Vermont Entomology Academy Begins to Take Flight

Introducing the Vermont Entomology Academy: Expanding Our Reach and Inspiring Curiosity

The Vermont Entomology Academy (VEA) was founded in 2025 by Vermont naturalist Bernie Paquette; the Academy’s work is rooted in inspiring curiosity and connection through insect-focused observation and hands-on learning for learners of all ages.

Because when we pay attention to the small things, we begin to understand the big picture of life on Earth.

About the Vermont Entomology Academy

The Vermont Entomology Academy seeks to make entomology accessible, engaging, and relevant to Vermont communities. Its mission is to spark curiosity, build confidence, and strengthen people’s connection to nature through insect observation, exploration, and community engagement. The Academy emphasizes a fun, exploratory spirit grounded in real-world natural history and science learning.

Through a suite of current and developing programs, VEA offers diverse opportunities for participants to learn about insect anatomy, life cycles, ecology, and the vital roles insects play in ecosystems. Activities also include guided outdoor explorations, the use of field tools (e.g., nets, magnifiers), and participation in community science platforms such as iNaturalist.

Signature Programs

Highlights of the Academy’s offerings include:

• Bug Huggers Adventure Camp – A hands-on insect learning week-long day camp hosted in partnership with Saint Michael’s College.
• Bug & Bird Safari – Guided outdoor excursions, free and open to the public, that explore insects in their natural habitats alongside birds.
• Bug Safari | At Your Yard – Personalized backyard insect explorations offered throughout the summer months.
• Workshops and Events in Development – Including aquatic insect education (“Life Begins in Water”) and a community-wide Great Vermont Insect Fair, Moth Night, Firefly night, Plant-insect interaction Project, and Six-legged Stories.

Spotlight: The BUGmobile Initiative

One of the Academy’s most exciting efforts in the development stage is the BUGmobile—a mobile natural history collection and outreach program designed to bring interactive insect education directly to communities across Vermont. The BUGmobile will visit schools, libraries, and other community events with engaging insect displays, hands-on activities, and opportunities for learners to observe and engage with insect biology in person.

To realize the full potential of the BUGmobile and its wide outreach, the Vermont Entomology Academy is seeking support from volunteers and contributors.

 Specifically, we are seeking:

• Volunteers willing to offer one to two-hour interactive insect presentations at local organizations (scheduling is flexible; no fixed commitment required).

    • The idea is to create a pool of individuals, each willing to commit to one or more insect-related interactive presentations during 2026.

    • Notices will go out to libraries, schools, and other community organizations offering a 1-2 hour insect-related program.

    • Once an organization expresses interest and suggests a date and time, a note is sent out to the pool of individuals to see if anyone wishes to commit to that date and time to offer an insect- related (including iNaturalist use) interactive program of their choice.

• Equipment and Supplies for the mobile operation, including microscopes, field guides, insect nets, hand lenses, insect capture tools, entomology pins, display materials, and specimen trays.

This is a prime opportunity to amplify insect education across the state and engage diverse audiences in entomological discovery. Whether you are an experienced educator, field naturalist, student, or enthusiast, your time and expertise can make a meaningful difference in fostering environmental literacy.

Get Involved

To volunteer with the BUGmobile or other Academy programs, or to learn more about contributing supplies or leadership support, please contact Bernie. The Academy welcomes participants of all backgrounds and interests and values contributions that help build community connections around insect science. Our organization is being built on passion, shared leadership, and the belief that everyone has something meaningful to contribute. There is a place for you.

Conclusion

The Vermont Entomology Academy represents an exciting addition to Vermont’s network of insect education and outreach initiatives. Its emphasis is community engagement, experiential learning, and broad participation. We encourage anyone interested to explore collaboration, participate in Academy activities, and consider volunteer roles that support our mission of bringing insects to the people of Vermont.

View more about VT Entomology Academy and details about each of the individual programs athttps://vtbugeyed.blogspot.com/2025/11/vermon t-entomology-academy-inspiring.html

Vermont Biodiversity by Town: iNaturalist Species Rankings, Observations, and Community Science (2026)

                  Vermont - iNaturalist - Strong 

Vermont has quietly become one of the strongest community science states in the country.

Whether people use iNaturalist to identify insects, document wildflowers, build a personal nature journal, contribute to scientific research, improve identification skills, compete with neighboring communities, or simply get outdoors and explore, the platform has become one of the most powerful biodiversity tools available to everyday observers.

Across Vermont, thousands of residents are documenting species in forests, wetlands, fields, roadside habitats, backyards, parks, mountains, and river corridors. Every uploaded observation adds to a growing statewide biodiversity record.

“Our Vermont community scientists lead the nation with more field observations per capita than any other state.” — Vermont Center for EcoStudies, 10th Anniversary Atlas of Life

Vermont Lifetime iNaturalist Totals (as of April 2026)

• Species Recorded: 13,450
• Observers: 29,540
• Observations: 1,431,441

These numbers reflect more than casual nature photography. They represent a statewide effort to document biodiversity in real time.

Why Vermont Performs So Well

Vermont’s strong participation likely comes from a combination of factors:

• A deeply rooted outdoor culture
• Strong environmental education networks
• Active naturalist and conservation communities
• Programs such as Atlas of Life and community science initiatives
• Accessible public lands and trails
• A growing interest in insects, pollinators, birds, fungi, and native plants

Unlike traditional surveys conducted only by specialists, iNaturalist allows anyone to contribute. A child photographing a butterfly, a hiker documenting lichens, or a backyard gardener recording native bees all become part of a larger scientific picture.

Vermont Biodiversity by City or Town

One of the most interesting ways to view biodiversity is at the municipal level.

The Vermont Biodiversity by City or Town project tracks observations, species richness, and participation across communities statewide.

Our local towns show especially strong engagement.

Biodiversity (Species Count)

• Jericho (11th):   2,640 
• Underhill           1,478
• Richmond:        1,952 
• Bolton:             1,400 
• Huntington:       2,003

Species count reflects biodiversity richness — the number of distinct organisms documented within a town.

Observers

• Jericho (11th):      1,083 
• Underhill (19th):    809 
• Richmond (13th):  960
• Bolton (22nd):       739 
• Huntington:          857

Observer participation matters because biodiversity documentation improves when more people explore different habitats throughout the year.

