The butterflies nectar at flowers, when they're not protecting their patch of ground. To make it more interesting, some females of both species are white, and resemble the ubiquitous cabbage white butterfly, Artogeia rapae. It has more pronounced light patches on the underside, but is in most respects very similar to tharos. The caterpillars feed on a variety of legumes, including the very cool sensitive fern, which folds its leaflets when touched. This truly beautiful butterfly may have more in common with European tortoiseshells; there is some taxonomic debate as to whether it's truly a member of the Aglais genus, or should be in its own category. The pearl crescent shows up in the spring, and multiple broods keep the species present until late summer. The larvae feed on various grasses. This small, bright-orange butterfly is found around the world, from Europe, Asia, and North America to North Africa south through Ethiopa. The orange sulphur gets its name ‘Alfalfa Butterfly’ (and the ‘Alfalfa Caterpillar’) for its specific fondness for the alfalfa plant. If a butterfly has a significant amount of orange coloring to its wings, then it is most likely included here. Like most Heliconiids, the larva feeds on passion-flower vines. The Mormon metalmark is an excellent example of how confusing it can be to pin down an exact identification for some groups. The viceroy also visits dung and carrion, which the monarch does not. You can identify the Cecropia caterpillar by its long length and orange, yellow, and blue nodules (tubercles). They fly immediately whe you're within less than ten feet, but still that's close enough to make a positive identification. Like most so-called "angle-wings," the Compton tortoiseshell has an orange-brown mottled upperside and a highly camouflaged, or "cryptic" underside. The Sleepy Orange is a species of very common butterflies with their flight season being throughout the year, and almost everywhere in North America. The silver-washed fritillary does have at least one different and interesting habit -- the female lays her eggs not on the violet plants upon which the caterpillar feeds, but instead at about head-level on nearby tree trunks. It is of course harmless (after all, it's a tiny little butterfly), but territorial defense in butterflies rarely gets this energetic. It has a green body with a rugged or uneven surface and two straight yellow to bright white lines running from head to base at both the sides with fine clusters of dots running parallel in cyan and black. The caterpillar feeds on a variety of grasses, including Bermuda grass, and when there are enough of them they may be considered a pest species. Like V. cardui, doesn't look or act much like the monarch, but there is may be enough of a resemblance to the orange-black theme to give these species some protection. Swallowtail butterfly (Papilionidae) Length: 38mm. This is a very common butterfly that sometimes undergoes population explosions or migrations, and at these times it can be the most common butterfly in a given environment. Geographic Range: Throughout the southern US, into Mexico, Flight Characteristics: Quick, gliding flight with wings outstretched, Notes: An insect of the south and west, very seldom found to the north. Another characteristic of this butterfly is its aggressiveness. This big, beautiful orange butterfly is hard to miss, and that's the point -- orange and black is a common "warning" coloration in the insect world. Wingspan: 3½4½ inch. Funerary Dagger Moth (Acronicta funeralis) The gulf fritillary is a simply gorgeous butterfly, one of the most striking insects in North America. 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