Swallowtails are butterflies with long posterior wings, which often resemble the tails of swallows. They are part of the family Papilionidae, and most species show bright and vibrant colors. Swallowtails are more abundant in tropical climates. However, some species, such as the Canadian tiger swallowtail and the black swallowtail, are also found in temperate areas.
Longwings are common in the family Nymphalidae and have large wingspans in comparison to their body length. The zebra longwing (Heliconius charitonius) shows black wings with yellow stripes and can live up to four months as an adult. Julia heliconian (Dryas iulia) has bright orange wings with black markings, and in the United States is only found in southern Texas and Florida. Fritillaries have long anterior wings and are members of the subfamily Heliconiinae, such as the gulf fritillary (Agraulis vanillae) and the great spangled fritillary (Speyeria cybele).
More than 300 species of milkweed butterflies are found around the world. Their name comes from their habit of feeding on milkweeds or Asclepias, during their larval stage. Part of the subfamily Danainae, these butterflies have their anterior wings well separated from the posterior pair, when standing with their wings wide open. The better-known species in this group is the monarch (Danaus plexippus).
Whites and sulphurs are members of the family Pieridae, with more than 60 species in North America and about 1,000 worldwide. These butterflies have similar posterior and anterior wings, giving them a squared proportion when their wings are wide open. Whites and sulphurs are often small, frequently showing yellow, white and gray wings. Common species include the cabbage white (Pieris rapae), the clouded sulphur (Colias philodice) and the great southern white (Ascia monuste).