Observations

• Jericho (4th): 46,295 
• Underhill:        7,117 
• Richmond:   14,051 
• Bolton:           9,725 
• Huntington: 11,994

Observation totals often reflect sustained community involvement, repeated visits to habitats, organized bioblitz efforts, and dedicated naturalists documenting species over many years.

Jericho: A Strong Biodiversity Example

Jericho stands out as one of Vermont’s strongest municipal contributors.

Despite being a relatively small town, Jericho ranks:

• 11th statewide in species richness
• 11th in number of observers
• 4th in total observations

These rankings suggest a highly active local nature community combined with diverse habitat types.

Jericho includes:

• Forested uplands
• Wetlands and vernal pools
• Agricultural edges
• River systems
• Meadows and shrublands
• Backyard habitat networks

The result is a broad ecological mosaic capable of supporting a wide range of insects, birds, fungi, plants, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals.

Why Municipal Biodiversity Tracking Matters

Town-level biodiversity tracking can provide:

• Better awareness of local ecosystems
• Baseline species inventories
• Early detection of rare or invasive species
• Support for conservation planning
• Increased public engagement
• Educational opportunities for schools and libraries
• Motivation for residents to explore nearby habitats

Even small observations can become valuable over time.

A single insect photographed on a flowering plant may later help confirm range expansion, flight timing, host associations, or habitat use.

A Community Science Opportunity

Every Vermont town has the opportunity to strengthen its biodiversity record.

Many communities remain under-documented relative to their habitat diversity.

More observers mean:

• Better seasonal coverage
• More complete species lists
• Increased documentation of overlooked insects and plants
• Improved understanding of habitat quality
• Stronger local conservation knowledge

The simplest contribution is often the most important: step outside, observe, photograph, upload, and learn.

Explore Vermont Biodiversity by Town

View current statistics for your city or town through the Vermont Biodiversity by City or Town project:

https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/vermont-biodiversity-by-city-or-town

Local project details:

• Jericho Biodiversity Project: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/biodiversity-of-jericho-vermont
• Underhill Biodiversity Project: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/biodiversity-peek-underhill-vermont
• Richmond Biodiversity Project: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/biodiversity-of-richmond-vermont
• Bolton Biodiversity Project: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/biodiversity-of-bolton-vermont

Final Thought

Biodiversity documentation is not just data collection.

It is a form of place-based knowledge.

Every observation helps build a clearer picture of Vermont’s living landscape — one insect, one plant, one mushroom, and one town at a time.

Related Posts for Readers Interested in Vermont Biodiversity and iNaturalist

• Jericho, Vermont Butterflies — Species Notes
  A close companion to this biodiversity post because it highlights how local butterfly records contribute to town-level species richness. Butterfly observations are among the strongest contributors to municipal biodiversity rankings on iNaturalist. 
• New PIP Mission: Vulnerable Bumble Bees
  Connects directly to Vermont community science by focusing on vulnerable native bumble bees. iNaturalist observations increasingly help track pollinator distribution, seasonal timing, and conservation concern species across Vermont. 
• Can You Trust iNaturalist?
  Complements this article by examining data reliability and research-grade observations. Since Vermont biodiversity rankings depend heavily on observation quality, understanding verification and taxonomy strengthens confidence in municipal biodiversity data. 
• Bernie's Favorite Insect Photos: Explore Vermont’s Insect Life: 120+ Species to Discover
  Expands the biodiversity theme by encouraging readers to actively search for insects across habitats. Increased observation effort often leads to higher species counts and stronger documentation of local biodiversity. 
• Vermont Insect–Host Plant Index
  Highly related, as host plants are among the strongest drivers of insect biodiversity. Towns with greater native plant diversity often support richer insect communities and stronger iNaturalist species totals. 
• Uncommon Insects of a Vermont Backyard
  This post connects directly to municipal biodiversity tracking by showing how close observation in a single yard can reveal overlooked or uncommon species. Backyard discoveries contribute to town-level iNaturalist records and demonstrate how local participation strengthens documentation of Vermont biodiversity.

Jericho Vermont Butterflies: Species Not Yet Recorded & How to Help the Vermont Butterfly Atlas

Jericho residents: let’s document our butterflies—together.

Right now, there are butterfly species known from across Vermont that have never been recorded in Jericho. Some may be here, but have not been documented yet. This is a real, local data gap we can close as a community.

By observing and posting butterflies from your yard, road, trail, or field, you can directly strengthen Jericho’s record in the Vermont Butterfly Atlas—a statewide effort tracking species distribution and abundance. Every observation counts. A single clear photo from your backyard could be the first verified record of that species in town.

We are looking for community scientists, naturalists, photographers, families, and anyone who spends time outdoors in Jericho to take part. No special expertise required—just curiosity and a willingness to look closely.

The VCE (Vermont Center for EcoStudies) Butterfly Atlas team is really hurting on surveys in priority blocks right now. Two priority blocks need help in Essex & Underhill (red & green in the picture, they have corners in Jericho). It would be awesome if surveyors were willing to snap photos from those blocks as well. You can find species-to-find lists for those blocks here: Essex & Underhill.  Go to the Butterfly Atlas Block Mapper for greater block map granularity. Then click on the block you are interested in. Then double-click on it again to see the road definition. Zoom in or out as needed.

Three Tables of Data:

1. Below is a list of VT butterfly species not yet documented (via iNaturalist) in Jericho. 

2. Further below, you’ll also find a full list of all butterfly species recorded across Vermont. Each species includes a VAL (Vermont Atlas of Life) hotlink for quick access to identification details, flight periods, habitat associations, and host plants.

3. The last chart lists the primary and secondary host plants for each butterfly species.

How You Can Help

• Focus on Jericho - or elsewhere in Vermont - but why go further when we have so much to enjoy here!
• Visit sites at least once per month (May–September)
• Photograph all butterflies observed (even common species)
• Upload records to eButterfly or iNaturalist
• Note habitat, behavior, and host plant associations when possible
• Provide appropriate habitat - host plants for butterflies in your yard.

Jericho has the habitat. The species are out there. What’s missing is the documentation.

Let’s fix that—one observation at a time.

