RARE OR ENDANGERED BUTTERFLIES

The following butterflies of southeast Florida and the Florida Keys are considered to be rare, imperiled, on the decline, likely to be extirpated, or recently determined to be extinct – a classification offered by Marc C. Minno, Ph.D. who has closely studied this area’s butterflies over many years. Most of the species on Dr. Minno's list are found, as well, on the Florida Natural Areas Inventory's listing of imperiled species (www.FNAI.org).

This list represents approximately one-third of southeast Florida’s butterfly species.

It is sobering to understand that extinction and extirpation are in progress “under our very eyes” as we watch.



Florida Leafwing
Anaea floridalis
Hitching a ride in Long Pine Key, Everglades National Park
Photo by David L Lysinger

Schaus’ Swallowtail (imperiled)
Heraclides aristodemus ponceanus


Bahamian Swallowtail (likely to be extirpated)
Heraclides andraemon bonhotei


Spicebush Swallowtail (Fakahatchee population) (imperiled)
Pterourus Troilus fakahatcheensis


Florida White (imperiled)
Appias drusilla neumoegenii


Statira Sulphur (imperiled)
Aphrissa statira floridensis


Lyside Sulphur (rare)
Krycogonia lyside


Mimosa Yellow (rare)
Eurema nise


Dina Yellow (imperiled)
Eurema dina


Atala (imperiled)
Eumaeus atala florida


Amethyst Hairstreak (imperiled)
Chlorostrymon maesites
This species may reproduce in South Florida. It is included because it is periodically observed in South Florida, however, but not necessarily annually.


Silver-banded Hairstreak (imperiled)
Chlorostrymon simeathis


Martial Scrub-Hairstreak (imperiled)
Strymon matialis


Bartram’s Scrub-Hairstreak (imperiled)
Strymon acis


Gray Ministreak (imperiled)
Ministrymon azia


Miami Blue (imperiled)
Cyclargus thomasi bethunebakeri


Acacia Blue (Nickerbean) (likely to be extirpated)
Hemiargus ammon


Cuban Crescent (imperiled)
Phyciodes frisia


Mangrove Buckeye (declining)
Junonia evarete


Tropical Buckeye (imperiled)
Junonia genoveva


Malachite (imperiled)
Siproeta stelenes biplagiata


Florida Purplewing (imperiled)
Eunica tatila


Dingy Purplewing (imperiled)
Eunica monima


Ruddy Daggerwing (declining)
Marpesia petreus


Florida Leafwing (imperiled)
Anaea floridalis


Round-eyed Georgia Satyr (rare)
Neonympha halicta dadensis


Mangrove Skipper (declining)
Phocides pigmalion


Zestos Skipper (recently determined extinct)
Epargyreus zestos


Hayhurst’s Scallopwing (likely to be extirpated)
Staphylus hayhurstii

Florida Duskywing (imperiled)
Ephyriades brunneus floridensis


Zarucco Duskywing (Keys population) (likely to be extirpated)
Erynnis zarucco


Neamathla Skipper (declining)
Nastra neamathla


Baracoa Skipper (declining many areas of the state)
Polites Baracoa

Rockland Meske’s Skipper (Lower Keys) (recently determined extinct)
Hesperia meskei pinocayo


Aaron’s Skipper (rare)
Poanes aaroni howardi


Palmetto Skipper (Lower Keys) (rare)
Euphyes arpa


Palatka Skipper (Keys population) (imperiled)
Euphyes pilatka klotsi


Berry’s Skipper (rare)
Euphyes berryi


Obscure Skipper (declining)

Panoquina Panoquinoides