Butterfly enthusiasts have been observing and studying butterflies for decades in the Kingston Study Area and there is a fairly definitive list of the species that can be found in the area. This list is presented further down the page. If you are new to butterflies, you might be interested to know that Butterflies (Superfamily Papilionoidea) are in the Order Lepidoptera lumped together with moths. The Superfamily Papilionoidea is divided into seven families of which five families are represented in the Kingston Study Area. Butterflies are often grouped by subfamily of which 18 are represented in the Kingston Study Area.
- Skippers (Family Hesperiidae)
- Dicot Skippers (Subfamily Eudaminae)
- Grass Skippers (Subfamily Hesperiinae)
- Skipperlings (Subfamily Heteropterinae)
- Spread-wing Skippers (Subfamily Pyrginae)
- Gossamer-winged Butterflies (Family Lycaenidae)
- Coppers (Subfamily Lycaeninae)
- Insectivorous Butterflies (Subfamily Miletinae)
- Blues (Subfamily Polyommatinae)
- Hairstreaks (Subfamily Theclinae)
- Brush-footed Butterflies (Family Nymphalidae)
- Emperors (Subfamily Apaturinae)
- Milkweed Butterflies (Subfamily Danainae)
- Fritillaries and Longwings (Subfamily Heliconiinae)
- Beak and Snout Butterflies (Subfamily Libytheinae)
- Admirals and Allies (Subfamily Limenitidinae)
- Checkerspots, Anglewings, Peacocks, and Allies (Subfamily Nymphalinae)
- Satyrs, Morphos, and Allies (Subfamily Satyrinae)
- Swallowtails and Parnassians (Family Papilionidae)
- Swallowtails (Subfamily Papilioninae)
- Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs (Family Pieridae)
- Yellows and Sulphurs (Subfamily Coliadinae)
- Whites (Subfamily Pierinae)
The Kingston Study Area is a 50 km radius circle centered on the peak of Murney Tower in Kingston, Ontario. Because the circle excludes some of Charleston Lake Provincial Park and Menzel Centennial Provincial Park is close to the edge, some KFN butterfly observers count records from those areas on their personal lists for the area.
The Kingston Field Naturalists discourages the collection of live specimens, and this may actually be illegal in certain areas (e.g. conservation areas, provincial parks, national parks). The best way to observe butterflies is with a pair of binoculars, a camera and/or a notebook. Many observers now upload their photo observations to iNaturalist. It is important that you collect date, time, and location data for your observations. Smart phone apps such as Geotag Photos Pro 2 will collect the location data for you to avoid wasting your camera battery.
Any observations added to iNaturalist get shared with the Ontario Butterfly Atlas automatically, so there is no need to submit them separately. Other observation sharing websites such as e-butterfly don’t have the same uptake as iNaturalist, but you are welcome to explore such places. Avoid duplicating observations on multiple websites or by multiple people. If you are observing butterflies with others, please decide who will upload the observations to iNaturalist. For more information about how to submit data to the Ontario Butterfly Atlas please see their “Contribute Your Ontario Butterfly Data” page.
For more information on, to learn more about, or to join someone looking for butterflies in the Kingston study area, please contact the KFN (info@kingstonfieldnaturalists.org) and your request will be passed onto the appropriate person. You can also join the Kingston Field Naturalists: Butterflies project on iNaturalist.
You may be interested in resources to help you learn about and identify butterflies in this area. The best physical field guide at present is the ROM Field Guide to Butterflies of Ontario. There is also a locally produced booklet, the Pictorial Pocket Guide to the Butterflies of the Kingston Region. To acquire one of these, please email info@kingstonfieldnaturalists.org. There are several other suggestions on the Ontario Field Naturalist’s Toolchest.
The following lists use information from the Ontario Butterfly Atlas, iNaturalist and local knowledge. It includes data up to and including 2022. The butterflies are sorted by subfamily, but you can use the arrows to sort the list however you like. For a list of subfamilies, please see above. In browsing this list, one should pay close attention to the latest year and the comments as some butterflies are “one-offs” that either wandered into the area on a strong breeze or were historically found in the area and would be very difficult to find under normal circumstances.
