How to Identify Yellow Butterflies & Insects

Each summer an array of colorful butterflies and insects appear throughout the United States. The creatures seem to be of nearly every color, shape and size, and both have varieties that are yellow. Identifying these creatures requires study, a good guidebook and a means to safely capture them. There are a lot of guidebooks available, but if you wish to identify yellow insects and butterflies only, look for a guidebook that breaks down the insects and butterflies by color.

Things You'll Need

  • Butterfly and Insect Guidebook with color sections
  • Magnifying glass
  • Insect and butterfly net
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Instructions

    • 1

      Read about the different species of insects and butterflies and when they show their yellow color. For example, the swallowtail butterfly, known for its large yellow-black wings, comes into color in mid-spring. Arm yourself with information about when the insects turn the yellow color. In addition, geography plays a key role in identifying the yellow species of insects and butterflies. Swallowtail butterflies are known to appear throughout parts of the southeast, such as Arkansas, in early March, giving you one more piece of identifying information.

    • 2

      Capture the insects or butterflies with the net. As a rule, scoop at the insect with an upward scoop to get them into the fine mesh net. Hold them in the net so they have room to move while you cross reference the guide book.

    • 3

      Consult the yellow section of the guide book. A good color-coded guide book to start with is the Peterson First Butterfly Guide Book. This is made for children but is invaluable for learning to identify the butterflies and insects by color.

    • 4

      Enroll in a nature hike through a butterfly preserve. Examples of these preserves include the Elmwood Bluffs Monarch Preserve outside of Santa Barbara, California, and the butterfly exhibit at the Montreal Botanical Gardens. You need not travel to a far-away destination if you have parks or nature preserves in your area. Get a copy of the trail hikes and nature program schedule and sign up for insect and butterfly identifying hikes.