BUTTERFLIES and MOTHS (Lepidoptera)

of

BALCONES CANYONLANDS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

Revised: September 18, 2008

Charles W. Sexton, Ph.D., Wildlife Biologist

Balcones Canyonlands NWR

For convenience, this list is presented alphabetical by Family, Subfamily (where included), Genus, and Species.

Many staff and visitors have contributed butterfly sightings over the past ten years. Studies of the moth fauna only

began in earnest in Fall 2001; limited sampling or collecting has been done.

A = Abundant V = Vagrant

C = Common I = Irregular

F = Fairly Common H = Hypothetical

U = Uncommon NCN = No common name

R = Rare

Butterflies:

DANAIDAE

Danainae

Danaus eresimus Soldier R

Danaus gilippus Queen C

Danaus plexippus Monarch A

HELICONIIDAE

Agraulis vanillae Gulf Fritillary C

Dryas iulia Julia R

Heliconius charitonius Zebra Longwing R

HESPERIIDAE

Hesperiinae

Amblyscirtes aenus Bronze Roadside-Skipper U

Amblyscirtes celia Celia Roadside-Skipper U

Amblyscirtes eos Dotted Roadside-Skipper R

Ancyloxypha numitor Least Skipper U

Atalopedes campestris Sachem A

Copaeodes aurantiacus Orange Skipperling U

Copaeodes minimus Southern Skipperling U

Euphyes vestris Dun Skipper A

Hesperia viridis Green Skipper F

Hylephila phyleus Fiery Skipper A

Lerema accius Clouded Skipper F

Lerodea eufala Eufala Skipper C

Nastra julia Julia's Skipper U

Panoquina ocola Ocola (Long-winged) Skipper F

Polites vibex Whirlabout R

Wallengrenia otho Southern Broken-Dash U

Megathyminae

Megathymus coloradensis Yucca Giant Skipper U

Pyrginae

Achalarus toxeus Coyote Cloudywing V

Achylodes thraso Sickle-winged Skipper R-I

Chioides catillus White-striped Longtail R

Chioides zilpa Zilpa Longtail V
Epargyreus clarus Silver-spotted Skipper

R

Erynnis funeralis Funereal DuskywingF

Erynnis horatius Horace's DuskywingF

Erynnis juvenalis Juvenal's DuskywingR

Pholisora catullus Common SootywingR

Pyrgus communis Common Checkered-SkipperA

Pyrgus oileus Tropical Checkered-Skipper R-I

Pyrgus philetas Desert Checkered-SkipperR

Staphylus hayhurstii Hayhurst’s ScallopwingR

Thorybes pylades Northern CloudywingF

Urbanus dorantes Dorantes SkipperR

Urbanus proteus Long-tailed SkipperR

LIBYTHEIDAE

Libytheana bachmanii Snout Butterfly A-I

LYCAENIDAE

Polyommatinae

Brephidium exile Western Pygmy BlueR

Everes comyntas Eastern Tailed-BlueU

Hemiargus isola Reakirt's BlueA

Leptotes marina Marine BlueU

Theclinae

Atlides halesus Great Purple HairstreakF

Calycopis isobeon Dusky-blue GroundstreakF

Fixsenia ontario Oak (= Northern) HairstreakF

Incisalia henrici Henry's ElfinU

Mitoura grynea Juniper HairstreakA

Phaeostrymon alcestis Soapberry HairstreakR

Satyrium calanus Banded HairstreakU

Strymon columella Mallow Scrub-HairstreakU

Strymon melinus Gray HairstreakC

NYMPHALIDAE

Apaturinae

Asterocampa celtis Hackberry ButterflyA

Asterocampa clyton Tawny EmperorF

Asterocampa leilia Empress Leilia F?

Argynninae

Euptoieta claudia Variegated FritillaryA

Euptoieta hegesia Mexican FritillaryV

Charaxinae

Anaea andria Goatweed ButterflyC

Limenitidinae

Adelpha bredowii California (“Arizona”) Sister F-I

Basilarchia archippus ViceroyF

Basilarchia arthemis Red-spotted PurpleF

Mestra amymone Common MestraU

Melitaeinae

Anthanassa texana Texan CrescentF

Charidryas gorgone Gorgone CheckerspotU

Charidryas nycteis Silvery CheckerspotU

Chlosyne lacinia Bordered PatchF

Phyciodes phaon Phaon CrescentA

Phyciodes tharos Pearl CrescentF

Phyciodes vesta Vesta CrescentU

Texola elada Elada CheckerspotR

Thessalia theona Theona CheckerspotV

Nymphalinae
Anartia jatrophae White Peacock V

Junonia coenia Common Buckeye A

Junonia genoveva nigrosuffusa Tropical (Dark) Buckeye R

Nymphalis antiopa Mourning Cloak U

Polygonia interrogations Question Mark C

Vanessa atalanta Red Admiral A

Vanessa cardui Painted Lady C

Vanessa virginiensis American Lady C

PAPILIONIDAE

Battus philenor Pipevine Swallowtail A

Heraclides cresphontes Giant Swallowtail C

Papilio polyxenes Black Swallowtail C

Pterourus glaucus Eastern Tiger Swallowtail C

Pterourus multicaudatus Two-tailed Swallowtail U

Pterourus palamedes Palamedes Swallowtail V

PIERIDAE

Anthocharinae

Paramidea midea Falcate Orangetip U

Coliadinae

Anteo chlorinde White-angled Sulphur V

Colias eurytheme Orange Sulphur A

Colias philodice Clouded Sulphur R

Eurema lisa Little Yellow U

Eurema mexicanum Mexican Yellow F-I

Eurema nicippe Sleepy Orange A

Kricogonia lyside Lyside F-I

Nathalis iole Dainty Sulphur A

Phoebis agarithe Large Orange Sulphur U

Phoebis philea Orange-barred Skipper R

Phoebis sennae Cloudless Sulphur F

Zerene cesonia Dogface Sulphur A

Pierinae

Ascia monuste Great Southern White V

Pontia protodice Checkered White F

RIODINIDAE

Calephelis nemesis Fatal Metalmark (H)

