State Insect
California Dogface ButterflyZerene eurydice
California’s state insect, the dogface butterfly, or doghead, has graced the California state driver’s license and a U.S. stamp. This bright yellow, orange and black butterfly can be found only in California. Its speed makes it difficult to see. They feed on a limited number of plants, live only one season, and lay about 100 eggs in that season.
When the male’s colorful wings are open it appears to have a silhouette of a dog’s head on its wings. Females are all yellow with a black spot on their front under wings, have a wing length of about 1 ¼ inches, and are larger than males of their species. As caterpillars, they are green with small back dots underlined with a white stripe down their sides.
(Assembly Bill 1834, Chapter 521, 1972)
Explore our State Symbols
- Amphibian - Red Legged Frog
- Animal - California Grizzly Bear
- Bird - California Valley Quail
- Colors - Blue and Gold
- Dance - West Coast Swing
- Dinosaur – Augustynolophus Morrisi
- Fabric – Denim
- Fife and Drum Band – California Consolidated Drum Band
- Flag
- Flower – California Golden Poppy
- Folk Dance – Square Dance
- Fossil – Saber-Toothed Tiger
- Freshwater Fish – California Golden Trout
- Gemstone – Benitoite
- Gold Rush Ghost Town – Bodie
- Grass – Purple Needlegrass
- Historical Society
- Insect – California Dogface Butterfly
- LGBTQ Veterans Memorial
- Marine Fish – Garibaldi
- Marine Mammal – California Gray Whale
- Lichen – Lace Lichen
- Marine Reptile – Pacific Leatherback Sea Turtle
- Military Museum
- Mineral – Gold
- Motto – Eureka
- Nickname – Golden State
- Nuts: Almond, Walnut, Pistachio, Pecan
- Prehistoric Artifact
- Quarter
- Reptile – Desert Tortoise
- Rock – Serpentine
- Silver Rush Ghost Town – Calico
- Seal
- Soil – San Joaquin
- Song – “I Love You, California”
- Sport – Surfing
- Tall Ship – Californian
- Tartan
- Theater – Pasadena Playhouse
- Tree – California Redwood
- Vietnam Veterans Memorial
