I’ve been slowly working through my photos of butterflies and moths and trying to correctly identify them with the help of e-Butterfly, an online butterfly sighting reporting website, BugGuide.net, the ROM Field Guide to Butterflies of Ontario and the Peterson Field Guide to Moths of Northeastern North America. It’s been an adventure because although I knew that I was seeing different types of skippers and moths, I wasn’t sure what types they were. So I’m going to post some of my identified photos here for anyone else who is curious about what types of butterflies and moths can be found in Mississauga, Oakville and nearby areas.
This post will be updated as I make new finds either in the wild or in my older photos!
Many photos can be seen at a larger size by clicking on them.
Photographs of Butterflies and Moths of Mississauga and Oakville Ontario
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
GiantSwallowtail
Clouded Sulphur
Orange Sulphur
Cabbage White
Elm Spanworm Moth
White Slant Line Moth
Delicate Cycnia Moth
Leconte’s Haploa Moth
Monarch
Viceroy
Great Spangled Fritillary
Compton Tortoiseshell
Eastern Comma
Gray Comma
Question Mark
American Lady
Painted Lady
The Painted Lady and American lady butterflies look very similar. On the underside the American Lady only has two large eye dots on the hind wing. On the top side, the “eyes” on the hind wings of the American Lady are larger and often blue or purple. There are other differences which a good guide like the ROM Field Guide to Butterflies of Ontario will point out.
Milbert’s Tortoiseshell
Baltimore Checkerspot
Crossline Skipper
Tawny-Edged Skipper
Delaware Skipper
European Skipper
Least Skipper
Hobomok Skipper
Peck’s Skipper
Chickweed Geometer
Northern Crescent
Pearl Crescent
Red Admiral
Grapevine Epimenis Moth
Painted Lichen Moth
Hummingbird Clearwing Moth
Snowberry Clearwing Moth
Common Buckeye
Common Wood Nymph
Common Ringlet
Mourning Cloak
Northern Pearly-eye
Little Wood Satyr
Banded Hairstreak
Hickory Hairstreak
Dun Skipper
Northern Cloudywing Skipper
Northern Broken dash Skipper
Silver-spotted Skipper
Juvenal’s Duskywing
Wild Indigo Duskywing
Gypsy Moth
Male
Eastern Tent Caterpillar Moth
Black Swallowtail
Red-spotted Purple (White Admiral)
Virginia Ctenucha Moth
White Spotted Sable Moth
White-Striped Black Moth
Azure species
Eastern Tailed Blue
Silvery Blue
Green Pug
Pale Beauty Moth
Plume Moth
Possibly Grape Plume Moth.
Butterflies and Moths Seen at Sheridan Meadows, Mississauga Ontario
This is a semi-wild area adjacent to a public bicycle path through an old hydro right of way that runs parallel to and south of Dundas street from Erin Mills Parkway to Winston Churchill Boulevard. Be aware of the Dog Ticks.