Butterflies of the Kingston Study Area
This is a verified list of butterfly species observed in the Kingston Study Area (a 50 km radius circle centered on the peak of Murney Tower).| Common Name | Scientific Name | Subfamily | Earliest | Latest | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hackberry Emperor | Asterocampa celtis | Apaturinae | 1999 | 2022 | |
| Clouded Sulphur | Colias philodice | Coliadinae | 1963 | 2022 | |
| Little Yellow | Pyrisitia lisa | Coliadinae | 1868 | 2012 | Very rare southern migrant |
| Orange Sulphur | Colias eurytheme | Coliadinae | 1962 | 2022 | |
| Monarch | Danaus plexippus | Danainae | 1963 | 2022 | |
| Northern Cloudywing | Thorybes pylades | Eudaminae | 1968 | 2022 | |
| Silver-spotted Skipper | Epargyreus clarus | Eudaminae | 1970 | 2022 | |
| Aphrodite Fritillary | Speyeria aphrodite | Heliconiinae | 1956 | 2022 | |
| Great Spangled Fritillary | Speyeria cybele | Heliconiinae | 1964 | 2022 | |
| Meadow Fritillary | Boloria bellona | Heliconiinae | 1955 | 2022 | |
| Silver-bordered Fritillary | Boloria selene | Heliconiinae | 1969 | 2022 | |
| Variegated Fritillary | Euptoieta claudia | Heliconiinae | 2016 | 2016 | |
| Broad-winged Skipper | Poanes viator | Hesperiinae | 1970 | 2022 | |
| Common Roadside-Skipper | Amblyscirtes vialis | Hesperiinae | 1970 | 2022 | |
| Crossline Skipper | Polites origenes | Hesperiinae | 1963 | 2022 | |
| Delaware Skipper | Anatrytone logan | Hesperiinae | 2003 | 2022 | |
| Dion Skipper | Euphyes dion | Hesperiinae | 1971 | 2022 | |
| Dun Skipper | Euphyes vestris | Hesperiinae | 1963 | 2022 | |
| European Skipper | Thymelicus lineola | Hesperiinae | 1868 | 2022 | Introduced in 1920 |
| Fiery Skipper | Hylephila phyleus | Hesperiinae | 2012 | 2022 | Very rare southern migrant |
| Hobomok Skipper | Lon hobomok | Hesperiinae | 1963 | 2022 | |
| Indian Skipper | Hesperia sassacus | Hesperiinae | 1964 | 2022 | |
| Least Skipper | Ancyloxypha numitor | Hesperiinae | 1963 | 2022 | |
| Leonard's Skipper | Hesperia leonardus | Hesperiinae | 1966 | 2022 | |
| Little Glassywing | Vernia verna | Hesperiinae | 2004 | 2022 | |
| Long Dash | Polites mystic | Hesperiinae | 1963 | 2022 | |
| Mulberry Wing | Poanes massasoit | Hesperiinae | 2015 | 2022 | |
| Northern Broken-Dash | Polites egeremet | Hesperiinae | 1868 | 2022 | |
| Peck's Skipper | Polites peckius | Hesperiinae | 1963 | 2022 | |
| Tawny-edged Skipper | Polites themistocles | Hesperiinae | 1939 | 2022 | |
| Sachem | Atalopedes campestris | Hesperiinae | 2012 | 2012 | Very rare southern migrant |
| Two-spotted Skipper | Euphyes bimacula | Hesperiinae | 1971 | 2021 | |
| Arctic Skipper | Carterocephalus mandan | Heteropterinae | 1970 | 2022 | |
| American Snout | Libytheana carinenta | Libytheinae | 2013 | 2022 | Becoming more common since 2013 likely a result of the City of Kingston planting hundreds of Hackberry trees since 2012 |
| Red-spotted Purple | Limenitis arthemis ssp. astyanax | Limenitidinae | 2014 | 2018 | Seen in some years in Sandhurst Shores |
