From the mountains to the coast, North and South Carolina boast diverse ecosystems. With that diversity comes a fascinating assortment of thousands of insects. Below I’ll delve into the six-legged insects I’ve come across that call the Carolinas home, from fluttering wings on a sunny day to the bugs who snack in fields and meadows.
Bees, Hornets, and Wasps
Bees, hornets, and wasps belong to the same family but have some key differences. As vegetarians, bees feed on pollen. They are typically fluffier and hairier, which allows them to collect pollen. Hornets and wasps are smoother and less hairy. Wasps are carnivores who feed on other insects. All hornets are wasps, but not all wasps are hornets.
- Blue-Winged Scoliid Wasp
- Brown-Belted Bumblebee
- Common Eastern Bumblebee
- Eastern Carpenter Bee
- European Hornet
- Great Golden Digger Wasp
- Honey Bee
- Southern Paper Wasp
- Tricolored Bumblebee / Orange-Belted Bumblebee
- Yellow Jacket
Beetles
Beetles’ front wings are hardened into wing cases. They are found in nearly all habitats. Colors and sizes vary widely. I love those with a metallic or iridescent shine.
- Big Dipper Firefly
- Blood-Winged Blister Beetle
- Eastern Eyed Click Beetle
- Goldenrod Soldier Beetle
- Green June Beetle
- Japanese Beetle
- Ladybug / Ladybird Beetle
- Six-Spotted Tiger Beetle
- Southern Sculptured Pine Borer Beetle
- White-Spotted Sawyer Beetle
Butterflies
Brushfoots
Also known as four-footed butterflies, brush-footed butterflies (Nymphalidae) have two shorter furry front legs, leaving only four legs to stand and walk on. As the largest family of butterflies, brushfoot subfamilies include admirals, crescents, emperors, fritillaries, ladies, milkweeds, satyrs, and more.
- American Lady
- Carolina Satyr
- Common Buckeye
- Common Wood-Nymph
- Eastern Comma
- Great Spangled Fritillary
- Gulf Fritillary
- Hackberry Emperor
- Little Wood-Satyr
- Monarch
- Mourning Cloak
- Pearl Crescent
- Question Mark
- Red Admiral
- Red-Spotted Purple
- Viceroy
Gossamer Wings
The second largest butterfly family is gossamer-winged butterflies (Lycaenidae). These small species are usually brightly colored and may have a metallic sheen. Subfamilies include blues, coppers, hairstreaks, and harvesters.
- Eastern Tailed-Blue
- Red-Banded Hairstreak
- Spring Azure
- Summer Azure
Skippers
Skippers’ wings are smaller in proportion to their bodies than most butterflies. They also have larger eyes and club-tipped antennae.
- Common Checkered-Skipper
- Fiery Skipper
- Horace’s Duskywing
- Long-Tailed Skipper
- Peck’s Skipper
- Silver-Spotted Skipper
- Southern Cloudywing
- Twin-Spot Skipper
- Zabulon Skipper
Swallowtails
Swallowtail butterflies are some of the largest butterflies in the world. Many swallowtails have extended tails on their hindwings, but not all species do.
- Black Swallowtail
- Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
- Giant Swallowtail
- Palamedes Swallowtail
- Pipevine Swallowtail
- Spicebush Swallowtail
Whites and Sulphurs
Pieridae butterflies are generally orange, white, or yellow, often with black spots. Many have similar markings, making them difficult to identify at first glance.
- Cabbage White
- Clouded Sulphur
- Cloudless Sulphur
- Dainty Sulphur
- Sleepy Orange
Dragonflies and Damselflies
Dragonflies and damselflies can be found near fresh water such as ponds or streams. While similar, there are some key differences. Dragonflies have eyes that take up most of their head with uneven forewings and hindwings. Damselflies have wide-set eyes and are slender in general. Also, damselfly wings fold up at rest while dragonfly wings stick out like airplane wings.
- Blue Dasher
- Blue-Fronted Dancer
- Common Whitetail Skimmer
- Eastern Pondhawk
- Ebony Jewelwing
- Great Blue Skimmer
- Needham’s Skimmer
- Painted Skimmer
- Ruby Meadowhawk
- Slaty Skimmer
- Stream Bluet
- Widow Skimmer
Grasshoppers and Crickets
Grasshoppers and crickets can be found in fields and grasslands. Katydids are also called bush crickets or long-horned grasshoppers.
- American Bird Grasshopper
- Clip-Wing Grasshopper
- Differential Grasshopper
- Fork-Tailed Bush Katydid
- Greater Angle-Wing Katydid
- Meadow Katydid
- Ridgeback Grasshopper
- Short-Winged Meadow Katydid
- Spur-Throated Grasshopper
Leaf-Footed Bugs
Leaf-footed bugs get their name from the wide, flat section on their hind legs that resembles a leaf. The eastern variety often has a white line across its back.
- Eastern Leaf-Footed Bug
- Giant Leaf-Footed Bug
Mantises
Mantises often remain motionless waiting for prey to come within reach. At rest, praying mantises (mantids) hold their legs in front of their head like they are praying – giving them their name. The mantis below landed on my shoulder in Woods Bay State Park.
- Carolina Mantis
Millipedes
While millipede comes from the Latin for “thousand feet,” only one species has been found to have 1,000 or more legs. They do have two sets of legs on most body segments. I usually spot them marching through fallen leaves or across hiking trails.
- American Giant Millipede
- Yellow-Spotted Millipede
Moths
Moths are similar to butterflies. In general, they have feathery antennae while butterflies tend to have thin antennae. Moths are stockier and often have fuzzy bodies. They rest with their wings spread out, unlike butterflies who rest with their wings folded vertically.
- Afflicted Dagger
- Clymene Moth
- Imperial Moth
- Luna Moth
- Modest Sphinx
- Porcelain Gray
- Snowberry Clearwing
- Tersa Sphinx
- Tulip-Tree Silkmoth
- Waved Sphinx
Shield Bugs
Shield bugs are named due to their general body shape resembling a heraldic shield. The name stink bug refers to the strong odor it releases when disturbed or threatened.
- Brown Marmorated Stink Bug
- Green Stink Bug
Are you a wildlife enthusiast looking for species you can observe in the Carolinas? Check out my Birds of the Carolinas and Creatures You’ll Encounter Hiking in the Carolinas.
This is just a small sample of all the insects in the Carolinas. I still find new species all the time while I am exploring.
What an informative blog! I have never seen some of these up close. Your photography of these tiny creatures is amazing. Thank you for sharing.
Keep using your talent to share with others.