Learn easy ways to remember
Tip: Think of your own ways to
remember butterflies by knowing
their field marks.
Q. What are “field marks?”
A. Field marks are lines, spots,
patterns, shapes and colors that help us
identify animals, including butterflies.
Here are some examples of how you can associate unrelated things to
field marks. The connection will help you remember the butterfly.
Spicebush Swallowtail
The Spicebush Swallowtail
has a “blue tooth.”
Southern Skipperling
Viceroy
These lines appear on the
Viceroy like a “smiley face.”
No similar butterfly has
these lines.
Little Yellow
The Little Yellow has two
small dots by the body. The
word “little” has two Ts.
The Southern Skipperling has
a white ray on its hind wing.
What would you associate with
this field mark to help you
remember the butterfly?
Observe still butterflies
What is similar about these butterflies?
What is different ?
Tip: Look carefully at the butterfly while it’s
still before you identify it.
Example: The Orange Sulphur and
Clouded Sulphur, which look alike, can
easily be confused with the Sleepy
Orange, especially as they fly. All of
these are bright yellow to orange when
they fly.
They also share a dark margin on the
dorsal (upper) side of their wings.
Orange Sulphur
Sleepy Orange
Note the row of dots on
the ventral (underneath)
side of the hind wing.
Notice the smudgy line
on the ventral side of
the hind wing.
Look at the ventral side
Tip: Sometimes looking at the
ventral side of the wings helps
with ID.
Painted Lady
Dorsal views of each butterfly
are very similar.
Painted Lady
American Lady
Example: Get a look at the ventral view to see that
the Painted Lady has four small eyespots. The
American Lady has two large ones.
American Lady
Note similar field marks in sexes
Tip: Learn the similarities
in field marks between
males and females.
Notice the similar markings between the
male and female of these two species.
The pattern of the field marks is always
similar between the two sexes, even though
wing color and appearance of the field
marks sometimes differs between males and
females of the same species.
female
male
These Checkered Whites have similar field marks,
but the wing color is different.
(left photo) Markings on the
female are larger and more
distinct.
(right photo) Two male Cloudless
Sulphurs “puddle,” or sip
moisture, to gather salts and
proteins.
female
males
Note similar field marks in sexes
Tip: Learn the similarities
in field marks between
males and females.
The pattern of field marks is always
similar between the two sexes, even
though the appearance of the field marks
can differ between males and females of
the same species.
Both the males and females of these
two species have blue on the dorsal
hind wing. The females have more blue.
Tiger Swallowtail -- male
Q. Which are the females?
Black Swallowtail -- male
Tiger Swallowtail -- female
A. If you answered each of the
ones on the right, you are
correct!
Black Swallowtail -- female
Note similar field marks across seasons
Tip: Learn the
similarities in field
marks that appear
differently throughout
the year, especially
among whites and
sulphurs.
Barred Yellow, white form, summer
The Barred Yellow transitions
between two colors. But note
the bright yellow field mark on
the ventral forewing. It is
always present.
Barred Yellow, yellow form, summer
Note: These are not the same individuals
pictured for each species. New generations
display differences in appearance throughout
the year.
The Dainty Sulphur transitions
between yellow, with some black
scales, to a drab olive on the hind
wing. But note the black dot field
mark on the forewing. It is always
there.
Dainty Sulphur, summer form
Dainty Sulphur, winter form
Become a specialist
Tip: Learn a few similar butterflies, then
learn another batch after you master the
first.
Black Swallowtail
The Black Swallowtail
has an extra orange
dot.
The Spicebush
Swallowtail has
a “blue tooth.”
Spicebush Swallowtail
Tiger Swallowtail
(black female)
The black female Tiger
Swallowtail has the same
pattern of black stripes as
the yellow females and males
(male below).
An outline of the row of
orange dots on the
Pipevine Swallowtail
resembles a curved pipe.
Pipevine Swallowtail
Part II
• Challenge your identification skills
Duke’s Skipper
Challenge your identification skills
Viceroy or Monarch?
Hint: What is the field mark for the Viceroy?
Click on the butterfly you think is the Viceroy.
Monarch
Tip: Think of your own
ways to remember
butterflies by knowing
their field marks.
Viceroy! See how the “smile line”
appears on the ventral hind wing.
Clouded Skipper
This butterfly has dark
scaling on the ventral side
of the hind wing. How would
this field mark help you
remember the name of the
butterfly?
Stumped? Click on the butterfly
for a suggestion.
The dark scaling is shaped like a
tornado, or funnel cloud. The cloud
shape can help you remember
the name, “Clouded Skipper.”
Challenge continued…
Are these the same kind of
butterfly?
Yes! They are all Sleepy
Oranges. They are the same species
of butterfly, but they are not the same
individual. New generations, and
males and females, display
differences in the same field marks
throughout the year.
Tip: Learn the similarities
in field marks that appear
differently throughout the
year, especially among
the whites and sulphurs.
Q. How can you tell they are
Sleepy Oranges?
A. They have the same field mark-a smudgy line--that identifies them
as the Sleepy Orange.
Challenge continued…
Which two butterflies are the same
species?
Tip: Learn the similarities in field
marks between males and females.
Challenge continued…
Q. Which two butterflies are the same
Species?
Pipevine Swallowtail, male
A. The Black
Swallowtails. Earlier
you learned the
females have more
blue on the hind wing
than the males. The
blue scaling is a
similar field mark
each sex shares.
Black Swallowtail, female
Tiger Swallowtail, black female
Black Swallowtail, female
Another field mark the
male and female
share is the dot near
the top edge of the
forewings.
Challenge continued…
Tip: Learn the similarities
in field marks that appear
differently throughout the
year, especially among
the whites and sulphurs.
Which butterfly is a
different species?
Challenge continued…
Tip: Learn the similarities
in field marks that appear
differently throughout the
year, especially among
the whites and sulphurs.
Little Yellow
Barred Yellow--summer
The Little Yellow at the upper left
is the different species. Remember
a good field mark is the two small
dots by the body.
Which butterfly is a
different species?
The other two butterflies are the
Barred Yellow which have winter
and summer forms.
Barred Yellow--winter
Congratulations!
You are well on your way to
identifying butterflies.
Get out soon and take a look!!!