State Insects

48 states in the United States have officially designated State Insects. 

Alabama Monarch Butterfly and Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly

Alaska Four-spot Skimmer Dragonfly

Arizona Two-tailed Swallowtail Butterfly

Arkansas Honey Bee

California California Dogface Butterfly

Colorado Colorado Hairstreak Butterfly

Connecticut European Praying Mantis

Delaware Convergent Ladybug Beetle and Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly

Dist. of Col. None

Florida Zebra Longwing Butterfly

Georgia Honey Bee and Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly

Hawaii Pulelehua (Kamehameha butterfly)

Idaho Monarch Butterfly

Illinois Monarch Butterfly

Indiana Say's Firefly

Iowa  None

Kansas Honey Bee

Kentucky Viceroy Butterfly

Louisiana Honey Bee

Maine Honey Bee

Maryland Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly

Massachusetts Ladybug Beetle

Michigan None

Minnesota Monarch Butterfly

Mississippi Honey Bee and Spicebush Swallowtail Butterfly

Missouri Honey Bee

Montana Mourning Cloak

Nebraska Honey Bee

Nevada Vivid Dancer Damselfly

New Hampshire Two-spotted Ladybug Beetle and Karner Blue Butterfly

New Jersey Honey Bee

New Mexico Tarantula Hawk Wasp

New York Nine-spotted Ladybird Beetle

North Carolina Honey Bee

North Dakota Convergent Lady Beetle (Lady Bug)

Ohio Ladybug Beetle

Oklahoma Honey Bee and Black Swallowtail Butterfly

Oregon Oregon Swallowtail Butterfly

Pennsylvania Firefly Beetle

Rhode Island American Burying Beetle 

South Carolina Carolina Mantid and Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly

South Dakota Honey Bee

Tennessee Firefly Beetle; Ladybug Beetle; Honey Bee (agricultural insect); and Zebra Swallowtail Butterfly

Texas Monarch Butterfly

Utah Honey Bee

Vermont Honey Bee and Monarch Butterfly

Virginia Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly

Washington Green Darner Dragonfly

West Virginia  Monarch Butterfly

Wisconsin Honey Bee

Wyoming Sheridan's Green Hairstreak

Note: California was the first state of the United States to select a state insect. The Dogface Butterfly, Zerene eurydice, was officially adopted as the state insect of California in 1929. This was the result of a statewide poll of all the active entomologists in the state, responding to the Lorquin Entomological Society of Los Angeles.

Selected References: Gunder, J. D. 1929. A state butterfly for California. Pan-Pacific Entomologist, Volume 6, number 2.

Prepared by the Department of Systematic Biology, Entomology Section,
National Museum of Natural History, in cooperation with Public Inquiry Services, Smithsonian Institution

Information Sheet Number 158.

Revised 04/19