Butterflies and Moths of Illinois

913 Species Recorded in Illinois

Top 20 Species Checklist All Photographs

100 Most Recent Sightings in Illinois

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Most Recent Sightings in Illinois

See more recent sightings in Illinois

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Observed: Apr 12, 2024

Submitted by: mtobin11

Verified: Apr 13, 2024

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Little Carpenterworm Moth
Prionoxystus macmurtrei

Observed: Apr 08, 2024

Submitted by: eattaway92

Verified: Apr 13, 2024

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Observed: Apr 08, 2024

Submitted by: Joceb2005

Verified: Apr 08, 2024

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Observed: Mar 29, 2024

Submitted by: Mapper

Verified: Apr 01, 2024

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Observed: Mar 29, 2024

Submitted by: Mapper

Verified: Apr 01, 2024

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Spring Azure
Celastrina ladon

Observed: Mar 29, 2024

Submitted by: Mapper

Verified: Apr 01, 2024

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Observed: Mar 29, 2024

Submitted by: Mapper

Verified: Apr 01, 2024

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Zebra Swallowtail
Neographium marcellus

Observed: Mar 29, 2024

Submitted by: Mapper

Verified: Apr 01, 2024

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Juvenal's Duskywing
Erynnis juvenalis

Observed: Mar 29, 2024

Submitted by: Mapper

Verified: Apr 01, 2024

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Observed: Mar 24, 2024

Submitted by: Mapper

Verified: Mar 29, 2024

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Eastern Comma
Polygonia comma

Observed: Mar 24, 2024

Submitted by: Mapper

Verified: Mar 29, 2024

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Zebra Swallowtail
Neographium marcellus

Observed: Mar 24, 2024

Submitted by: Mapper

Verified: Mar 29, 2024

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Top 10 Commonly Reported Butterflies and Moths of Illinois

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.
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.
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.
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.
Pearl Crescent Phyciodes tharos	Quite variable. Males usually have black antennal knobs. Upperside is orange with black borders; postmedian and submarginal areas are crossed by fine black marks. Underside of hindwing has a dark marginal patch containing a light-colored crescent. Spring and fall broods (form marcia) have a gray mottled hindwing below.
Eastern Tailed-Blue Cupido comyntas	One narrow tail on hindwing. Upperside of male iridescent blue; summer females uniformly brown, spring females smaller with much blue at the wing bases. Underside of hindwing pale gray with black bar at end of cell, distinct black spots, and three large orange spots at outer margin near tail.
Silver-spotted Skipper Epargyreus clarus	Wings are brown-black; hindwing is lobed. Forewing has transparent gold spots; underside of hindwing has a metallic silver band.
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.
Common Buckeye Junonia coenia	Upperside is brown. Forewing with 2 orange cell bars and 2 eyespots; part of white subapical band appears in the largest, lower eyespot. Hindwing has 2 eyespots; upper one is largest and contains a magenta crescent. Underside of hindwing is brown or tan in the wet season (summer) form and rose-red in the dry season (fall) form.
Question Mark Polygonia interrogationis	Forewing hooked; upperside is red-orange with black spots. Upperside hindwing of summer form is mostly black with a short tail; that of winter form has much orange and a longer, violet-tipped tail. Underside is light brown; hindwing with pearly white question mark in center.

Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

913 Species Recorded in Illinois

100 Most Recent Sightings in Illinois

Visit the BAMONA Shop

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in Illinois

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Little Carpenterworm Moth
Prionoxystus macmurtrei

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Spring Azure
Celastrina ladon

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Zebra Swallowtail
Neographium marcellus

Juvenal's Duskywing
Erynnis juvenalis

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Eastern Comma
Polygonia comma

Zebra Swallowtail
Neographium marcellus

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Black Swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes

Pearl Crescent
Phyciodes tharos

Eastern Tailed-Blue
Cupido comyntas

Silver-spotted Skipper
Epargyreus clarus

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Common Buckeye
Junonia coenia

Question Mark
Polygonia interrogationis

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Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Butterflies and Moths of Illinois

913 Species Recorded in Illinois

100 Most Recent Sightings in Illinois

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in Illinois

Red AdmiralVanessa atalanta

Little Carpenterworm MothPrionoxystus macmurtrei

Red AdmiralVanessa atalanta

Cabbage WhitePieris rapae

Red AdmiralVanessa atalanta

Spring AzureCelastrina ladon

Eastern Tiger SwallowtailPapilio glaucus

Zebra SwallowtailNeographium marcellus

Juvenal's DuskywingErynnis juvenalis

Red AdmiralVanessa atalanta

Eastern CommaPolygonia comma

Zebra SwallowtailNeographium marcellus

MonarchDanaus plexippus

Eastern Tiger SwallowtailPapilio glaucus

Red AdmiralVanessa atalanta

Black SwallowtailPapilio polyxenes

Pearl CrescentPhyciodes tharos

Eastern Tailed-BlueCupido comyntas

Silver-spotted SkipperEpargyreus clarus

Cabbage WhitePieris rapae

Common BuckeyeJunonia coenia

Question MarkPolygonia interrogationis

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Little Carpenterworm Moth
Prionoxystus macmurtrei

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Spring Azure
Celastrina ladon

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Zebra Swallowtail
Neographium marcellus

Juvenal's Duskywing
Erynnis juvenalis

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Eastern Comma
Polygonia comma

Zebra Swallowtail
Neographium marcellus

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Black Swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes

Pearl Crescent
Phyciodes tharos

Eastern Tailed-Blue
Cupido comyntas

Silver-spotted Skipper
Epargyreus clarus

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Common Buckeye
Junonia coenia

Question Mark
Polygonia interrogationis