- Banded Hairstreak July 9, 10, 19
- Black Swallowtail May 24, July 19
- Cabbage White May 24, July 10, 19
- Clouded Sulphur July 9
- Common Wood Nymph July 9, 10, 19
- Dun Skipper July 10
- Eastern Tailed Blue May 24, July 9, 10
- European Skipper July 10
- Juvenal’s Duskywing May 24
- Little Wood Satyr July 9, 10
- Monarch May 24, July 10
- Northern Crescent May 24, July 9, 10, 19
- Pearl Crescent May 24
- Northern Broken-dash skipper July 9
- Orange Sulphur July 9
- Silvery Blue May 24
- Snowberry Clearwing Moth, July 9
- Wild Indigo Duskywing May 24
Butterflies and Moths Seen at the Riverwood Conservancy, Mississauga Ontario
- American Lady April 27
- Azure sp. possibly Spring April 27, 28, May 24, 27, 29, 31, June 1, 11
- Baltimore Checkerspot June 26
- Banded Hairstreak July 18
- Black Swallowtail May 28, 29, July 30
- Cabbage White March 29, April 17, 23, 28, May 20, 24, 28, 29, 31, June 1, 2, 5, 15, 21, 26, July 3, 4, 11, 18, 20, September 2, 12, 20
- Chickweed Geometer May 29
- Clouded Sulphur May 28, 29, July 11
- Clover or Forage Looper Moth
- Common Wood Nymph July 18, 20
- Common Ringlet May 31, June 1, 15
- Compton Tortoiseshell March 29, April 5, 8, 10, July 3, 4, 11
- Delicate Cycnia moth June 15
- Delaware Skipper, July 18
- Dun Skipper July 18
- Duskywing probably Wild Indigo May 20, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 31, June 1, 12, July 11
- Eastern Comma April 10, 22, May 20, 31, June 3, 12, July 3, 4, 11, 18, 20
- Eastern Tailed Blue May 28, 29, June 1, 21
- Eastern Tent Caterpillar
- Eastern Tiger Swallowtail May 20, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, 31, June 1, 2, 3, 8, 11, 12, 16, 21 July 20
- European Skipper June 10, 11, 15, 16, 21, 23, July 3
- Fall Cankerworm Moth
- Forest Tent Caterpillar Moth
- Grapeleaf Skeletonizer Moth
- Grapevine Epimenis Moth April 27
- Gray Comma April 22
- Gypsy Moth
- Haploa Confusa Moth
- Hickory Hairstreak July 4, 20
- Hobomok Skipper May 28, 29, June 1, 3, 6, 11, 12, 15, 16. 21, 23
- Indigo Duskywing June 3, 6, 10
- Juvenal’s Duskywing May 28, 29, June 1, 2, 3
- Least Skipper June 6
- Leconte’s Haploa Moth, April 2
- Little Wood Satyr June 10, 11, 12, 15, 16, 21 July 4
- Milkweed Tussock Moth
- Monarch May 31, June 2, 26, July 18, August 3, September 12, October 5
- Mourning Cloak March 21, April 10, 11, 17, 22, 23, 27, May 18, 20, July 3, 4, 11
- Northern Crescent May 28, June 2
- Northern Broken Dash Skipper July 18
- Northern Pearly-eye July 3, 4, 11, 20, 30
- Orange Sulphur May 24, 25, 28, 29, 31, June 1, 2, July 11, 18, 20
- Painted Lady June 3
- Pale Beauty Moth June 11
- Pearl Crescent September 2
- Peck’s Skipper June 5, 11
- Question Mark June 1, 2
- Red Admiral April 10, 17, 27, 28, May 20, 27, 28, 31, June 1, 2, 3, 6, 11, 15, 16, 21, July 4, 11, 18, 20
- Red-spotted Purple (White Admiral) June 15
- Silver-spotted Skipper June 15, July 18, 20
- Silvery Blue May 20, 28, 29, 31, June 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 11
- Spring Cankerworm Moth
- Tawny-edged Skipper June 11
- Virginia Ctenucha Moth
- White Slant Line Moth June 11
- White Spotted Sable Moth May 23
- White-striped Black Moth
- Wild Indigo Duskywing skipper May 28, 29, June 1, 2, 3, 26, July 18, 20, 30
Butterflies and Moths Seen at the Rattray Marsh and Adjacent Jack Darling Park, Mississauga Ontario
- American Lady July 7
- Black Swallowtail May 29, June 4, August 5
- Cabbage White June 17, July 7, 29, August 5, September 13, 30, October 11, 19
