The brushfooted butterfly, (family Nymphalidae), also called four-footed butterfly, is a group of butterflies (order Lepidoptera) that are named for their characteristically reduced forelegs, which are frequently hairy and resemble brushes. The insects’ alternative name derives from the fact that there are only four functional, or walking, legs.
There are thirty-four species of Brush-footed butterflies found in Tennessee. Click on the links below for pictures, facts, and a list of host and nectar plants for each species of Brush-footed butterflies.
- American Snout (Libytheana carinenta)
- Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae)
- Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia)
- Diana Fritillary (Speyeria diana)
- Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele)
- Aphrodite Fritillary (Speyeria aphrodite)
- Meadow Fritillary (Boloria bellona)
- Gorgone Checkerspot (Chlosyne gorgone)
- Silvery Checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteris)
- Phaon Crescent (Phyciodes phaon)
- Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos)
- Baltimore Checkerspot (Euphydryas phaeton)
- Question Mark (Polygonia interrogationis)
- Eastern Comma (Polygonia comma)
- Green Comma (Polygonia faunus)
- Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa)
- American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis)
- Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)
- Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
- Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia)
- Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis astyanax)
- Viceroy (Limenitis archippus)
- Goatweed Leafwing (Anaea andria)
- Hackberry Emperor (Asterocampa celtis)
- Tawny Emperor (Asterocampa clyton)
- Southern Pearly-eye (Enodia portlandia)
- Northern Pearly-eye (Enodia anthedon)
- Creole Pearly-eye (Enodia creola)
- Appalachian Brown (Satyrodes appalachia)
- Gemmed Satyr (Cyllopsis gemma)
- Carolina Satyr (Hermeuptychia sosybius)
- Little Wood-Satyr (Megisto cymela)
- Common Wood-Nymph (Cercyonis pegala)
- Monarch (Danaus plexippus)