Why This Matters

• Creates a baseline we—and future residents—will rely on decades from now
• Supports conservation prioritization and trend analysis
• Even a single well-documented observation can meaningfully expand what we know about butterflies in Jericho.

Need assistance? If you’re seeing butterflies in your yard but aren’t able to photograph or upload them to iNaturalist, contact Bernie—he can photograph and post observations in your yard so they count toward the Vermont Butterfly Atlas.

1. This first chart is a list of butterflies not yet recorded in Jericho (on iNaturalist). 

Butterflies of Vermont	Flight period in Champlain Valley unless otherwise noted.	VT Atlas of Life
(Common name — Scientific name)	Flight period	Species Profile
Brush-footed Butterflies (Nymphalidae)
Aphrodite Fritillary — Speyeria aphrodite	June 25 – Aug 20	VAL
Appalachian Eyed Brown — Lethe appalachia	June 15 – Aug 1	VAL
Common Buckeye — Junonia coenia	May-Oct	VAL
Gray Comma — Polygonia progne	Mar-Oct	VAL
Green Comma — Polygonia faunus	Apr-Oct: VT	VAL
Jutta Arctic [Baltic Gray] — Oeneis jutta	May-June: VT	VAL
Meadow Fritillary — Boloria bellona	May 25 – Sept 1	VAL
Red-spotted Purple — Limenitis arthemis astyanax	June 10 – Aug 20	VAL
Regal Fritillary — Speyeria idalia. Regal Fritillary has disappeared from all of New England.	July: VT	VAL
Silvery Checkerspot — Chlosyne nycteis. We would love an effort to find the Silvery Checkerspot, but it looks like they have also disappeared from the region (even though they are up in Montreal).	June-July: VT	VAL
Variegated Fritillary — Euptoieta claudia	July 1 – Oct 1 (migrant)	VAL
Gossamer-winged Butterflies (Lycaenidae)
Acadian Hairstreak — Satyrium acadica	June-Aug: VT	VAL
Bog Copper — Lycaena epixanthe Habitat specialists: sandplains and black spruce bogs	June-Aug: VT	VAL
Brown Elfin — Callophrys augustinus	April-June: VT	VAL
Cherry Gall Azure — Celastrina serotina         No one is sure if the Cherry Gall Azure is really a species.	April-June: VT	VAL
Common Blue — Polyommatus icarus	May-Oct: VT	VAL
Coral Hairstreak — Satyrium titus	June-Aug: VT	VAL
Early Hairstreak — Erora laeta	May-Aug: VT	VAL
Edwards' Hairstreak — Satyrium edwardsii         Habitat specialists: sandplains and black spruce bogs	July: VT	VAL
Bog Elfin — Callophrys lanoraieensis Habitat specialists: sandplains and black spruce bogs	May: VT	VAL
Gray Hairstreak — Strymon melinus	May-Oct: VT	VAL
Henry's Elfin — Callophrys polia [Callophrys henrici] Habitat specialists: sandplains and black spruce bogs	Apr-May: VT	VAL
Hickory Hairstreak — Satyrium caryaevorus	June-Aug: VT	VAL
Juniper Hairstreak — Callophrys grynea	May-Aug	VAL
White-M Hairstreak — Parrhasius m-album	May, July-Sept: VT	VAL
Skippers (Hesperiidae)
Black Dash — Euphyes conspicua	July-Aug: VT	VAL
Broad-winged Skipper — Poanes viator	July 1 – Aug 15	VAL
Cobweb Skipper — Hesperia metea	June: VT	VAL
Common Branded Skipper — Hesperia comma	Aug-Sept: VT	VAL
Common Checkered-Skipper — Pyrgus communis	Aug-Oct: VT	VAL
Common Roadside-Skipper — Amblyscirtes vialis	May-July: VT	VAL
Common Sootywing — Pholisora catullus	May-Sept: VT	VAL
Crossline Skipper — Polites origenes	June 20 – Aug 15	VAL
Dreamy Duskywing — Erynnis icelus	May 1 – June 10	VAL
Dusted Skipper — Atrytonopsis hianna	May-June: VT	VAL
Fiery Skipper — Hylephila phyleus	Aug-Sept: VT	VAL
Horace’s Duskywing — Erynnis horatius              Southern (VT) species	May 10 – July 1	VAL
Indian Skipper — Hesperia sassacus	May-July: VT	VAL
Juvenal’s Duskywing — Erynnis juvenalis	May 1 – June 15	VAL
Leonard’s Skipper — Hesperia leonardus	July-Sept: VT	VAL
Little Glassywing — Pompeius verna	May-Aug: VT	VAL
Long-tailed Skipper — Urbanus proteus               Southern (VT) species (migrant)	Sept: VT	VAL
Northern Cloudywing — Thorybes pylades	May 20 – July 1	VAL
Persius Duskywing — Erynnis persius. Persius Duskywing has disappeared from all of New England.		VAL
Sleepy Duskywing — Erynnis brizo                Southern (VT) species	June: VT	VAL
Southern Cloudywing — Thorybes bathyllus	June 1 – Aug 1	VAL
Two-spotted Skipper — Euphyes bimacula	June-July: VT	VAL
Swallowtails (Papilionidae)
Spicebush Swallowtail — Papilio troilus	June-Oct: VT	VAL
Whites & Sulphurs (Pieridae)
Cloudless Sulphur — Phoebis sennae	May-Aug: Vt	VAL
Little Yellow — Pyrisitia lisa	June-Sept: Vt	VAL
Mustard White — Pieris oleracea	June: VT	VAL
Orange Sulphur — Colias eurytheme	May-Dec: VT	VAL
Pink-edged Sulphur — Colias interior	May-Sept: VT	VAL

2. This list is a comprehensive list of butterflies recorded in Vermont, based primarily on the Vermont Center for Ecostudies / Vermont Butterfly Atlas species accounts and includes habitat codes.

