This web site is a pictorial
reference of the butterflies and dragonflies of Illinois with separate sections
for each order. Each section is divided into the families of that order. The
Butterfly section features photos of male, female, and larvae when available and
lists the host plant of each species. Dragonflies and Damselflies are organized
by families. All photos were taken by Richard Day of
Daybreak Imagery and are
copyright protected.
This website is a
work-in-progress and additions will be updated when they’re available. Illinois
records indicate there are approximately 140 species of butterflies, 98 of
dragonflies, and 43 of damselflies. Obviously, I have a long ways to go to
document and photograph all of them! Please feel free to browse the photos on
the site to learn about the abundant species of Illinois. And for more
information, see the Links page.
March 2009 Update- 1 new species
of butterfly added and 6 species of dragonflies and damselflies.
Please note that you must
obtain permission to reproduce, distribute, or display any copyrighted work.
Prints of any photos you see are available for purchase. Please contact Richard
Day for prices and sizes.