| Viceroy | Limenitis archippus | Limenitidinae | 1964 | 2022 | |
| White Admiral | Limenitis arthemis ssp. arthemis | Limenitidinae | 1960 | 2022 | |
| American Copper | Lycaena phlaeas | Lycaeninae | 1868 | 2022 | |
| Bog Copper | Tharsalea epixanthe | Lycaeninae | 1969 | 2022 | |
| Bronze Copper | Tharsalea hyllus | Lycaeninae | 1920 | 2022 | |
| Harvester | Feniseca tarquinius | Miletinae | 1946 | 2022 | |
| American Lady | Vanessa virginiensis | Nymphalinae | 1964 | 2022 | |
| Baltimore Checkerspot | Euphydryas phaeton | Nymphalinae | 1969 | 2022 | |
| Common Buckeye | Junonia coenia | Nymphalinae | 1967 | 2022 | Rare southern migrant |
| Compton Tortoiseshell | Nymphalis l-album | Nymphalinae | 1969 | 2022 | |
| Eastern Comma | Polygonia comma | Nymphalinae | 1969 | 2022 | |
| Gorgone Checkerspot | Chlosyne gorgone | Nymphalinae | 2021 | 2022 | Normally a western species but recently discovered in the study area |
| Green Comma | Polygonia faunus | Nymphalinae | 2006 | 2018 | |
| Grey Comma | Polygonia progne | Nymphalinae | 1909 | 2022 | |
| Harris's Checkerspot | Chlosyne harrisii | Nymphalinae | 1970 | 2022 | |
| Milbert's Tortoiseshell | Aglais milberti | Nymphalinae | 1964 | 2022 | |
| Mourning Cloak | Nymphalis antiopa | Nymphalinae | 1961 | 2022 | |
| Northern Crescent | Phyciodes cocyta | Nymphalinae | 1955 | 2022 | |
| Painted Lady | Vanessa cardui | Nymphalinae | 1981 | 2022 | Intermittent southern migrant |
| Pearl Crescent | Phyciodes tharos | Nymphalinae | 1970 | 2022 | |
| Question Mark | Polygonia interrogationis | Nymphalinae | 1951 | 2022 | |
| Red Admiral | Vanessa atalanta | Nymphalinae | 1969 | 2022 | |
| Black Swallowtail | Papilio polyxenes | Papilioninae | 1908 | 2022 | |
| Midsummer Tiger Swallowtail | Papilio canadensis × glaucus | Papilioninae | 1970 | 2022 | |
| Canadian Tiger Swallowtail | Papilio canadensis | Papilioninae | 1971 | 2022 | |
| Eastern Giant Swallowtail | Papilio cresphontes | Papilioninae | 2007 | 2022 | Not in area prior to 2007 |
| Pipevine Swallowtail | Battus philenor | Papilioninae | 2012 | 2022 | Very rare southern migrant |
| Spicebush Swallowtail | Papilio troilus | Papilioninae | 2022 | 2022 | Very rare southern migrant |
| Cabbage White | Pieris rapae | Pierinae | 1957 | 2022 | Introduced in 1850 |
| Mustard White | Pieris oleracea | Pierinae | 1967 | 2022 | |
| Olympia Marble | Euchloe olympia | Pierinae | 1950 | 2022 | |
| West Virginia White | Pieris virginiensis | Pierinae | 1978 | 2022 | Vulnerable (S3) in Ontario |
| Eastern Tailed-Blue | Cupido comyntas | Polyommatinae | 1966 | 2022 | |
| Northern Azure | Celastrina lucia | Polyommatinae | 1941 | 2022 | |
| Silvery Blue | Glaucopsyche lygdamus | Polyommatinae | 1970 | 2022 | |
| Summer Azure | Celastrina neglecta | Polyommatinae | 2017 | 2022 | |
| Columbine Duskywing | Erynnis lucilius | Pyrginae | 1963 | 2022 | |
| Dreamy Duskywing | Erynnis icelus | Pyrginae | 1970 | 2022 | |
| Juvenal's Duskywing | Erynnis juvenalis | Pyrginae | 1969 | 2022 | |