Butterflies of Vermont	Flight period in Champlain Valley unless otherwise noted.	VT Atlas of Life	Habitat Codes	Habitat Codes
(Common name — Scientific name)	Flight period	Species Profile	Core System	Secondary System
Brush-footed Butterflies (Nymphalidae)
American Lady — Vanessa virginiensis		VAL	DRY	AG
American Red Admiral — Vanessa atalanta rubria	April 10 – Oct 20	VAL	URB	FM
American Snout — Libytheana carinenta	July 15 – Oct 10 (irregular)	VAL
Aphrodite Fritillary — Speyeria aphrodite	June 25 – Aug 20	VAL	DRY	MH
Appalachian Eyed Brown — Lethe appalachia	June 15 – Aug 1	VAL	WM	FM
Atlantis Fritillary — Speyeria atlantis		VAL	MH	WM
Baltimore Checkerspot — Euphydryas phaeton	June 10 – July 10	VAL	WM	FM
Common Buckeye — Junonia coenia	May-Oct	VAL
Common Ringlet — Coenonympha california		VAL
Common Wood-Nymph — Cercyonis pegala	June 25 – Aug 20	VAL	DRY	AG
Compton Tortoiseshell — Nymphalis l-album ssp. j-album	April 1 – June 15	VAL	MH	FM
Eastern Comma — Polygonia comma	Eastern Comma — April 1 – Oct 20	VAL	SHR	URB
Eyed Brown — Lethe eurydice	June 25 – Aug 10	VAL	WM	SHR
Gray Comma — Polygonia progne	Mar-Oct	VAL	MH	SHR
Great Spangled Fritillary — Speyeria cybele		VAL	DRY	AG
Green Comma — Polygonia faunus.  (cool forests)	Apr-Oct: VT	VAL	MH	WM
Hackberry Emperor — Asterocampa celtis	June 20 – Aug 15	VAL	URB	FM
Harris’s Checkerspot — Chlosyne harrisii		VAL	AG	DRY
Jutta Arctic [Baltic Gray] — Oeneis jutta.  (Peatland)	May-June: VT	VAL	WM	None
Little Wood Satyr — Megisto cymela	May 25 – July 5	VAL	MH	SHR
Meadow Fritillary — Boloria bellona	May 25 – Sept 1	VAL	AG	DRY
Milbert’s Tortoiseshell — Aglais milberti	April 10 – Oct 10	VAL	URB	WM
Monarch — Danaus plexippus		VAL	WM	AG, URB
Mourning Cloak — Nymphalis antiopa	March 25 – Oct 15	VAL	FM	URB
Northern Crescent — Phyciodes cocyta	May 10 – Sept 15	VAL	AG	DRY
Northern Pearly-eye — Lethe anthedon		VAL	MH	SHR
Painted Lady — Vanessa cardui	May 1 – Oct 10	VAL	AG	DRY
Pearl Crescent — Phyciodes tharos	May 1 – Sept 30	VAL	AG	URB
Question Mark — Polygonia interrogationis	April 10 – Oct 25	VAL	URB	FM
Red Admiral — Vanessa atalanta	April 10 – Oct 20	VAL	URB	FM
Red-spotted Purple — Limenitis arthemis astyanax	June 10 – Aug 20	VAL	CPF	SHR
Regal Fritillary — Speyeria idalia. Regal Fritillary has disappeared from all of New England. DRY prairie analog	July: VT	VAL	DRY	none
Silver-bordered Fritillary — Boloria myrina	May 20 – Aug 10	VAL	WM	SHR
Silvery Checkerspot — Chlosyne nycteis. We would love an effort to find the Silvery Checkerspot, but it looks like they have also disappeared from the region (even though they are up in Montreal).	June-July: VT	VAL	DRY	AG
Tawny Emperor — Asterocampa clyton (rare)	June 20 – Aug 10	VAL	URB	FM
Variegated Fritillary — Euptoieta claudia	July 1 – Oct 1 (migrant)	VAL	AG	URB
Viceroy (Eastern Viceroy)— Limenitis archippus	June 1 – Aug 15	VAL	WM	FM
White Admiral — Limenitis arthemis arthemis	June 15 – Aug 1	VAL	MH	FM
Gossamer-winged Butterflies (Lycaenidae)
Acadian Hairstreak — Satyrium acadica.  (willow thickets)	June-Aug: VT	VAL	WM	FM
American Copper — Lycaena hypophlaeas		VAL	DRY	AG
Banded Hairstreak — Satyrium calanus		VAL	CPF	SHR
Bog Copper — Lycaena epixanthe Habitat specialists: sandplains and black spruce bogs (acid bog/fen)	June-Aug: VT	VAL	WM	none
Bronze Copper — Lycaena hyllus		VAL	WM	FM
Brown Elfin — Callophrys augustinus	April-June: VT	VAL	SHR	SPF
Cherry Gall Azure — Celastrina serotina. No one is sure if the Cherry Gall Azure is really a species.	April-June: VT	VAL	CPF	SHR
Common Blue — Polyommatus icarus	May-Oct: VT	VAL	AG	URB
Coral Hairstreak — Satyrium titus	June-Aug: VT	VAL	SHR	CPF
Early Hairstreak — Erora laeta	May-Aug: VT	VAL	MH	CPF
Eastern Pine Elfin — Callophrys niphon		VAL	SPF	DRY
Eastern Tailed-Blue — Cupido comyntas		VAL	AG	URB
Edwards' Hairstreak — Satyrium edwardsii         Habitat specialists: sandplains and black spruce bogs	July: VT	VAL	SPF	DRY
Bog Elfin — Callophrys lanoraieensis Habitat specialists: sandplains and black spruce bogs	May: VT	VAL
