US Official State Insects, Butterflies, & Bugs

Lists characteristics, including history, description, and photos of the state designations.

US Official State Insects, Butterflies, & Bugs

Insects or Insecta are by far the largest group of hexapod invertebrates within the arthropod phylum. Definitions and circumscriptions vary; usually, insects comprise a class within the Phylum Arthropoda.

Find images, descriptions, taxonomic hierarchy, and a history of the insect and butterfly representing the symbols for each of the 50 states. Lists their basic characteristics, including history, description, and characteristics.

Some states have designated a state butterfly or a state agricultural insect in addition to a state insect. A few states didn't bother with a state insect, but did choose a state butterfly.

In 1929, California designated the dogface butterfly as its state insect, becoming the first state to adopt an insect as an official symbol. Some states have multiple state insects and multiple categories. For example, Delaware has adopted a state butterfly, a state bug, and a state macroinvertebrate. Now, 46 states in the United States have officially designated State Insects.



Official State Insects, Butterflies, & Bugs

State Symbols

Insects, Butterflies, & Bugs- Species - Adopted

Alabama Queen Honey Bee
(Apis mellifera)
Alabama State Agricultural Insect - 2015
Alabama Monarch Butterfly
(Danaus plexippus)
Alabama State Insect
- 1995
Alabama Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
(Papilio glaucus)
Alabama State Mascot and Butterfly - May 2, 1989
Alaska Four Spot Skimmer Dragonfly
(Libellula quadrimaculata)
Alaska State Insect - Aug 24, 1995
Arizona Two-tailed Swallowtail
(Papilio multicaudata)
Arizona State Butterfly - May 9, 2001
Arkansas Honeybee
(Apis mellifera)
Arkansas State Insect - 1973
Arkansas Diana fritillary butterfly
(Speyeria diana)
Arkansas State Butterfly - 2007
California California Dogface Butterfly
(Zerene eurydice)
California State Insect - Jul 28, 1972
Colorado Colorado Hairstreak Butterfly
(Hypaurotis crysalus)
Colorado State Insect - 1996
Connecticut European or "Praying" Mantis
(Mantis religiosa)
Connecticut State Insect - 1977
Delaware Tiger Swallowtail
(Papilio glaucous)
Delaware State Butterfly - Jun 10, 1999
Delaware Ladybug
(Coccinella 7)
Delaware State Bug - Apr 25, 1974
Florida Zebra Longwing
(Heliconius charitonius)
Florida State Butterfly - 1996
Georgia Tiger Swallowtail
(Papilio glaucus)
Georgia State Butterfly - 1988
Georgia Honeybee
(Apis mellifera)
Georgia State Insect - Apr18, 1975
Hawaii Pulelehua Kamehameha butterfly -
(Vanessa tameamea)
Hawaii State Insect - 2009
Idaho Monarch Butterfly
(Danaus plexippus)
Idaho State Insect - 1992
Illinois Monarch Butterfly
(Danaus plexippus)
Illinois State Insect - Oct 1, 1975
Indiana Say's Firefly
(Pyractomena Angulata)
Indiana State Insect - Mar 23, 2018
Iowa NA
Kansas Honeybee
(Apis mellifera)
Kansas  State Insect - 1976
Kentucky Viceroy Butterfly
(Basilarchia archippus)
Kentucky State Butterfly - 1990
Kentucky Honeybee
(Apis mellifera)
Kentucky State Agricultural Insect - 2009
Louisiana Honeybee
(Apis mellifera)
Louisiana State Insect - 1977
Maine Honeybee
(Apis mellifera)
Maine State Insect - 1975
Maryland Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly
(Euphydryas phaeton)
Maryland State Insect - 1973
Massachusetts Ladybug
(Adalia bipunctata)
Massachusetts State Insect - 1974
Michigan NA
Minnesota Monarch Butterfly
(Danaus plexippus)
Minnesota State Butterfly - Mar 31, 2000
Mississippi Spicebush Swallowtail
(Battus philenor)
Mississippi State Butterfly - 1991
Mississippi Honeybee
(Apis mellifera)
Mississippi State Insect - 1980
Missouri Honeybee
(Apis mellifera)
Missouri State Insect - Jul 3, 1985
Montana Mourning Cloak
(Nymphalis antiopa)
Montana State Butterfly - 2001
Nebraska Honeybee
(Apis mellifera)
Nebraska State Insect - 1975
Nevada Vivid Dancer Damselfly
(Argia vivida)
Nevada State Insect - May 4,2009
New Hampshire Karner Blue Butterfly
(Lycaeides melissa,
subspecies samuelis)

