Butterflies of San Francisco
City & San Bruno Mountain
An overview of the butterflies that can be found in the city of San Francisco, as well as nearby San Bruno Mountain. I've tried to organize it by habitat type — what you can see in your backyard, what takes a trip to a park, and what is just plain rare in San Francisco. All photos were taken by myself, though not all were taken in San Francisco. It's not a complete list of all historical possibilities within the city, but a representation of what can be expected here as of 2006.
Species by Habitat
Backyard Butterflies
These can be found in backyards and along streets throughout the city.
- Papilio zelicaon
- Papilio rutulus
- Pieris rapae
- Celastrina [ladon] echo
- Vanessa atalanta
- Vanessa cardui
- Vanessa annabella
- Poanes melane
Butterflies of Open Spaces
Look for these in the parks and open spaces of San Francisco. Some are very local!
- Battus philenor
- Euchloe ausonides
- Colias eurytheme
- Callophrys dumetorum (syn. viridis)
- Plebejus acmon
- Gulf Fritillary
- Agraulis vanillae
- Vanessa virginiensis
- Phyciodes pulchellus (syn. campestris)
- Nymphalis californica
- Nymphalis antiopa
- Junonia coenia
- Coenonympha [tullia] california
- Danaus plexippus
- Pyrgus communis
- Hylephila phyleus
- Polites sabuleti
- Ochlodes sylvanoides
Rare in SF
A number of these can be easily found on San Bruno Mountain, or elsewhere in the bay area, sometimes even abundantly, but all are difficult to find in San Francisco.
- Strymon melinus
- Brephidium exile
- Glaucopsyche lygdamus
- Adelpha bredowii
- Euphydryas chalcedona
- Phyciodes mylitta
- Ochlodes agricola
Accidental Species
These have been recorded in San Francisco, but only as rare strays.
- Pontia protodice
- Funereal Duskywing
- Erynnis funeralis
San Bruno Mountain Specialties
These Bay Area rarities are the reason San Bruno Mountain is worth every visit.
- Speyeria callippe callippe
- Callophrys mossii
- Callophrys augustinus
- Plebejus icarioides missionensis