Frosted Elfin — (Callophrys irus) Habitat specialists: sandplains and black spruce bogs			SPF	DRY
Gray Hairstreak — Strymon melinus	May-Oct: VT	VAL	URB	AG
Harvester — Feniseca tarquinius
Henry's Elfin — Callophrys polia [Callophrys henrici] Habitat specialists: sandplains and black spruce bogs	Apr-May: VT	VAL	SHR	MH
Hickory Hairstreak — Satyrium caryaevorus	June-Aug: VT	VAL	CPF	MH
Juniper Hairstreak — Callophrys grynea	May-Aug	VAL	DRY	URB
Northern Spring Azure — Celastrina lucia		VAL
Silvery Blue — Glaucopsyche lygdamus		VAL	SHR	AG
Striped Hairstreak — Satyrium liparops		VAL	SHR	CPF
Summer Azure — Celastrina neglecta		VAL	SHR	FM
White-M Hairstreak — Parrhasius m-album	May, July-Sept: VT	VAL	CPF	MH
Skippers (Hesperiidae)
Arctic Skipper — Carterocephalus mandan		VAL
Black Dash — Euphyes conspicua (rare wetland)	July-Aug: VT	VAL	WM	None
Broad-winged Skipper — Poanes viator	July 1 – Aug 15	VAL	WM	SHR
Cobweb Skipper — Hesperia metea	June: VT	VAL
Common Branded Skipper — Hesperia comma	Aug-Sept: VT	VAL
Common Checkered-Skipper — Pyrgus communis	Aug-Oct: VT	VAL
Common Roadside-Skipper — Amblyscirtes vialis	May-July: VT	VAL
Common Sootywing — Pholisora catullus	May-Sept: VT	VAL
Crossline Skipper — Polites origenes	June 20 – Aug 15	VAL	DRY	AG
Delaware Skipper — Anatrytone logan		VAL
Dion Skipper — Euphyes dion		VAL
Dreamy Duskywing — Erynnis icelus	May 1 – June 10	VAL	WM	FM
Dun Skipper — Euphyes vestris		VAL	MH	WM
Dusted Skipper — Atrytonopsis hianna	May-June: VT	VAL
European Skipper — Thymelicus lineola	June 15 – July 25	VAL	AG	DRY
Fiery Skipper — Hylephila phyleus	Aug-Sept: VT	VAL	URB	AG
Hobomok Skipper — Poanes hobomok		VAL	MH	SHR
Horace’s Duskywing — Erynnis horatius              Southern (VT) species	May 10 – July 1	VAL	CPF	DRY
Indian Skipper — Hesperia sassacus	May-July: VT	VAL	DRY	SPF
Juvenal’s Duskywing — Erynnis juvenalis	May 1 – June 15	VAL	CPF	DRY
Least Skipper — Ancyloxypha numitor	June 10 – Aug 25	VAL	WM	AG
Leonard’s Skipper — Hesperia leonardus (Late Season)	July-Sept: VT	VAL	DRY	AG
Little Glassywing — Pompeius verna	May-Aug: VT	VAL
Long Dash Skipper — Polites mystic	June 20 – Aug 15	VAL	WM	AG
Long-tailed Skipper — Urbanus proteus               Southern (VT) species (migrant)	Sept: VT	VAL	URB	AG
Mulberry Wing — Poanes massasoit	June 25 – July 25	VAL	WM	None
Northern Broken-Dash — Polites egeremet	June 25 – Aug 10	VAL	AG	DRY
Northern Cloudywing — Thorybes pylades	May 20 – July 1	VAL	SHR	SHR
Peck’s Skipper — Polites peckius	May 20 – Sept 20	VAL	AG	URB
Pepper and Salt Skipper — Amblyscirtes hegon		VAL
Persius Duskywing — Erynnis persius. Persius Duskywing has disappeared from all of New England.		VAL	SPF	DRY
[Eastern] Silver-spotted Skipper — Epargyreus clarus		VAL	SHR	AG
Sleepy Duskywing — Erynnis brizo                Southern (VT) species	June: VT	VAL	CPF	DRY
Southern Cloudywing — Thorybes bathyllus	June 1 – Aug 1	VAL	SHR	AG
Tawny-edged Skipper — Polites themistocles	May 20 – Aug 10	VAL	AG	DRY
Two-spotted Skipper — Euphyes bimacula.        (rare wetland)	June-July: VT	VAL	WM	None
Wild Indigo Duskywing — Erynnis baptisiae	June 1 – Aug 10 (sandplain)	VAL	SPF	DRY
Swallowtails (Papilionidae)
Black Swallowtail — Papilio polyxenes		VAL	AG	WM, URB
Canadian Tiger Swallowtail — Papilio canadensis		VAL	MH, FM	SHR
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail — Papilio glaucus		VAL	CPF, FM	AG, URB
Eastern Giant Swallowtail — Heraclides cresphontes		VAL	SHR	URB, AG
Mid Summer Swallowtail — Papilio solstitius		VAL
Spicebush Swallowtail — Papilio troilus	June-Oct: VT	VAL	FM	SHR
Whites & Sulphurs (Pieridae)
Cabbage White — Pieris rapae		VAL	URB, AG	DRY
Clouded Sulphur — Colias philodice		VAL	AG	DRY
Cloudless Sulphur — Phoebis sennae	May-Aug: Vt	VAL	URB	AG
Little Yellow — Pyrisitia lisa	June-Sept: Vt	VAL	URB	AG
Mustard White — Pieris oleracea	June: VT	VAL	MH	FM
Orange Sulphur — Colias eurytheme	May-Dec: VT	VAL	AG	DRY
Pink-edged Sulphur — Colias interior. (bog margins, north valley edge)	May-Sept: VT	VAL	SPF	AG
West Virginia White — Pieris virginiensis		VAL	MH	CPF

