Butterflies and Moths of New Mexico

889 Species Recorded in New Mexico

Top 20 Species Checklist All Photographs

Featured Species

Callophrys mcfarlandi

100 Most Recent Sightings in New Mexico

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Most Recent Sightings in New Mexico

See more recent sightings in New Mexico

Question Mark
Polygonia interrogationis

Observed: Apr 22, 2025

Submitted by: Cactuswren1976

Verified: Apr 24, 2025

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Black Swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes

Observed: Apr 21, 2025

Submitted by: Gordon Berman

Verified: Apr 22, 2025

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Short-tailed Skipper
Zestusa dorus

Observed: Apr 21, 2025

Submitted by: Dogoszhi

Verified: Apr 22, 2025

Verified by: stevecary

Details

West Coast Lady
Vanessa annabella

Observed: Apr 21, 2025

Submitted by: Cactuswren1976

Verified: Apr 22, 2025

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Yucca Giant-Skipper
Megathymus yuccae

Observed: Apr 18, 2025

Submitted by: Cactuswren1976

Verified: Apr 19, 2025

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

Observed: Apr 18, 2025

Submitted by: Cactuswren1976

Verified: Apr 19, 2025

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Mournful Duskywing
Erynnis tristis

Observed: Apr 18, 2025

Submitted by: Gordon Berman

Verified: Apr 22, 2025

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Rocky Mountain Duskywing
Erynnis telemachus

Observed: Apr 18, 2025

Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly

Verified: Apr 22, 2025

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Echo Azure
Celastrina echo

Observed: Apr 17, 2025

Submitted by: Cactuswren1976

Verified: Apr 24, 2025

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Field Crescent
Phyciodes pulchella

Observed: Apr 17, 2025

Submitted by: Dogoszhi

Verified: Apr 17, 2025

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Phoenix Emerald Moth
Dichordophora phoenix

Observed: Apr 14, 2025

Submitted by: msherry5

Verified: Apr 20, 2025

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Sleepy Duskywing
Erynnis brizo

Observed: Apr 14, 2025

Submitted by: Dogoszhi

Verified: Apr 14, 2025

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Top 10 Commonly Reported Butterflies and Moths of New Mexico

Checkered White Pontia protodice	Upperside of male forewing has black checkered pattern on outer half. Female is more heavily patterned, but markings are more brown and diffuse. Hindwing of both male and female white. Underside of male hindwing with pale checkered pattern. Underside of female with yellow-tan markings on hindwing and tip of forewing. Short-day form has underside hindwing veins with heavy gray-green outlines.
Reakirt's Blue Echinargus isola	Upperside of male light blue with darker veins and dusky border; female darker. Underside of forewing with postmedian row of 5 round black spots circled with white.
Painted Lady Vanessa cardui	Upperside is orange-brown with darker wing bases; forewing with black apex patch and white bar on leading edge; hindwing submarginal row of 5 small black spots sometimes has blue scales. Underside has a black, brown, and gray pattern with 4 small submarginal eyespots.
Marine Blue Leptotes marina	Upperside blue; male with purple tinge, female with no white. Underside of forewing with unbroken pale brown bands from costa to inner margin.
Monarch Danaus plexippus	Upperside of male is bright orange with wide black borders and black veins; hindwing has a patch of scent scales. Upperside of female is orange-brown with wide black borders and blurred black veins. Both sexes have white spots on borders and apex. The Viceroy butterfly (Limenitis archippus) is a Mullerian mimic; it has similar coloration and is also distasteful.
Juniper Hairstreak Callophrys gryneus	Widespread and variable. Western and eastern populations were once considered separate species but have been found to hybridize. Western: Upperside of male dull red-brown, female tawny; both with dark brown costa and wing borders. Underside of forewing rust-red; hindwing dull to bright green with irregular white line edged inwardly with red-brown. Eastern: Upperside of male dark brown with olive-colored sheen, female blackish brown. Underside green; forewing with tawny base, hindwing with 2 white spots near base and irregular white line edged inwardly with red-brown.
Variegated Fritillary Euptoieta claudia	Upperside tawny orange with thick dark veins and markings; black spots near margin. Hindwing margin angled and slightly scalloped. Underside of hindwing with a mottled pattern and no silver spots.
Common Checkered-Skipper Burnsius communis	Upperside of male is blue-gray; female is black. Both sexes have large white spots which form median bands across both wings. Fringes of male checkered but black checks often reach only halfway to edge of fringe. Male has a costal fold enclosing scent scales on the upperside of the forewing. Underside is dull white with dark gray or olive bands. Spots of the hindwing marginal row are very small; spots of the submarginal row are larger. This species is separated from the white checkered skipper with confidence only by dissection and examination of the male genitalia.
Orange Sulphur Colias eurytheme	Quite variable. Upperside of male yellow with orange overlay, yellow veins, wide black border, and dark black cell spot. Female yellow or white with irregular black border surrounding light spots. Underside hindwing spot silver with 2 concentric dark rings, and a spot above it.
Queen Danaus gilippus	Upperside is chestnut brown; black borders of forewings have 2 rows of white spots; white spots are scattered at the forewing apex. Underside of hindwing has black veins; black borders of both wings have 2 rows of white spots. Upperside of male hindwing has a black scale patch. Very similar to the Soldier (Danaus eresimus), but is more brown and has less defined wing veins on the upperside. Underside hindwing lacks band of pale spots present in the Soldier. Queens in the southwest (and sometimes in the southeast) have pale veins on the upperside of the hindwings, which are lacking in the Soldier.

Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

889 Species Recorded in New Mexico

Featured Species

Callophrys mcfarlandi

100 Most Recent Sightings in New Mexico

New April 2025 Earth Day Special Release Shirts!

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in New Mexico

Question Mark
Polygonia interrogationis

Black Swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes

Short-tailed Skipper
Zestusa dorus

West Coast Lady
Vanessa annabella

Yucca Giant-Skipper
Megathymus yuccae

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

Mournful Duskywing
Erynnis tristis

Rocky Mountain Duskywing
Erynnis telemachus

Echo Azure
Celastrina echo

Field Crescent
Phyciodes pulchella

Phoenix Emerald Moth
Dichordophora phoenix

Sleepy Duskywing
Erynnis brizo

Checkered White
Pontia protodice

Reakirt's Blue
Echinargus isola

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

Marine Blue
Leptotes marina

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Juniper Hairstreak
Callophrys gryneus

Variegated Fritillary
Euptoieta claudia

Common Checkered-Skipper
Burnsius communis

Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme

Queen
Danaus gilippus

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Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Butterflies and Moths of New Mexico

889 Species Recorded in New Mexico

Featured Species

100 Most Recent Sightings in New Mexico

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in New Mexico

Question MarkPolygonia interrogationis

Black SwallowtailPapilio polyxenes

Short-tailed SkipperZestusa dorus

West Coast LadyVanessa annabella

Yucca Giant-SkipperMegathymus yuccae

Painted LadyVanessa cardui

Mournful DuskywingErynnis tristis

Rocky Mountain DuskywingErynnis telemachus

Echo AzureCelastrina echo

Field CrescentPhyciodes pulchella

Phoenix Emerald MothDichordophora phoenix

Sleepy DuskywingErynnis brizo

Checkered WhitePontia protodice

Reakirt's BlueEchinargus isola

Painted LadyVanessa cardui

Marine BlueLeptotes marina

MonarchDanaus plexippus

Juniper HairstreakCallophrys gryneus

Variegated FritillaryEuptoieta claudia

Common Checkered-SkipperBurnsius communis

Orange SulphurColias eurytheme

QueenDanaus gilippus

Question Mark
Polygonia interrogationis

Black Swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes

Short-tailed Skipper
Zestusa dorus

West Coast Lady
Vanessa annabella

Yucca Giant-Skipper
Megathymus yuccae

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

Mournful Duskywing
Erynnis tristis

Rocky Mountain Duskywing
Erynnis telemachus

Echo Azure
Celastrina echo

Field Crescent
Phyciodes pulchella

Phoenix Emerald Moth
Dichordophora phoenix

Sleepy Duskywing
Erynnis brizo

Checkered White
Pontia protodice

Reakirt's Blue
Echinargus isola

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

Marine Blue
Leptotes marina

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Juniper Hairstreak
Callophrys gryneus

Variegated Fritillary
Euptoieta claudia

Common Checkered-Skipper
Burnsius communis

Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme

Queen
Danaus gilippus