The Brush-footed Butterflies family (Nymphalidae) is the largest with about� 6,000 species worldwide and about 200 in North America.� The unique characteristic of the family is that, although they technically have 6 legs, they use only 4 for walking or hanging. The front pair of legs has been shortened into 2 small “brushes.”� The family is varied and has been split into several subfamilies. �

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The Fritillaries (subfamily Heliconiinae) are brightly colored and many of the larvae feed on passion vine or violets.� The True Brushfoots, subfamily Nymphalinae, includes many species such as the Crescents and Checkerspots which look like small, colorful fritillaries.� The larvae feed on many plants especially sunflowers.� Also in this subfamily are Anglewings, Ladies and Buckeyes.� The Admirals (Limenitidinae) include large colorful species like Red-spotted Purple and the Viceroy.� Emperors (Apaturinae) and the Snout (Libytheinae) are all associated with Hackberry Trees, the host plant for the larvae.� The adults prefer sap and rotting fruit and rarely visit flowers.� The Satyrs (Satyrinae) are brown with eyespots on the wings.� Grasses and sedges are the larval host plants.

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Milkweed Butterflies (Danaiinae) include the Monarch,� the most recognized butterfly in North America.� The adult feeds at milkweed flowers as well as other flowers, and its larvae feed on the foliage of milkweeds which makes them toxic to most predators. �Each fall it makes� its way south and spends the winter in the mountains of central Mexico. �The monarch is the only butterfly to migrate such long distances.