New Hampshire State Butterfly - 1992
New Hampshire Ladybug
(Coccinella spp.)
New Hampshire State Insect - 1977
New Jersey Honeybee
(Apis mellifera)
New Jersey State Bug - Jun 20, 1974
New Mexico Tarantula Hawk Wasp
(Pepsis formosa)
New Mexico State Insect - 1989
New Mexico Sandia Hairstreak
(Callophrys mcfarlandi
Ehrlich & Clench)

New Mexico State Butterfly - 2003
New York Lady bug
(Coccinella novemnotata)
New York State Insect - 1989
North Carolina Honeybee
(Apis mellifera)
North Carolina State Insect - 1973
North Carolina Eastern tiger swallowtail
(Papilio glaucous)
North Carolina State Butterfly - Jun 15, 2012
North Dakota Convergent lady beetle ladybug -
(Hippodamia convergens)
North Dakota State Insect - 2011
Ohio Ladybug
(Coccinella spp.)
Ohio State Insect - 1975
Oklahoma Black Swallowtail
(Papilio polyxenes)
Oklahoma State Butterfly - Nov 1, 1996
Oklahoma Honeybee
(Apis mellifera)
Oklahoma State Insect - May 14, 1992
Oregon Oregon Swallowtail Butterfly
(Papilio oregonius)
Oregon State Insect - Jul 16, 1979
Pennsylvania Firefly
(Photinus Pyralsis)
Pennsylvania State Insect - Apr 10, 1974
Rhode Island American burying beetle
Rhode Island State Insect - 2015
South Carolina Tiger Swallowtail
(Pterourus Glaucus)
South Carolina State Butterfly - 1994
South Carolina Carolina Mantid
(Stagmomantis carolina)
South Carolina State Insect - 1988
South Dakota Honeybee
(Apis mellifera)
South Dakota State Insect - Feb 23, 1978
Tennessee Firefly
(Photinus Pyralsis)
Tennessee State Insect - 1975
Tennessee Ladybug
(Coccinella 7)
Tennessee State Insect - 1975
Tennessee Honeybee
(Apis mellifera)
Tennessee State Agricultural Insect - 1990
Tennessee Zebra Swallowtail
(Eurytides marcellus)
Tennessee State Butterfly - 1975
Texas Monarch Butterfly
(Danaus plexippus)
Texas State Insect - Jun 6, 1995
Texas Western honey bee
State Pollinator of Texas - 2015
Utah Honeybee
(Apis mellifera)
Utah State Insect - Mar 16, 1983
Vermont Monarch Butterfly
(Danaus plexippus)
Vermont State Butterfly - Jul 1, 1987
Vermont Honeybee
(Apis mellifera)
Vermont State Insect - Jul 1, 1978
Virginia Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly
(Papilio glaucous Linne)
Virginia State Insect - 1991
Washington Green Darner Dragonfly
(Anax junius Drury)
Washington State Insect - 1997
West Virginia Monarch Butterfly
(Danaus plexippus)
West Virginia State Butterfly - Mar 1, 1995
West Virginia Honeybee
(Apis mellifera)
West Virginia State Insect - 2002
Wisconsin Honeybee
(Apis mellifera)
Wisconsin State Insect - 1977
Wyoming Sheridan's Green Hairstreak
(Callophrys sheridanii)
Wyoming State Butterfly - 2009
Eighteen states have adopted the Honeybee as their official state insect.

The Monarch Butterfly makes a strong showing with seven states designating this beautiful insect as either an official state "insect" or an official state "butterfly."
State Insects,
Butterflies, and Bugs
State Insects,
State insects are selected by 45 states of the 50 United States. Some states have more than one designated insect, or have multiple categories (e.g., state insect and state butterfly, etc.).