The Papilionidae includes all parnassians and swallowtails, with more than 40 species in North America. The giant swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes) and the Eastern tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucusis) are found in various parts of the United States, but are more common in the south and east. These are the largest butterflies living in the country, having 4 to 6 inches of wingspans. Other large species in this family include the zebra swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus), and the black swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes Fabricius), with average wingspans of 4 inches.
The family Pieridae, which includes white and sulfur butterflies, have some large species living in North America, including the giant white (Ganyra josephina), which has up to 3 3/4 inches in wingspan; the great southern white (Ascia monuste), with a wingspan of 3 3/8 inches; the Florida white (Appias drusilla), reaching up to 3 inches in wingspan; and the giant sulphur (Colias gigantea), which can be yellow or white, featuring a wingspan of 2 to 3 inches.
Butterflies of the numerous family Nymphalidae have reduced front legs, often showing brown, orange, yellow and black wings. This family contains the longest-lived butterfly species, some surviving up to 11 months as an adult. Large species found in the Unites States include the monarch (Danaus plexippus), with 4 to 5 inches in wingspan, the zebra heliconian (Heliconius charithonia), the Diana (Speyeria diana) and the queen (Danaus gilippus), with about 4 inches of wingspan.
Although most of the 3,500 species of the family Hesperiidae are found in the tropics, 275 species live in North America, specially in Arizona and Texas. Also known as skippers, these butterflies feature brown, orange, white, black or gray wings. Most species have wingspans from 1 to 2 inches, but large skippers found in the Unites States include the Brazilian skipper (Calpodes ethlius),the long-tailed skipper (Urbanus proteus), the orange giant-skipper
(Agathymus neumoegeni) and the ursine giant-skipper (Megathymus ursus), all with more than 2 inches in wingspan.