List of U.S. state insects

State insects are designated by 41 individual states of the fifty United States. Some states have more than one designated insect, or have multiple categories (e.g., state insect and state butterfly, etc.). More than half of the insects chosen are not native to North America, because of the inclusion of three European species (European honey bee, European mantis, and 7-spotted ladybug).

State State insect Binomial
nomenclature
Image Year
Alabama Monarch Butterfly Danaus plexippus 1989[1]
Alaska Four-Spotted Skimmer Dragonfly Libellula quadrimaculata
Arizona Two-Tailed Swallowtail
(State Butterfly)
Papilio multicaudata
Arkansas European honey bee
(State Insect)
Apis mellifera 1973[2]
Diana Fritillary Butterfly
(State Butterfly)
Speyeria diana 2007[2]
California California Dogface Butterfly Zerene eurydice 1972
Colorado Colorado Hairstreak Butterfly Hypaurotis crysalus
Connecticut European mantis Mantis religiosa
Delaware 7-spotted ladybug
(State Bug)
Coccinella septempunctata 1974[3]
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
(State Butterfly)
Papilio glaucus 1999[4]
Georgia European honey bee
(State Insect)
Apis mellifera 1975[5]
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
(State Butterfly)
Papilio glaucus 1988[6]
Florida Zebra Longwing
(State Butterfly)
Heliconius charitonius 1996[7]
Hawaii Kamehameha butterfly Vanessa tameamea 2009[8]
Idaho Monarch Butterfly Danaus plexippus 1992[9]
Illinois Monarch Butterfly Danaus plexippus 1975[10]
Kansas European honey bee Apis mellifera
Kentucky Viceroy Butterfly Limenitis archippus
Louisiana European honey bee Apis mellifera
Maine European honey bee Apis mellifera
Maryland Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly Euphydryas phaeton 1973[11]
Massachusetts 7-spotted ladybug Coccinella septempunctata
Minnesota Monarch Butterfly Danaus plexippus 2000[12]
Mississippi European honey bee
(State Insect)
Apis mellifera 1980[13]
Spicebush Swallowtail
(State Butterfly)
Papilio troilus 1991[13]
Missouri European honey bee Apis mellifera
Montana Mourning Cloak Butterfly Nymphalis antiopa
Nebraska European honey bee Apis mellifera
New Hampshire 7-spotted ladybug
(State Insect)
Coccinella septempunctata 1977[14]
Karner Blue Butterfly
(State Butterfly)
Lycaeides melissa
(subspecies samuelis)
1992[14]
New Jersey European honey bee Apis mellifera
New Mexico Tarantula hawk wasp
(State Insect)
Pepsis formosa 1989[15]
Sandia Hairstreak Butterfly
(State Butterfly)
Callophrys mcfarlandi 2003[16]
New York 9-spotted ladybug Coccinella novemnotata 1989[17]
North Carolina European honey bee Apis mellifera 1973[18]
Ohio 7-spotted ladybug Coccinella septempunctata
Oklahoma European honey bee
(State Insect)
Apis mellifera 1992[19]
Black Swallowtail Butterfly
(State Butterfly)
Papilio polyxenes 1996[19]
Oregon Oregon Swallowtail Butterfly Papilio oregonius
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania firefly
(State Insect)
Photuris pennsylvanica 1974[20]
7-spotted ladybug
(?)
Coccinella septempunctata [21]
South Carolina Carolina mantis
(State Insect)
Stagmomantis carolina 1988[22]
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
(State Butterfly)
Papilio glaucus 1994[23]
South Dakota European honey bee Apis mellifera
Tennessee Common eastern firefly
(State Insect)
Photuris pyralis 1975[24]
7-spotted ladybug
(State Insect)
Coccinella septempunctata 1975[24]
European honey bee
(State Agricultural Insect)
Apis mellifera 1990[24]
Zebra Swallowtail Butterfly
(State Butterfly)
Eurytides marcellus 1995[24]
Texas Monarch Butterfly Danaus plexippus 1995[25]
Utah European honey bee Apis mellifera 1983[26]
Vermont European honey bee
(State Insect)
Apis mellifera 1978[27]
Monarch Butterfly
(State Butterfly)
Danaus plexippus 1987[28]
Virginia Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly Papilio glaucus
Washington Green Darner Dragonfly Anax junius 1997[29]
West Virginia European honey bee
(State Insect)
Apis mellifera 2002[30]
Monarch Butterfly
(State Butterfly)
Danaus plexippus 1995[31]
Wisconsin European honey bee Apis mellifera 1977[32]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Official Alabama Insect". Alabama Emblems, Symbols and Honors. Alabama Department of Archives & History. 2001-07-12. http://www.archives.state.al.us/emblems/st_insec.html. Retrieved 2007-03-19. 
