary would be much easier to digest. So here are my butterflies with, as promised, only a very few words, just those that were absolutely necessary, just the Family, Genus, Species, and common names.
I'll be in and out throughout the day. Thanks for looking!
Hesperiidae-Achalarus lyciades-Hoary Edge
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Hesperiidae-Anatrytonelogan-Delaware Skipper
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Hesperiidae-Ancyloxypha numitor - Least Skipper
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Hesperiidae-Atalopedes campestris - Sachem
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Hesperiidae-Atrytonopsis hianna - Dusted Skipper
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Hesperiidae-Epargyreus clarus - Silver-spotted Skipper
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Hesperiidae-Erynnis horatius - Horace's Duskywing
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Hesperiidae-Erynnis juvenalis - Juvenal's Duskywing
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Hesperiidae-Euphyes vestris-Dun Skipper
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Hesperiidae-Hayhurst's Scallopwing - Staphylus hayhurstii
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Hesperiidae-Hylephila phyleus - Fiery Skipper
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Hesperiidae-Leremaaccius-Clouded Skipper
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Hesperiidae-Pholisora catullus - Common Sootywing
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Hesperiidae-Poanes zabulon-Zabulon Skipper
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Hesperiidae-Polites origenes - Crossline Skipper
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Hesperiidae-Polites themistocles - Tawny-edged Skipper
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Hesperiidae-Pyrgus communis - Common Checkered-Skipper
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Lycaenidae-Callophrys gryneus gryneus-Juniper-Hairstreak
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Lycaenidae-Calycopis cecrops - Red-banded Hairstreak
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Lycaenidae-Celastrina neglecta-Summer Azure
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Lycaenidae-Cupido comyntas - Eastern Tailed-Blue
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Lycaenidae-Strymon melinus - Gray Hairstreak
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Nymphalidae-Asterocampa celtis - Hackberry Emperor
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Nymphalidae-Cercyonis pegala - Common Wood Nymph
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Nymphalidae-Chlosyne nycteis-Silvery Checkerspot
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Nymphalidae-Danaus plexippus - Monarch
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Nymphalidae-Euptoieta claudia - Variegated Fritillary
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Nymphalidae-Junonia coenia - Common Buckeye
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Nymphalidae-Lethe anthedon - Northern Pearly Eye
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Nymphalidae-Libytheana carinenta - American Snout
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Nymphalidae- Limenitis archippus - Viceroy
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Nymphalidae-Limenitis arthemis astyanax - Red-Spotted Purple
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Nymphalidae-Megisto cymela - Little Wood Satyr
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Nymphalidae-Nymphalis antiopa - Mourning Cloak
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Nymphalidae-Phyciodes tharos - Pearl Crescent
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Nymphalidae-Polygonia comma - Eastern Comma
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Nymphalidae-Polygonia interrogationis-Question Mark
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Nymphalidae-Speyeria cybele - Great Spangled Fritillary
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Nymphalidae-Vanessa atalanta - Red Admiral
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Nymphalidae-Vanessa cardui - Painted Lady
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Nymphalidae-Vanessa virginiensis - American Lady
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Papilionidae-Battus philenor - Pipevine Swallowtail
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Papilionidae-Eurytides marcellus - Zebra Swallowtail
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Papilionidae-Papilio cresphontes - Giant Swallowtail
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Papilionidae-Papilio glaucus- Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
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Papilionidae-Papilio glaucus- Eastern Tiger Swallowtail dark form female
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Papilionidae-Papilio polyxenes asterius - Black Swallowtail
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Papilionidae-Papilio troilus - Spicebush Swallowtail
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Pieridae-Colias eurythemer-Orange Sulphur
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Pieridae-Colias philodice - Clouded Sulphur
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Pieridae-Nathalis iole-dainty sulphur
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Pieridae-Phoebis sennae - Cloudless Sulphur
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Pieridae-Pieris rapae-cabbage white
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Pieridae-Pontia protodice - Checkered White
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Pieridae-Pyrisitia lisa - Little Yellow