Habitat Codes (Champlain Valley – VT Biophysical Alignment)

Core Valley Systems

• CPF – Clayplain Forest (oak–hickory, clay soils)
• SPF – Sandplain Forest / Barrens (pitch pine–scrub oak)
• WM – Wet Meadow / Marsh / Fen
• FM – Floodplain Forest (silver maple–cottonwood)
• AG – Agricultural / Old Field / Hedgerow
• URB – Developed / roadside/ruderal
• OPW – Open Water edge/lakeshore

Secondary / Transitional

• MH – Mesic Hardwood Forest
• SHR – Shrubland/thicket / early succession
• DRY – Dry meadow / sandy grassland

Highest diversity systems in Champlain Valley:

AG (agriculture/old field) → most species richness
WM (wet meadow/wetland) → highest specialization
CPF (oak systems) → critical for hairstreaks + duskywings

Most overlooked but critical:

graminoid systems (WM + DRY grasses) → supports most skippers

3. Below is a comprehensive list of butterflies recorded in Vermont, as well as their primary and secondary host plants*. 

*Scientifically grounded but not citation-resolved line-by-line

Butterflies of Vermont
(Common name — Scientific name)	Primary Host plant(s)	Secondary Host plant(s)
Brush-footed Butterflies (Nymphalidae)
American Lady — Vanessa virginiensis	P: Antennaria spp. (pussytoes)	S: Everlasting (Gnaphalium)
American Red Admiral — Vanessa atalanta rubria	P: Urtica dioica (stinging nettle)	S: Boehmeria cylindrica, Parietaria spp.
American Snout — Libytheana carinenta	P: Celtis spp.	S: none significant
Aphrodite Fritillary — Speyeria aphrodite	P: Viola spp.	S: none significant
Appalachian Eyed Brown — Lethe appalachia	P: Carex spp.	S: wet meadow grasses
Atlantis Fritillary — Speyeria atlantis	P: Viola spp.	S: none significant
Baltimore Checkerspot — Euphydryas phaeton	P: Chelone glabra (turtlehead)	S: Plantago spp. (later instars only)
Common Buckeye — Junonia coenia	P: Plantago lanceolata (plantain), Mimulus spp.	S: Gerardia (Agalinis), Linaria, Verbena
Common Ringlet — Coenonympha california	P: Poaceae (fine grasses): Festuca, Poa	S: sedges (Carex spp.)
Common Wood-Nymph — Cercyonis pegala	P: Poaceae (tall grasses): Andropogon, Panicum	S: Carex spp.
Compton Tortoiseshell — Nymphalis l-album ssp. j-album	P: Salix spp., Betula spp.	S: Populus spp.
Eastern Comma — Polygonia comma	P: Humulus lupulus (hops)	S: Urtica dioica
Eyed Brown — Lethe eurydice	P: Carex spp. (sedges)	S: wetland grasses
Gray Comma — Polygonia progne	P: Ribes spp. (currants, gooseberries)	S: Betula spp., Ulmus spp.
Great Spangled Fritillary — Speyeria cybele	P: Viola spp. (violets)	S: none significant
Green Comma — Polygonia faunus	P: Ribes spp.	S: Salix spp., Betula spp.
Hackberry Emperor — Asterocampa celtis	P: Celtis occidentalis (hackberry)	S: Celtis tenuifolia
Harris’s Checkerspot — Chlosyne harrisii	P: Asteraceae: Aster (Symphyotrichum) spp.	S: Solidago spp. (goldenrods)
Jutta Arctic [Baltic Gray] — Oeneis jutta	P: Carex spp. (sedges)	S: cotton-grasses (Eriophorum spp.)
Little Wood Satyr — Megisto cymela	P: Poaceae (forest grasses): Dichanthelium, Poa	S: Carex spp. (sedges)
Meadow Fritillary — Boloria bellona	P: Viola spp.	S: none significant
Milbert’s Tortoiseshell — Aglais milberti	P: Urtica dioica (Nettles specialist)	S: none significant
Monarch — Danaus plexippus	P: Asclepias spp. (milkweeds): A. syriaca, A. incarnata, A. tuberosa	S: occasionally Cynanchum (dog-strangling vine; poor survival)
Mourning Cloak — Nymphalis antiopa	P: Salix spp., Populus spp.	S: Ulmus spp., Betula spp.
Northern Crescent — Phyciodes cocyta	P: Asteraceae (native asters)	S: similar to above
Northern Pearly-eye — Lethe anthedon	P: Poaceae (shade grasses): Leersia, Elymus	S: sedges
Painted Lady — Vanessa cardui	P: Asteraceae (thistles, especially Cirsium)	S: Malva, Borago
Pearl Crescent — Phyciodes tharos	P: Asteraceae: Symphyotrichum spp., Erigeron spp.	S: wide range within Aster family
Question Mark — Polygonia interrogationis	P: Ulmus spp. (elm)	S: Celtis occidentalis, Urtica
Red Admiral — Vanessa atalanta	P: Urtica dioica (stinging nettle)	S: Boehmeria cylindrica
Red-spotted Purple — Limenitis arthemis astyanax	P: Prunus serotina (black cherry)	S: other Prunus spp.
Regal Fritillary — Speyeria idalia. Regal Fritillary has disappeared from all of New England.	P: Viola spp. (violets)	S: none significant
Silver-bordered Fritillary — Boloria myrina	P: Viola spp.	S: none significant
Silvery Checkerspot — Chlosyne nycteis. We would love an effort to find the Silvery Checkerspot, but it looks like they have also disappeared from the region (even though they are up in Montreal).	P: Asteraceae: Helianthus, Rudbeckia, Verbesina	S: other composites
Tawny Emperor — Asterocampa clyton	P: Celtis occidentalis	S: same as above
Variegated Fritillary — Euptoieta claudia	P: Passiflora spp. (not native in VT)	S: Viola spp., Linum, Portulaca
Viceroy (Eastern Viceroy)— Limenitis archippus	P: Salix spp. (willow)	S: Populus spp.
White Admiral — Limenitis arthemis arthemis	P: Betula spp., Populus spp.	S: Salix spp.
Gossamer-winged Butterflies (Lycaenidae)
Acadian Hairstreak — Satyrium acadica	P: Salix spp. (willows)	S: Populus spp.
American Copper — Lycaena hypophlaeas	P: Rumex acetosella (sheep sorrel)	S: other Rumex spp.
Banded Hairstreak — Satyrium calanus	P: Quercus spp. (oak)	S: Juglans, Carya
Bog Copper — Lycaena epixanthe Habitat specialists: sandplains and black spruce bogs	P: Vaccinium oxycoccos (small cranberry)	S: Vaccinium macrocarpon
Bronze Copper — Lycaena hyllus	P: Rumex spp. (dock)	S: Polygonum spp.
Brown Elfin — Callophrys augustinus	P: Vaccinium spp. (blueberry, huckleberry)	S: Kalmia, Arctostaphylos (rare VT overlap)
Cherry Gall Azure — Celastrina serotina                 No one is sure if the Cherry Gall Azure is really a species.	P: Prunus serotina (black cherry; via galls/flower associations)	S: Prunus spp., possibly Crataegus
Common Blue — Polyommatus icarus	P: Trifolium spp. (clovers)	S: Lotus corniculatus, Medicago spp.
Coral Hairstreak — Satyrium titus	P: Prunus spp. (cherry, plum)	S: Crataegus (hawthorn)
Early Hairstreak — Erora laeta	P: Fagus grandifolia (American beech)	S: Quercus spp.
Eastern Pine Elfin — Callophrys niphon	P: Pinus strobus (white pine)	S: other Pinus spp.
Eastern Tailed-Blue — Cupido comyntas	P: Fabaceae: Trifolium spp., Vicia spp.	S: Medicago spp.
Edwards' Hairstreak — Satyrium edwardsii        Habitat specialists: sandplains and black spruce bogs	P: Quercus spp. (especially scrub oak in sandplain systems)	S: chestnut sprouts historically