  2. ^ a b Arkansas - State symbols and emblems
  3. ^ Delaware Code Title 29 § 309
  4. ^ Delaware Code Title 29 § 315
  5. ^ State Symbols of Georgia, Georgia General Assembly
  6. ^ State Butterfly, Office of Secretary of State of Georgia website.
  7. ^ State Symbols
  8. ^ Cooper, Jeanne (2009-08-21). "Emblems of Hawaii a surprise to many Americans". San Francisco Chronicle. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2009/08/21/alohafriday082109.DTL. 
  9. ^ "Idaho Symbols, Insect: Monarch Butterfly". Idaho State Symbols, Emblems, and Mascots. SHG resources, state handbook & guide. http://www.shgresources.com/id/symbols/insect/. Retrieved 2008-03-26. 
  10. ^ "State Symbol: Illinois Official Insect — Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus)". [Illinois] State Symbols. Illinois State Museum. http://www.museum.state.il.us/exhibits/symbols/insect.html. Retrieved 2008-03-26. 
  11. ^ Marylands Kids Page - State Symbols
  12. ^ "Minnesota State Symbols" (PDF). Minnesota House of Representatives. http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/hinfo/govser/GOVSER2.pdf. Retrieved 2008-03-26. 
  13. ^ a b State Symbols, p. 4. Office of the Secretary of State of Mississippi. Retrieved 2008-03-29
  14. ^ a b State Animal, the New Hampshire Almanac, New Hampshire State Library. Retrieved 2008-03-29.
  15. ^ Welcome to the New Mexico State Capitol (brochure), New Mexico Legislature. Retrieved 2008-03-29.
  16. ^ House Bill 13, 46th Legislature of the State of New Mexico. Retrieved 2008-03-29.
  17. ^ "Symbols of New York State", New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Retrieved 2008-03-30
  18. ^ "Official State Symbols of North Carolina". North Carolina State Library (State of North Carolina). http://statelibrary.dcr.state.nc.us/NC/SYMBOLS/SYMBOLS.HTM. Retrieved 2008-01-26. 
  19. ^ a b Oklahoma Almanac, State Emblems (pp. 37-40)
  20. ^ Pennsylvania State History: Symbols at the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Retrieved 2008-03-29. Archived February 12, 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  21. ^ Do You Know Your State Insect?
  22. ^ The State Insect, South Carolina Legislature Online. Retrieved 2008-03-29
  23. ^ The State Butterfly, South Carolina Legislature Online. Retrieved 2008-03-29
  24. ^ a b c d State Symbols, Tennessee Department of State. Retrieved 2008-03-29
  25. ^ "Texas State Symbols". The Texas State Library and Archives. http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ref/abouttx/symbols.html. Retrieved 2008-03-26. 
  26. ^ Utah State Insect - Honey Bee from pioneer.utah.gov "Pioneer: Utah's Online Library" page. Retrieved on 2008-09-08
  27. ^ "(Vermont) State Insect". Vermont Department of Libraries. http://libraries.vermont.gov/sites/libraries/files/html/insect.htm. Retrieved 2008-03-29. 
  28. ^ "(Vermont) State Butterfly". Vermont Department of Libraries. http://libraries.vermont.gov/sites/libraries/files/html/butterfly.htm. Retrieved 2008-03-26. 
  29. ^ "Symbols of Washington State". Washington State Legislature. Archived from the original on 2007-03-05. http://web.archive.org/web/20070305110012/http://www1.leg.wa.gov/Legislature/StateSymbols/. Retrieved 2007-03-11. 
  30. ^ "Appendix A/State Profile (State of West Virginia FY 2009 Executive Budget)" (PDF). Official West Virginia Web Portal. http://www.wvbudget.gov/Report/StateProfile09.pdf. Retrieved 2008-03-29.  Page 21 (547).
  31. ^ "West Virginia Statistical Information, General State Information" (PDF). Official West Virginia Web Portal. http://www.wv.gov/Documents/statgeninfo.pdf. Retrieved March 31, 2010. 
  32. ^ "Wisconsin State Symbols". State of Wisconsin. http://www.wisconsin.gov/state/core/wisconsin_state_symbols.html. Retrieved 2011-12-19.