Butterflies of North Carolina:
their Distribution and Abundance

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Once on a species account page, clicking on the "View PDF" link will show the flight data for that species, for each of the three regions of the state.
Other information, such as high counts and earliest/latest dates, can also been seen on the PDF page.

Related Species in NYMPHALIDAE:
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Common NameWhite Peacock by Jeff Pippen => Miami-Dade Co., FL 29 Dec 2003
[View PDF]
Click to enlarge
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Scientific NameAnartia jatrophae
Link to BAMONA species account.
MapClick on a county for list of all database records for the species in that county.
DistributionDISTRIBUTION: A good handful of records from the immediate coast, plus a 2006 record from mainland Hyde County and a 2013 record for Columbus County. This is a Southern stray, breeding in FL and migrating sparingly to GA and the coast of SC.
AbundanceABUNDANCE: Very rare coastal stray. There is at least one pre-1992 record from the Buxton area, according to the Opler/Nekola maps. I saw one at Buxton/Frisco on November 21, 1992, and Trip Dennis saw one in July 1995 at Portsmouth Island. Derb Carter photographed one at Fort Fisher on July 19, 1998; Greg Schneider saw one (a different individual?) at the same site on August 15, 1998; and Bob Cavanaugh photographed one on the Carteret County mainland on August 12, 2002. Cavanaugh had another in Carteret County on September 3, 2006, and Ricky Davis photographed one at Lake Mattamuskeet on October 21, 2006. In 2013, Charlotte Fulcher saw two in the Hatteras/Buxton area on September 2, and Jim Parnell saw one in Columbus County, on that same date. In 2017, I saw two at Fort Fisher on October 6, and John Fussell saw one to possibly as many as three on Bogue Banks (Carteret County) on October 11. Fussell saw several on additional dates on Bogue Banks in October and November, including a remarkable six on October 25, followed up by an amazing 12 individuals on November 4! Not surprisingly, there were no reports of adults in 2018. One was photographed by Cole Tiemann in 2021 in Brunswick County, finally filling that gaping hole in the range map. In fall 2023, we had a remarkable seven records, mostly from Fort Fisher; but Hunter Phillips photographed one along the Onslow County coast, adding that county to the range map.
FlightFLIGHT PERIOD: Apparently all year in the Deep South. Date(s) of the first NC record is not known to us, but the known dates range from July to November. Most likely to appear in September and October.
HabitatHABITAT: In its range, generally in weedy areas in open country. In NC, could occur practically anywhere, at least near the coast. Most recent records have been from edges of maritime thickets and maritime forests, next to tidal marshes or roads, but the 2002 individual was in a garden.
PlantsFOOD AND NECTAR PLANTS: Various herbaceous species in the Scrophulariaceae, Acanthaceae, or related families are the foodplants. Individuals in 2017 in Carteret County were seen close to Coastal Water-hyssop (Bacopa monnieri), a known foodplant; it is likely that one or more females laid eggs on the water-hyssop plants. Nectar plants are not well known, but in NC to be looked for on Lantana (Lantana strigocamara) in coastal gardens.
CommentsCOMMENTS: Based on the NC and SC records, the best chance of finding the species in NC is to check along the coast in late summer or especially in fall, particularly at the edges of maritime thickets, in gardens, or in weedy places. Of course, such are typical places to search for nearly all Southern strays, such as Great Southern White, Brazilian Skipper, Tropical Checkered-Skipper, etc. This is a common butterfly in FL, where its behavior and habitat are very similar to that of the Common Buckeye.
State RankSZN
State Status
Global RankG5
Federal Status
Synonym
Other Name


Links to other butterfly galleries: [Cook] [Lynch] [Pippen] [Pugh]
Photo by: Hunter Phillips
Comment: Onslow Co., 2023-Sep-02. North Topsail Beach.
White Peacock - Click to enlarge
Photo by: Salman Abdulali
Comment: Carteret Co., 2017-Oct-27. Aquarium on Bogue Banks
White Peacock - Click to enlarge
Photo by: John Fussell
Comment: October 11, 2017, Carteret County, Theodore Roosevelt State Natural Area; at probable host plant, Bacopa monnieri
White Peacock - Click to enlarge
Photo by: Harry LeGrand
Comment: New Hanover Co., Fort Fisher. 2017-Oct-06
White Peacock - Click to enlarge
Photo by: Jerry Bright
Comment: Caw Caw Nature Preserve; October 19, 2012. Charleston Co., SC
White Peacock - Click to enlarge
Photo by: Bruce Grimes
Comment: Nov 17, 2012, Volusia County, FL
White Peacock - Click to enlarge
Photo by: Carl Ganser
Comment: Oct 4, 2013, SC
White Peacock - Click to enlarge
Photo by: Carl Ganser
Comment: Oct 4, 2013, SC
White Peacock - Click to enlarge
Photo by: Bob Cavanaugh
Comment: Aug 20, 2002, Newport, Carteret County
White Peacock - Click to enlarge