Bog Elfin — Callophrys lanoraieensis Habitat specialists: sandplains and black spruce bogs
Gray Hairstreak — Strymon melinus	P: Malvaceae, Fabaceae: Trifolium, Lespedeza, Helianthus	S: extremely broad generalist
Harvester — Feniseca tarquinius	P: aphids (e.g., Pemphigus spp., Prociphilus spp.) →only carnivorous butterfly in North America	S: associated host plants of aphids: Alnus spp. (alder), Fagus, Hamamelis
Henry's Elfin — Callophrys polia [Callophrys henrici] Habitat specialists: sandplains and black spruce bogs	P: Vaccinium spp., Arctostaphylos uva-ursi	S: various Ericaceae shrubs
Hickory Hairstreak — Satyrium caryaevorus	P: Carya spp. (hickory)	S: Juglans spp.
Juniper Hairstreak — Callophrys grynea	P: Juniperus virginiana (eastern red cedar)	S: other Cupressaceae (ornamental junipers)
Northern Spring Azure — Celastrina lucia	P: Cornus spp. (dogwood), Viburnum spp., Prunus spp.	S: Amelanchier spp., Rhamnus
Silvery Blue — Glaucopsyche lygdamus	P: Vicia spp., Lathyrus spp.	S: other legumes
Striped Hairstreak — Satyrium liparops	P: Prunus spp.	S: Crataegus, Amelanchier
Summer Azure — Celastrina neglecta	P: Viburnum spp., Cornus spp.	S: Aralia, dogwoods
White-M Hairstreak — Parrhasius m-album	P: Quercus spp. (oak)	S: Castanea dentata (historic), Chinquapin spp.
Skippers (Hesperiidae)
Arctic Skipper — Carterocephalus mandan	P: Poaceae (cool-season grasses): Calamagrostis, Poa	S: sedges occasionally
Black Dash — Euphyes conspicua	P: Carex spp. (sedges)	S: wetland grasses
Broad-winged Skipper — Poanes viator	P: Carex spp. (sedges)	S: wetland grasses
Cobweb Skipper — Hesperia metea	P: Schizachyrium scoparium (little bluestem)	S: other bunchgrasses
Common Branded Skipper — Hesperia comma	P: Festuca spp. (fine grasses)	S: other Poaceae
Common Checkered-Skipper — Pyrgus communis	P: Malvaceae: Sida, Malva	S: Abutilon spp.
Common Roadside-Skipper — Amblyscirtes vialis	P: Poaceae: Poa, Panicum	S: woodland grasses
Common Sootywing — Pholisora catullus	P: Chenopodiaceae / Amaranthaceae: Chenopodium, Amaranthus	S: Atriplex
Crossline Skipper — Polites origenes	P: Poaceae: Andropogon, Panicum	S: other grasses
Delaware Skipper — Anatrytone logan	P: Andropogon gerardii (big bluestem)	S: other prairie grasses
Dion Skipper — Euphyes dion	P: Carex lacustris, Carex stricta	S: other large sedges
Dreamy Duskywing — Erynnis icelus	P: Salix spp. (willow)	S: Populus spp.
Dun Skipper — Euphyes vestris	P: Poaceae: Carex (frequent), Poa	S: mixed graminoids
Dusted Skipper — Atrytonopsis hianna	P: Schizachyrium scoparium	S: other dry-site grasses
European Skipper — Thymelicus lineola	P: pasture grasses: Phleum pratense, Poa	S: other introduced grasses
Fiery Skipper — Hylephila phyleus	P: lawn grasses: Cynodon, Paspalum	S: various Poaceae
Hobomok Skipper — Poanes hobomok	P: Poaceae: Poa pratensis, Bromus	S: woodland grasses
Horace’s Duskywing — Erynnis horatius              Southern (VT) species	P: Quercus spp.	S: none significant
Indian Skipper — Hesperia sassacus	P: Danthonia spicata (poverty grass)	S: other dry grasses
Juvenal’s Duskywing — Erynnis juvenalis	P: Quercus spp. (oak)	S: none significant
Least Skipper — Ancyloxypha numitor	P: wetland grasses: Poa, Leersia	S: Carex spp.
Leonard’s Skipper — Hesperia leonardus	P: Schizachyrium scoparium	S: Andropogon spp.
Little Glassywing — Pompeius verna	P: Panicum spp.	S: other grasses
Long Dash Skipper — Polites mystic	P: Poaceae: Panicum, Leersia	S: sedges occasionally
Long-tailed Skipper — Urbanus proteus               Southern (VT) species (migrant)	P: Fabaceae: Phaseolus, Desmodium	S: other legumes
Mulberry Wing — Poanes massasoit	P: Carex spp.	S: none significant
Northern Broken-Dash — Polites egeremet	P: Panicum spp.	S: other grasses
Northern Cloudywing — Thorybes pylades	P: Fabaceae: Desmodium, Baptisia	S: other legumes
Peck’s Skipper — Polites peckius	P: Poaceae: Poa pratensis, Festuca	S: other turf grasses
Pepper and Salt Skipper — Amblyscirtes hegon	P: woodland grasses: Leersia, Panicum	S: Poaceae
Persius Duskywing — Erynnis persius. Persius Duskywing has disappeared from all of New England.	P: Fabaceae: Lupinus perennis, Baptisia tinctoria	S: other legumes
[Eastern] Silver-spotted Skipper — Epargyreus clarus	P: Fabaceae: Robinia pseudoacacia, Desmodium	S: Wisteria, other legumes
Sleepy Duskywing — Erynnis brizo                Southern (VT) species	P: Quercus spp.	S: none significant
Southern Cloudywing — Thorybes bathyllus	P: Fabaceae (Desmodium, Clitoria)	S: various legumes
Tawny-edged Skipper — Polites themistocles	P: Poaceae: Poa, Agrostis	S: various grasses
Two-spotted Skipper — Euphyes bimacula	P: Carex spp. (wetland sedges)	S: none significant
Wild Indigo Duskywing — Erynnis baptisiae	P: Baptisia tinctoria	S: Lupinus perennis
Swallowtails (Papilionidae)
Black Swallowtail — Papilio polyxenes	P: Apiaceae: Zizia aurea (golden alexanders), Daucus carota (wild carrot), Angelica spp.	S: Parsley, dill, fennel (non-native but used)
Canadian Tiger Swallowtail — Papilio canadensis	P: Populus spp. (aspen, poplar), Betula spp. (birch).	S: Salix spp. (willow), Prunus spp.
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail — Papilio glaucus	P: Prunus serotina (black cherry), Fraxinus spp. (ash).	S: Liriodendron tulipifera, Betula, Magnolia, Salix
Eastern Giant Swallowtail — Heraclides cresphontes	P: Prickly ash (Zanthoxylum americanum)	S: Hop tree (Ptelea trifoliata), Citrus (non-native in VT gardens)
Mid Summer Swallowtail — Papilio solstitius	P: Prunus spp., Fraxinus spp.	S: Betula, Salix
Spicebush Swallowtail — Papilio troilus	P: Lindera benzoin (spicebush)	S: Sassafras albidum
Whites & Sulphurs (Pieridae)
Cabbage White — Pieris rapae	P: Brassicaceae (wide range): wild mustard, cabbage, broccoli, garlic mustard (invasive host use)
Clouded Sulphur — Colias philodice	P: Trifolium spp. (clovers)	S: Medicago sativa (alfalfa), other Fabaceae
Cloudless Sulphur — Phoebis sennae	P: Senna spp. (not native in VT; host in migratory spillover contexts)
Little Yellow — Pyrisitia lisa	P: Senna spp.	S: Cassia spp.
Mustard White — Pieris oleracea	P: Cardamine diphylla, Cardamine pensylvanica	S: Arabis spp.
Orange Sulphur — Colias eurytheme	P: Medicago sativa (alfalfa)	S: Trifolium, Melilotus (sweet clover)
Pink-edged Sulphur — Colias interior	P: Vaccinium spp. (blueberries)	S: Gaylussacia (huckleberries)
West Virginia White — Pieris virginiensis	P: Toothwort (Cardamine concatenata)	S: occasionally invasive garlic mustard (ecological trap risk)

