Spotlight on Species

Common Butterflies in Alabama

There are 84 species of butterflies and skippers from the superfamily of Papilionoidea found in Alabama (Butterflies of Alabama, Ogard and Bright, UA Press, 2017).   Visit the Birmingham Zoo’s Butterfly House between May and September to meet some of these stunning native butterflies in person!

North American Monarch Butterfly

One pollinator, particularly at risk, is the iconic North American monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus), which is one of our most recognizable butterfly species, due to its distinctive orange and black markings. The monarch is considered especially vulnerable, due to fact that its larva (caterpillar) feeds exclusively on milkweed. Milkweed species are rapidly declining, largely due to habitat loss and overuse of herbicides.

Since 2017, the Zoo has a certified by the Monarch Joint Venture as a Monarch Waystation.  This means that the zoo provides food and shelter for all stages of the Monarch life cycle.