KEY TO THE BUTTERFLIES OF NORTH CAROLINA 



By C. S. Brimley 

 (Div. of Entomology N. C. Dept. of Agr.) 



Butterflies may be distinguished from all other insects except the 

 moths by the wings being covered with powdery scales which easily 

 rub off, while from the moths they can be separated by having the 

 antennae or feelers simple, and knobbed at tip, never hair-like, plume- 

 like, comb-like, or even serrated. Furthermore all butterflies fly in 

 the daytime, and most, but not all, moths at night. 



The following key to the families of butterflies includes only six 

 such, all the Nymphaline families or subfamilies, except the meadow 

 browns, being lumped together, while our single species of the Ery- 

 cinidae, or metal marks, is included in the Lycaenidae, which group 

 it much resembles. 



KEY TO THE FAMILIES OF BUTTERFLIES 



1. Body stout, antennae hooked at tip (except in Ancyloxipha), species of med- 

 ium or small size, mainly under two inches in spread of wings. 



Family VI. The Skippeis (Hesperidae). 



1. Body slender, antennae not hooked at tip 2. 



2. Front legs normal, fitted for walking, outer edge of fore wing always evenly 



rounded or straight 3. 



2. Front legs brush-like, not fitted for walking 5. 



3. Spread of wings 2>^ to 5 inches, hind wings with tail-like projections which 



are never thread-like. . . Family I. The Swallowtail Butterflies (Papilionidae) 



3. Spread usually two inches or less 4. 



4. Ground color of wings white or yellow, hind wings never tailed. 



Family II. The Whites and Yellows {Pieridae). 



4. Ground color of wings never white or yellow, hind wings often with thread- 



like tails. .Family V. The Gossamer-winged Butterflies (Lycaenidae). 



5. Size medium or large, colors usually bright, the prevailing shade being reddish 



brown Family III. The Nymphs (Nymphalidae) 



5. Size medium or rather small, ground color of wings some shade of dull brown, 

 with eye-like spots almost always present on one or both sides of one or 

 both pairs of wings Family IV. The Meadow Browns (Agapetidae) 



Family I. The Swallowtails 



1. Ground color light, striped with black 2. 



1. Ground color black, spotted with lighter 3. 



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