A blue and orange butterfly species may include Fritillary or Monarch butterflies, Tiger swallowtails, Black swallowtails, Pipevine swallowtails, Red admirals, or Painted lady butterflies.
Fritillary Butterflies
These butterflies are sometimes called silverspots or metalmarks because of their characteristic silver markings on the ventral sides of their wings. On the other hand, the upperside showcases a checkered pattern with orange and yellow tones towards the costal sides and a dark brown shade along the medial sides — similar to what you can find in the Papilio glaucus.
Fritillary female adult common butterflies, such as Gulf fritillary, and Great spangled fritillary, (Danaus plexippus, and Battus philenor) emit pheromones during summer to attract males before breeding. After this, they will rest for a few days or weeks and undergo a diapause phase.
There have been sightings of the Variegated fritillary butterfly in the following locations in North America:
- Mexico
- Central US
- Canada
Monarch Butterflies
Monarch butterflies have orange wing bases with black spots that run along the veins and the edges of both forewings and hindwings (sometimes known as hairstreaks). They also have white spots that pepper the outer sides of their wings.
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Monarch butterflies have colorful patterns and use these as defense mechanisms. They are also poisonous and foul-tasting, thanks to milkweed, one of the food plants they regularly feed on.
You can find the Monarch butterfly in North and South America. In the US, they live around the Rocky Mountains and Southern California. Monarchs are also common in:
- Central Mexico
- Great Plains
- Oceania
- Australia
- Spain
- Portugal
- Hawaii
Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly
On average, the wingspan of a Tiger swallowtail butterfly, like the Eastern tiger swallowtails, can be as long as 5.5 inches, classifying it as some of the largest orange/yellow butterfly species. The adults have yellow or light yellow wings with black markings that appear on the dorsal side — similar to what you see in tigers and zebras.
Like Spicebush swallowtail, Red-spotted purple butterfly, and Giant swallowtail, these brush-foot butterflies feed on the nectar of host plants, such as sweet bay, thistles, buckeye, and red bay. They also resort to muddling and puddling to get water and minerals from the mud.
Tiger swallowtail butterflies have been present in these locations:
- New England
- Great Plains
- Colorado
- Great Lakes
- Southern Canada
- North America
Black Swallowtail Butterfly
The average wingspan of this species of butterfly can be as far as 3.3 inches, meaning this is a medium-sized butterfly.
Black swallowtails have black bases with orange, yellow, and red spots that run parallel to the edges of their wings. These spots are brighter in males.
The hindwings of these black and blue butterflies have powdery iridescent blue markings that run along the orange spots. These are more prominent in females.
The larvae (caterpillars) have osmeteria (organs resembling horns) that are usually bright shades of yellow and orange. They use these to spray chemical repellants to keep their predators away.
There have been sightings of the Black swallowtail butterfly in these places:
- South America
- Central America
- Mexico
Pipevine Swallowtail Butterfly
Pipevine swallowtail butterflies have an average wingspan of about 5 inches. The dorsal surface of the adult males’ wings is black with bright blue shades that cover a significant part of their hindwings. The ventral surface of the butterfly wings has bright orange spots along the caudal parts.
Because of its short lifespan, this butterfly typically spends most of its life cycle looking for a suitable partner. Like other Swallowtail butterflies, they resort to puddling to get moisture, minerals, and nutrients.
The Pipevine swallowtail butterflies have been thriving in these locations in Central and North America:
- Michigan
- Arizona
- California
- Oregon
- Texas
- New England
- Mexico
Red Admiral Butterfly
These beautiful butterflies have a black base with a characteristic orange marking that run along the dorsal side. White markings also cover the tips of the forewings. Their wingspan can reach roughly 3 inches, making these black, orange, and white butterflies small to medium-sized butterflies.
One of their survival methods is overwintering as a specific type of hibernation. Red Admiral butterfly frequents these places:
- Scotland
- Ireland
- Wales
- England
- Britain
Painted Lady Butterfly
Painted lady butterflies have a wingspan that is slightly beyond 2 inches. Thus, they are classified as small to medium-sized butterflies.
They have a yellowish-orange base with black markings that cover more than half of the dorsal surface. White dots also appear along the tips of the forewings.
The Painted lady butterflies mate all year, even during winter, due to their migratory behavior. Males usually show a polygynous breeding behavior and look for more than one female partner. They usually mate with their partners during the afternoon.
As soon as the female adult North American butterflies lay their eggs, they leave the larvae alone. The Painted lady butterflies live in North America and in these locations:
- Wales
- England
- Scotland
- Ireland
Joan is a nocturnal person who loves traveling and coffee. She’s also an animal lover (and rescuer) who makes it a point to befriend every animal she meets. Her passion for learning led her to writing about various topics. As someone who is a nature lover, she aims to continue learning about the wonderful creation—especially butterflies, and at the same time, share her knowledge here at Butterfly Hobbyist.