Additional resource: Vermont Butterfly Checklist and Species Profiles, VCE

Explore and download all Vermont Butterfly data from the Vermont Atlas of Life Data Explorer.

5. Notes

CRITICAL ECOLOGICAL INSIGHTS

1. Graminoid System = Hidden Majority

A large portion of Vermont butterflies (especially skippers + satyrs) depend on:

Poaceae (grasses)

Carex (sedges)

These habitats are often:

undervalued

mowed too early

or misclassified as “low diversity”

→ In reality: essential butterfly infrastructure

2. Three Keystone Plant Systems in Vermont

A. Woody Plants

Quercus, Salix, Prunus, Populus

→ support the highest diversity overall

B. Herbaceous Specialists

Viola, Asclepias, Chelone

→ support conservation-priority butterflies

C. Graminoids

Poaceae + Carex

→ support the highest number of skipper species

3. Sandplain Specialists (Highest Conservation Priority)

Frosted Elfin → Lupinus perennis

Wild Indigo Duskywing → Baptisia tinctoria

Edwards’ Hairstreak → scrub oak

→ confined to SPF (Sandplain Forest)

→ among the most vulnerable systems in VT

4. Wetland Dependency Cluster

Strong reliance on:

Carex

Chelone

Salix

→ supports:

Baltimore Checkerspot

Eyed Brown

Broad-winged Skipper

5. Generalist vs Specialist Gradient

Specialists (high risk):

Baltimore Checkerspot

Frosted Elfin

mulberry wing skippers

Generalists (resilient):

Cabbage White

Eastern Tailed-Blue

Peck’s Skipper

KEY ECOLOGICAL PATTERNS

1. Woody plant dominance

~60–70% of Vermont butterflies depend on:

Quercus, Prunus, Salix, Populus, Betula

2. Herbaceous specialists

Critical conservation plants:

Viola → fritillaries

Asclepias → Monarch

Cardamine → Pieris whites

Lupinus → Frosted Elfin

3. Wetland dependency

Chelone, Salix, Carex → Baltimore Checkerspot + skippers

4. Generalist feeders dominate abundance

Fabaceae + Asteraceae = majority of common species

Most important host genera in Vermont:

Viola (violets) → fritillaries

Salix (willows) → many early species

Poaceae (grasses) → skippers + satyrs

Fabaceae (legumes) → sulphurs, blues

Urtica (nettles) → anglewings, admirals

Highest conservation leverage comes from planting:

Native violets

Willows

Native grasses

Milkweed

IMPORTANT STRUCTURAL TAKEAWAYS

1. Violet dependency cluster

A major guild:

All fritillaries → Viola spp.

Conservation implication: violets = high-leverage planting target

2. Wetland obligate system

Chelone glabra → Baltimore Checkerspot

Loss of turtlehead = local extirpation risk

3. Woody floodplain corridor system

Salix / Populus / Betula support:

Mourning Cloak

Viceroy

Compton Tortoiseshell

White Admiral

4. Nettle specialists (undervalued)

Red Admiral

Milbert’s Tortoiseshell

→ Urtica patches are ecologically valuable, not weeds

5. Hackberry expansion signal

Hackberry Emperor + Tawny Emperor

→ track Celtis spread in Champlain Valley

FINAL NOTES

Aphid-feeding exception:

Feniseca tarquinius → only carnivorous butterfly in North America

Strong sedge dependency cluster:

Euphyes, Oeneis, Lethe → wetlands = critical habitat

Sandplain specialists present:

Atrytonopsis hianna, Erynnis persius, Callophrys irus(earlier section)

Migratory layer included:

Urbanus proteus, Pyrisitia lisa, Hylephila phyleus

Key Observations (Champlain Valley)

Season length: ~March 25 → Oct 30

Peak diversity window: June 20 – Aug 1 (~80% of species active)