SATYRIDAE

Satyrinae

Cercyonis pegala Common Wood-Nymph C

Hermeuptychia hermes Hermes Satyr U

Megisto cymela Little Wood-Satyr F

Megisto rubricata Red Satyr A

Moths:

ARCTIIDAE

Arctiinae

Ecpantheria scribonia Giant Leopard Moth

Estigmene acrea Salt Marsh Moth

Euerythra trimaculata Three-spotted Specter

Grammia arge Arge Moth

Grammia ~parthenicae/doris NCN

Holomelina ca. aurantiaca NCN

Horama panthalon texana Texas Wasp Moth

Narraga fimetaria NCN

Lithosiinae
Cisthene tenuifascia Thin-banded Lichen Moth

Hypoprepia fucosa Painted Lichen Moth

COSSIDAE

Prionoxystus robiniae Carpenterworm Moth

GEOMETRIDAE

Ennominae

Enconista dislocaria Pale-veined Enconista

Glena ca. macdunnougharia NCN

Glena sp. 2

Melanochroia chephise White-tipped Black

Nematocampa limbata Horned Spanworm

Phigalia strigataria Small Phigalia

Prochoerodes transversata Large Maple Spanworm

Geometrinae

Nemoria sp. Green Geometer

LASIOCAMPIDAE

Gloveria gargamelle NCN

Malacosoma disstria Forest Tent Catepillar

Phyllodesma americana Lappet Moth

LIMACODIDAE

Apoda ca. latomia NCN

Apoda ca. rectilinea NCN

Euclea nanina NCN

NOCTUIDAE

Acontiinae

Acontia aprica Exposed Bird-dropping Moth

Acontia tetragona Four-spotted Bird-dropping Moth

Tarachidia candefacta Olive-shaded Bird-dropping Moth

Agaristinae

Alypia octomaculata Eight-spotted Forester

Amphipyrinae

Galgula partita The Wedgling

Spodoptera frugiperda Fall Armyworm Moth

Catocalinae

Bulia (Cirrhobolina) deducta NCN

"Cirrhobolina mexicana" NCN (from Holland's Moth Book)

Caenurgina erechtea Forage Looper Moth

Catocala ilia Ilia Underwing

Catocala maestosa Sad Underwing

Catocala micronympha Little Nymph (Underwing)

Cissusa spadix Black-dotted Brown

Melipotis indomita Indominable Melipotis

Melipotis jucunda Merry Melipotis

Metria amella NCN

Metria? sp. 2 NCN

Panopoda carneicosta Brown Panopoda

Panopoda refimargo Red-lined Panopoda

Plusiodonta compressipalpis Moonseed Moth

Cuculliinae

Cucullia sp. (ca. speyeri dorsalis) NCN

Cucullia sp. 2 NCN

Hadeninae

Faronta (Heliophila) diffusa Wheat Head Armyworm Moth

Lacinipolia sp. "Olive Boot" (CWS name)

Heliothinae

Schinia chrysella NCN (Flower Moth)
Schinia rivulosa Ragweed Flower Moth

Schinia tertia NCN (Flower Moth)

Hypeninae

Plathypena scabra Green Cloverworm Moth

Noctuinae

Euagrotis (Agrotis) lubricans Slippery Dart

Faronta diffusa Wheat Head Armyworm Moth

NOTODONTIDAE

Heterocampa umbrata White-blotched Heterocampa

Hyperaeschra georgica Georgian Prominent

PYRALIDAE

Chrysauginae

Chrysaugid sp. 1 "Ruddy Poser" (CWS name)

Chrysaugid sp. 2 "Brown Poser" (CWS name)

Galasa nigrinodis NCN (Poser)

Crambinae

Urola nivalis Snowy Urola

Odontiinae

Eustixia pupula “Peppergrass Pyralid” (CWS name)

Pyralinae

Herculia olinalis NCN

Pyraustinae

Desmia funeralis Grape Leafroller Moth

Diastictis fracturalis NCN

?Pyrausta sp. "Pink-and-yellow Pyraustid" (CWS name)

SATURNIIDAE

Citheroniinae

Eacles imperialis Imperial Moth

Saturniinae

Antheraea polyphemus Polyphemus Moth

SPHINGIDAE

Macroglossinae

Eumorpha vitis Vine Sphinx

Hyles lineata White-lined Sphinx

Xylophanes tersa Tersa Sphinx (in Lago Vista)

Sphinginae

Laothoe juglandis Walnut Sphinx

Manduca quicquemaculata Five-spotted Hawk Moth

THYRIDIDAE

Siculodinae

Meskea dyspteraria Window-winged Moth

Thyridinae

Thyris sepulchralis Mournful Thyris

TORTRICIDAE

Tortricinae

Acleris (Croesia) semipurpurana Oak Leaftier Moth

Archips argyrospila Fruit-tree Leafroller Moth

Cudonigera (Choristoneura) houstonana Juniper Budworm

Platynota flavedana NCN