| Mottled Duskywing | Erynnis martialis | Pyrginae | 1964 | 2022 | |
| Wild Indigo Duskywing | Erynnis baptisiae | Pyrginae | 2011 | 2022 | |
| Appalachian Brown | Lethe appalachia | Satyrinae | 1993 | 2022 | |
| Chryxus Arctic | Oeneis chryxus | Satyrinae | 1969 | 2022 | |
| Common Ringlet | Coenonympha california | Satyrinae | 1955 | 2022 | |
| Common Wood-Nymph | Cercyonis pegala | Satyrinae | 1963 | 2022 | |
| Eyed Brown | Lethe eurydice | Satyrinae | 1963 | 2022 | |
| Little Wood Satyr | Megisto cymela | Satyrinae | 1961 | 2022 | |
| Northern Pearly-eye | Lethe anthedon | Satyrinae | 1909 | 2022 | |
| Acadian Hairstreak | Satyrium acadica | Theclinae | 1963 | 2022 | |
| Banded Hairstreak | Satyrium calanus | Theclinae | 1941 | 2022 | |
| Brown Elfin | Callophrys augustinus | Theclinae | 1972 | 2021 | |
| Coral Hairstreak | Satyrium titus | Theclinae | 1868 | 2022 | |
| Early Hairstreak | Erora laeta | Theclinae | 1974 | 2016 | Observation report in old Blue Bill |
| Eastern Pine Elfin | Callophrys niphon | Theclinae | 1970 | 2022 | |
| Edwards' Hairstreak | Satyrium edwardsii | Theclinae | 1969 | 2016 | |
| Grey Hairstreak | Strymon melinus | Theclinae | 1970 | 2022 | |
| Henry's Elfin | Callophrys henrici | Theclinae | 1967 | 2022 | |
| Hickory Hairstreak | Satyrium caryaevorus | Theclinae | 1951 | 2022 | |
| Hoary Elfin | Callophrys polios | Theclinae | 1970 | 2022 | |
| Juniper Hairstreak | Callophrys gryneus | Theclinae | 1972 | 2022 | |
| Striped Hairstreak | Satyrium liparops | Theclinae | 1941 | 2022 | |
| White M Hairstreak | Parrhasius m-album | Theclinae | 2012 | 2012 |
Removed or Unsubstantiated Butterflies of the Kingston Study Area
The butterflies on this list include species that are difficult to verify or species that have been removed from the list due to phylogenetic or other studies.| Common Name | Scientific Name | Subfamily | Earliest | Latest | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pink-edged Sulphur | Colias interior | Coliadinae | 1964 | 2003 | Two observations: 2003 withdrawn; 1964 unsubstantiated |
| Southern Cloudywing | Thorybes bathyllus | Eudaminae | 1987 | 1987 | Single unsubstantiated observation |
| Atlantis Fritillary | Speyeria atlantis | Heliconiinae | 1962 | 1990 | Five unsubstantiated observations |
| Silvery Checkerspot | Chlosyne nycteis | Nymphalinae | 1996 | 1996 | Single unsubstantiated observation |
| Satyr Comma | Polygonia satyrus | Nymphalinae | 2009 | 2009 | Single unsubstantiated observation |
| Tawny Crescent | Phyciodes batesii | Nymphalinae | 1993 | 2011 | Three unsubstantiated observations |
| Eastern Tiger Swallowtail | Papilio glaucus | Papilioninae | Current research suggests this species is not in the area except as a hybrid | ||
| Cherry Gall Azure | Celastrina serotina | Polyommatinae | Current research suggests this species is not in the area | ||
| Horace's Duskywing | Erynnis horatius | Pyrginae | 1980 | 1980 | Single unsubstantiated observation |