Have you seen me? Snout butterflies

If you have driven, biked or walked anywhere in Central Texas recently, you most likely have noticed butterflies fluttering about.  These are not monarchs or swallowtails that we are used to seeing, but snout butterflies.  Unlike the Monarch butterflies that fly through Texas on the way to overwintering locations, these butterflies are moving to new areas in search of new food sources after depleting the food in the area they emerged.  The butterflies are also in search of mates. Snout butterfly caterpillars feed on hackberry trees, while adults seek out nectar from a variety of sources.

The rainfall we received in August helped the snout butterfly population by providing another flush of vegetation on hackberries for the caterpillars.

The butterflies are brown and orange with white spots (on the tops of the wings).  The underside of the wings is brown to grey and mottled.  The two tusk-like projections from the head are where they get their name. Th adults will mimic leaves when they perch on plants, by folding up the wings and holding their snouts and antennae facing downward.

These butterflies are not anything to worry about and will only be around for a few more weeks.  Get outside and enjoy their beauty while you can!