Brush-footed Butterflies
The nymphalids, or brush-footed butterflies, make up the largest family of butterflies; there are more than 5,000 species. The front legs of these butterflies are hairy brushlike pads. Because the satyrs, wood nymphs, heliconians, and milkweeds have similar legs, some authorities include these butterflies in the nymphalid family.
Members of the brush-footed butterfly family have a pair of short, hairy front legs that look like brushes. These legs are not used for walking. Some scientists think the “brushes” on these front legs help the butterflies taste and smell things.
Brush-footed butterflies live in most parts of the world and include many butterflies that are common to North America. The viceroy is a brush-footed butterfly. So are the mourning cloak and the red admiral. Some scientists classify the monarch into this family as well, but others separate the monarch and its relatives into their own family—the milkweed butterflies.
Family: Nymphalidae. Examples:
(Basilarchia arthemis) has black wings with white bands. Found in eastern Canada and northeastern United States.
(Junonia coenia) has brownish wings with one large and one small eyespot on each wing Found throughout the southern United States.
(Polygonia comma) lays its eggs on hops. A white, comma-shaped marking is on the lower surface of each hind wing. Found from New England to Texas.
are best represented by the pearl crescent (Phyciodes tharos). Dull orange wings with black edges and markings. Hind wing has pearl-gray crescent on underside. Found throughout United States.
Spoon-shaped clubs on antennae. Mottled in brown, red, black, and silvery gray. Especially common in midsummer. Common species include:
(Speyeria diana). female is larger and has bluish-black wings. Ranges from West Virginia to Missouri, north to Ohio and south to Georgia.
(S. cybele). Brown wings with black markings on upper surfaces and black and silver markings below. Found mainly in northern United States and Canada.
(S. idalia). Brown wings with black spots. Ranges from north Atlantic states west to Nebraska.
(Nymphalis antiopa) has maroon wings with yellow borders. Common throughout temperate regions of the world.
(Vanessa cardui) is found in nearly all parts of the world. Wings brightly marked with orange, black, brown, and white above with drab undersides. Migrate in large numbers when food becomes scarce.
(Vanessa atalanta) has dark brown wings with reddish-orange markings; hind wings are slightly scalloped. Found throughout temperate regions of the world.
(Basilarchia archippus) has orange-brown fore wings with black border spotted with white. Looks very much like the monarch, but is smaller. Found from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico.