- Clouded Sulphur September 13, 16
- Common Buckeye at Jack Darling Park September 13 2016
- Duskywing, some probably Wild Indigo May 26, 29, June 4, September 16
- Eastern Comma June 28
- Eastern Tailed Blue September 13
- Eastern Tiger Swallowtail May 26, June 4, 17, August 5
- Monarch August 5, September 30, October 3, 19
- Mourning Cloak April 9, June 17
- Orange Sulphur at Jack Darling Park September 13, 16
- Peck’s Skipper August 5
- Viceroy July 29
- Virginia Ctenucha Moth
- Wild Indigo Duskywing September 13
Butterflies and Moths Seen at Lakeside Park, Mississauga Ontario
- American Lady, April 28
- Azure, possibly Spring Azure, April 28, May 8
- Cabbage White April 28, May 8
- Mourning Cloak, April 28
- Red Admiral, April 28
Butterflies and Moths Seen at the J.C. Saddington Park, Mississauga Ontario
- Cabbage White September 25
- Viceroy September 25
Butterflies and Moths Seen at Lion’s Valley Park, (16 Mile Creek), Oakville Ontario
- Banded Hairstreak June 22
- Cabbage White April 18, June 22, 26 July 5
- Crossline Skipper June 26
- Virginia Ctenucha Moth
- Eastern Comma July 5
- Eastern Tiger Swallowtail June 14
- Elm Spanworm Moth, July 5
- European Skipper June 14, 26
- Grapevine Epimenis Moth
- Green Pug Moth, June 26
- Little Wood Satyr June 14, 22, July 5
- Mourning Cloak April 18, June 14
- Northern Broken-dash skipper June 26
- Northern Cloudywing July 5
- Peck’s Skipper May 30
- Plume Moth, possibly Grape Plume moth, June 26
- Red-spotted Purple (White Admiral) June 14, 26
- Viceroy June 14
Butterflies and Moths Seen at Bronte Creek Provincial Park, Oakville Ontario
- Cabbage White July 15
- Common Ringlet June 13
- Common Wood Nymph July 15
- Virginia Ctenucha Moth June 13
- Delaware Skipper July 15
- Duskywing, possibly Wild Indigo, July 15
- Eastern Comma July 15
- Eastern Tent Caterpillar July 21
- Great Spangled Fritillary July 21
- Gypsy Moth July 21
- Hobomok Skipper June 13
- Hummingbird Clearwing Moth July 15
- Least Skipper June 15
- Little Wood Satyr June 13
- Monarch June 13
- Mourning Cloak July 15
- Northern Pearly Eye July 15
- Painted Lichen Moth July 21
- Red Admiral July 15
- Red-spotted Purple (White Admiral) July 15
- Silver-spotted Skipper July 15
- Silvery Blue June 15
Butterflies and Moths Seen at Hendrie Valley, Burlington, Ontario
- Milbert’s Tortoiseshell, October 3
Butterflies and Moths Seen in Burlington, Ontario
- Azure sp. May 30
- Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, May 30
- Giant Swallowtail, May 30
- Hobomok Skipper, May 30
- West Virginia White May
Butterflies and Moths Seen in Fletcher Creek Ecological Preserve, Flamborough / Puslinch, Ontario
- Appalachian Brown, June 26
- Bronze Copper, June 26
- Cabbage White, June 10, 26
- Common Ringlet, June 10, 26
- Dreamy Duskywing, June 10, 26
- Eastern Comma, June 26
- Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, June 26
- European Skipper, June 26
- Giant Swallowtail, June 26
- Gray Comma, June 26
- Hobomok Skipper, June 26
- Indian Skipper, June 10
- Juvenal’s Duskywing, June 10
- Least Skipper, June 10
- Little Wood Satyr, June 26
- Long Dash Skipper, June 26
- Monarch, June 26
- Northern Broken Dash, June 26
- Northern Cloudywing, June 10
- Northern Crescent, June 10, 26
- Northern Pearly Eye, June 26
- Pearl Crescent, June 26
- Peck’s Skipper, June 10
- Red-spotted Purple, June 26
- Silvery Blue, June 10
- Sulphur sp, June 26
- Tawny-edged Skipper, June 10, 26
- Viceroy, June 10