US Official State Butterflies Designations

Official State Butterflies (Insect Order Lepidoptera).

Butterflies belong to the insect order Lepidoptera. The word "Lepidoptera" is derived from a Greek word meaning "scale wing." The butterfly wing scales create the wonderful colors and patterns observed in butterfly wings. There are 165,000 species of Lepidoptera worldwide, but of those, only about 24,000 are butterflies!

Butterflies range in size from a tiny 1/8 inch to a huge almost 12 inches. Most adult butterflies only live one or two weeks. Adult butterflies use flower nectar as a food source. To obtain nectar, a butterfly's mouth (proboscis) is a long tube it keeps rolled up until ready for use, and is then used as a straw. Butterflies can see red, green, and yellow.

Despite their small size, butterflies are some of the world's most wondrous animals, their beauty, seemingly miraculous metamorphosis, and apparently carefree flight conjures up images of sunshine, the warmth and color of flowery meadows, and summer gardens teaming with life. Moths are one of the most diverse group of insects on earth, ranging from spectacular Hawk-moths to small, intricately patterned Footman moths.

Sadly, four butterflies and over 60 moths became extinct during the last 150 years.

Find images, descriptions, taxonomic hierarchy, and a history of the state butterflies representing the state insect or butterfly symbols for each of the 50 states. Lists their basic characteristics, including adoption date, picture, state code, description, characteristics, range and habitat, habits, life cycle, status, and taxonomic hierarchy.