Rare or Endangered Butterflies
The following butterflies of southeast Florida and the Florida Keys are considered to be rare, imperiled, on the decline, likely to be extirpated, or recently determined to be extinct – a classification offered by Marc C. Minno, Ph.D. who has closely studied this area’s butterflies over many years. Most of the species on Dr. Minno’s list are found, as well, on the Florida Natural Areas Inventory’s listing of imperiled species (www.FNAI.org).
This list represents approximately one-third of southeast Florida’s butterfly species.
It is sobering to understand that extinction and extirpation are in progress “under our very eyes” as we watch.
Rare or Endangered Butterflies
| Schaus’ Swallowtail (imperiled) Heraclides aristodemus ponceanus |
Malachite (imperiled) Siproeta stelenes biplagiata |
| Bahamian Swallowtail (likely to be extirpated) Heraclides andraemon bonhotei |
Florida Purplewing (imperiled) Eunica tatila |
| Spicebush Swallowtail (Fakahatchee population) (imperiled) Pterourus Troilus fakahatcheensis |
Dingy Purplewing (imperiled) Eunica monima |
| Florida White (imperiled) Appias drusilla neumoegenii |
Ruddy Daggerwing (declining) Marpesia petreus |
| Statira Sulphur (imperiled) Aphrissa statira floridensis |
Florida Leafwing (imperiled) Anaea floridalis |
| Lyside Sulphur (rare) Krycogonia lyside |
Round-eyed Georgia Satyr (rare) Neonympha halicta dadensis |
| Mimosa Yellow (rare) Eurema nise |
Mangrove Skipper (declining) Phocides pigmalion |
| Dina Yellow (imperiled) Eurema dina |
Zestos Skipper (recently determined extinct) Epargyreus zestos |
| Atala (imperiled) Eumaeus atala florida |
Hayhurst’s Scallopwing (likely to be extirpated) Staphylus hayhurstii |
| Amethyst Hairstreak (imperiled) Chlorostrymon maesites This species may reproduce in South Florida. It is included because it is periodically observed in South Florida, however, but not necessarily annually. |
Florida Duskywing (imperiled) Ephyriades brunneus floridensis |
| Silver-banded Hairstreak (imperiled) Chlorostrymon simeathis |
Zarucco Duskywing (Keys population) (likely to be extirpated) Erynnis zarucco |
| Martial Scrub-Hairstreak (imperiled) Strymon matialis |
Neamathla Skipper (declining) Nastra neamathla |
| Bartram’s Scrub-Hairstreak (imperiled) Strymon acis |
Baracoa Skipper (declining in many areas of the state) Polites Baracoa |
| Gray Ministreak (imperiled) Ministrymon azia |
Rockland Meske’s Skipper (Lower Keys) (recently determined extinct) Hesperia meskei pinocayo |
| Miami Blue (imperiled) Cyclargus thomasi bethunebakeri |
Aaron’s Skipper (rare) Poanes aaroni howardi |
| Acacia Blue (Nickerbean) (likely to be extirpated) Hemiargus ammon |
Palmetto Skipper (Lower Keys) (rare) Euphyes arpa |
| Cuban Crescent (imperiled) Phyciodes frisia |
Palatka Skipper (Keys population) (imperiled) Euphyes pilatka klotsi |
| Mangrove Buckeye (declining) Junonia evarete |
Berry’s Skipper (rare) Euphyes berryi |
| Tropical Buckeye (imperiled) Junonia genoveva |
Obscure Skipper (declining) Panoquina Panoquinoides |