US states have a variety of symbols, including state butterflies which were first designated in 1972. The monarch and eastern tiger swallowtail are the most common, while other states have unique species associated with their state. Some states have both a state bug and butterfly, while others have just one or the other.
Each US state is associated with a wide variety of symbols. These range from state flags, mottos and anthems to state flowers, animals and gemstones. State legislators or governors usually designate these symbols, but in some cases they represent images traditionally associated with the state. Eighteen states have an official state butterfly, while 11 others have a butterfly as their state insect.
The practice of designating a state butterfly is relatively recent. California was the first state to do so when it adopted the California dogface butterfly as its state butterfly in 1972. Illinois and Maryland quickly followed suit, but most state butterflies date back to the 1990s or so. 2000. Thirteen states designated state butterflies or referred to as butterflies as state insects between 1990 and 1999, with seven more between 2000 and 2009. The same period saw a boom in official recognition of other state symbols, such as state animals, flowers or songs.
Some states share their state butterflies. The most common species are the monarch butterfly and the eastern tiger swallowtail. Eight states have the monarch as the state butterfly or state insect, while four have the eastern tiger swallowtail. These brightly colored and distinctive species are found in a wide range of habitats in North America, making them a common sight in many states.
In addition to these two common species, the other 17 states with state butterflies or butterflies as state bugs all have unique species. They are usually native species or strongly associated with the state. For example, the state butterfly of Hawaii is the Kamehameha butterfly, a species native to Hawaii. The Colorado hairstreak butterfly, the Colorado state butterfly, is not only native to the state — it is found in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico — but is strongly associated with the state’s scrubland areas. Some state species, such as the California dog-face butterfly, Oregon swallowtail, or Baltimore lady butterfly, are named after the state or region, making them easily identifiable symbols.
In some states, the butterfly is officially the state insect; this is the case in Alabama, California and 11 other states. Some other states have both a state bug and a state butterfly, while others have a state bug but no state butterfly. Like state butterflies, state bugs are often shared. The most common species are the European bee and the seven-spotted ladybug. Ironically, none of these species are native to North America.
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