Butterflies and Moths of New York

1876 Species Recorded in New York

Top 20 Species Checklist All Photographs

Featured Species

Zeuzera pyrina

100 Most Recent Sightings in New York

Use the Data Explorer to explore all sightings in New York.

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Most Recent Sightings in New York

See more recent sightings in New York

One-lined Zale
Zale unilineata

Observed: Apr 25, 2025

Submitted by: thalasinos18

Verified: Apr 26, 2025

Verified by: Sue Gregoire

Details

Yellowhorn Moth
Colocasia flavicornis

Observed: Apr 24, 2025

Submitted by: Sue Gregoire

Verified: Apr 26, 2025

Verified by: Sue Gregoire

Details

Toothed Brown Carpet
Xanthorhoe lacustrata

Observed: Apr 22, 2025

Submitted by: Jim Lowe

Verified: Apr 25, 2025

Verified by: Sue Gregoire

Details

Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa

Observed: Apr 17, 2025

Submitted by: jeremy_martin@mac.com

Verified: Apr 17, 2025

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa

Observed: Apr 04, 2025

Submitted by: Ennis_delmar

Verified: Apr 05, 2025

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Compton Tortoiseshell
Nymphalis vaualbum

Observed: Mar 22, 2025

Submitted by: deb_ferguson

Verified: Mar 24, 2025

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Cecropia silkmoth
Hyalophora cecropia

Observed: Mar 14, 2025

Submitted by: Amcenhill

Verified: Mar 14, 2025

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Lymantria dispar

Observed: Mar 14, 2025

Submitted by: Amcenhill

Verified: Mar 24, 2025

Verified by: BarbSendelbach

Details

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Observed: Mar 06, 2025

Submitted by: Emanella

Verified: Mar 09, 2025

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Northern Pine Looper Moth
Caripeta piniata

Observed: Jan 24, 2025

Submitted by: kristasessions

Verified: Feb 17, 2025

Verified by: Sue Gregoire

Details

The Bruce Spanworm
Operophtera bruceata

Observed: Nov 07, 2024

Submitted by: Sue Gregoire

Verified: Jan 23, 2025

Verified by: Sue Gregoire

Details

Eight-spotted Forester
Alypia octomaculata

Observed: Oct 29, 2024

Submitted by: Severino Carbone

Verified: Nov 03, 2024

Verified by: Sue Gregoire

Details

Top 10 Commonly Reported Butterflies and Moths of New York

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.
Black Swallowtail Papilio polyxenes	Upper surface of wings mostly black; on inner edge of hindwing is a black spot centered in larger orange spot. Male has yellow band near edge of wings; female has row of yellow spots. Female hindwing with iridescent blue band. In the Southwest, yellow forms predominate in the subspecies P. coloro.
Cabbage White Pieris rapae	Upperside of wings white; forewing with black tip. Two submarginal black spots in female, one in male. Underside of hindwing and forewing apex evenly yellow-green or gray-green. Spring and fall short-day form is smaller, less yellow, with reduced black areas.
Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta	Upperside is black with white spots near the apex; forewing with red median band, hindwing with red marginal band. The winter form is smaller and duller, summer form larger and brighter with an interrupted forewing band.
Great Spangled Fritillary Speyeria cybele	Large. Upperside of male tan to orange with black scales on forewing veins; female tawny, darker than male. Underside of hindwing with wide pale submarginal band and large silver spots.
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Papilio glaucus	Male is yellow with dark tiger stripes. Female has 2 forms: one yellow like the male and the other black with shadows of dark stripes. Hindwing of both female forms has a row of striking blue chevrons and an iridescent blue wash over parts of the interior hindwing. The upperside hindwing has a prominent orange marginal spot that is generally larger than the row of pale marginal spots. On the underside of forewing of spring individuals the row of marginal spots may be merged into a continuous band, thus appearing similar to the Canadian Tiger Swallowtail.
Polyphemus moth Antheraea polyphemus	Upperside is reddish to yellowish brown; forewing margin is usually lighter than the basal area; forewing submarginal line is pink, or black and pink. Clear oval eyespots are ringed with yellow, blue, and black; hindwing eyespot is separated from the basal area of the wing by a thin pink line. Underside has rust, brown, and pink markings.
Clouded Sulphur Colias philodice	Upper surface of male wings bright, clear yellow with solid black edging; lower side of forewing with some dark submarginal spots; hindwing with silver cell spot rimmed with orange-pink, usually doubled. Female has 2 forms: yellow form with uneven black edging enclosing yellow spots, and a white form which is greenish-white rather than yellow. Spring and fall forms are smaller and less conspicuously marked.
Cecropia silkmoth Hyalophora cecropia	Body is red with a white collar and white bands on the abdomen. Wings are dark brown with white hairlike scales giving a frosted appearance; forewings are red at the base. Crescent spots and the area outside the postmedian line are red on all wings.
American Lady Vanessa virginiensis	Upperside with uneven brown, yellow, and orange pattern. Forewing with a black apical patch, a small white spot in the orange field below the patch, and a white bar at the leading edge of the forewing. Underside of hindwing with two large eyespots. Winter form is smaller and paler, summer form larger with brighter coloring.

Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

1876 Species Recorded in New York

Featured Species

Zeuzera pyrina

100 Most Recent Sightings in New York

New April 2025 Earth Day Special Release Shirts!

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in New York

One-lined Zale
Zale unilineata

Yellowhorn Moth
Colocasia flavicornis

Toothed Brown Carpet
Xanthorhoe lacustrata

Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa

Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa

Compton Tortoiseshell
Nymphalis vaualbum

Cecropia silkmoth
Hyalophora cecropia

Lymantria dispar

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Northern Pine Looper Moth
Caripeta piniata

The Bruce Spanworm
Operophtera bruceata

Eight-spotted Forester
Alypia octomaculata

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Black Swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Great Spangled Fritillary
Speyeria cybele

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Polyphemus moth
Antheraea polyphemus

Clouded Sulphur
Colias philodice

Cecropia silkmoth
Hyalophora cecropia

American Lady
Vanessa virginiensis

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Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Butterflies and Moths of New York

1876 Species Recorded in New York

Featured Species

100 Most Recent Sightings in New York

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in New York

One-lined ZaleZale unilineata

Yellowhorn MothColocasia flavicornis

Toothed Brown CarpetXanthorhoe lacustrata

Mourning CloakNymphalis antiopa

Mourning CloakNymphalis antiopa

Compton TortoiseshellNymphalis vaualbum

Cecropia silkmothHyalophora cecropia

Cabbage WhitePieris rapae

Northern Pine Looper MothCaripeta piniata

The Bruce SpanwormOperophtera bruceata

Eight-spotted ForesterAlypia octomaculata

MonarchDanaus plexippus

Black SwallowtailPapilio polyxenes

Cabbage WhitePieris rapae

Red AdmiralVanessa atalanta

Great Spangled FritillarySpeyeria cybele

Eastern Tiger SwallowtailPapilio glaucus

Polyphemus mothAntheraea polyphemus

Clouded SulphurColias philodice

Cecropia silkmothHyalophora cecropia

American LadyVanessa virginiensis

One-lined Zale
Zale unilineata

Yellowhorn Moth
Colocasia flavicornis

Toothed Brown Carpet
Xanthorhoe lacustrata

Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa

Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa

Compton Tortoiseshell
Nymphalis vaualbum

Cecropia silkmoth
Hyalophora cecropia

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Northern Pine Looper Moth
Caripeta piniata

The Bruce Spanworm
Operophtera bruceata

Eight-spotted Forester
Alypia octomaculata

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Black Swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Great Spangled Fritillary
Speyeria cybele

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Polyphemus moth
Antheraea polyphemus

Clouded Sulphur
Colias philodice

Cecropia silkmoth
Hyalophora cecropia

American Lady
Vanessa virginiensis