Butterflies and Moths of New Mexico

872 Species Recorded in New Mexico

Top 20 Species Checklist All Photographs

100 Most Recent Sightings in New Mexico

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Most Recent Sightings in New Mexico

See more recent sightings in New Mexico

Soft-lined Wave
Scopula inductata

Observed: May 04, 2024

Submitted by: Reneerob17

Verified: May 06, 2024

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Brown Elfin
Callophrys augustinus

Observed: May 03, 2024

Submitted by: topper72

Verified: May 05, 2024

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Hoary Elfin
Callophrys polios

Observed: May 03, 2024

Submitted by: topper72

Verified: May 05, 2024

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Mexican Metalmark
Apodemia mejicanus

Observed: May 02, 2024

Submitted by: cjgoin

Verified: May 05, 2024

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Southwestern Orangetip
Anthocharis thoosa

Observed: May 01, 2024

Submitted by: Cactuswren1976

Verified: May 05, 2024

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Scopula siccata

Observed: May 01, 2024

Submitted by: Dogoszhi

Verified: May 01, 2024

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

White-lined Sphinx
Hyles lineata

Observed: Apr 30, 2024

Submitted by: Cactuswren1976

Verified: May 02, 2024

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Western Pygmy-Blue
Brephidium exilis

Observed: Apr 30, 2024

Submitted by: jamesvonloh

Verified: May 01, 2024

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Black Swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes

Observed: Apr 30, 2024

Submitted by: Cactuswren1976

Verified: May 05, 2024

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Carus Skipper
Polites carus

Observed: Apr 28, 2024

Submitted by: polylepis

Verified: May 05, 2024

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Heliolonche pictipennis

Observed: Apr 26, 2024

Submitted by: Dogoszhi

Verified: Apr 30, 2024

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Juniper Hairstreak
Callophrys gryneus

Observed: Apr 25, 2024

Submitted by: Cactuswren1976

Verified: May 01, 2024

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Dainty Sulphur Nathalis iole	Small, with elongated forewings. Upperside yellow with black markings, female with more extensive black than male. White form very rare. Underside of forewing with orange or yellow patch at base of wing and black spots at outer wing edge. Winter form has dusty green hindwing, summer form hindwing is pale yellow.

Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

872 Species Recorded in New Mexico

100 Most Recent Sightings in New Mexico

Visit the BAMONA Shop

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in New Mexico

Soft-lined Wave
Scopula inductata

Brown Elfin
Callophrys augustinus

Hoary Elfin
Callophrys polios

Mexican Metalmark
Apodemia mejicanus

Southwestern Orangetip
Anthocharis thoosa

Scopula siccata

White-lined Sphinx
Hyles lineata

Western Pygmy-Blue
Brephidium exilis

Black Swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes

Carus Skipper
Polites carus

Heliolonche pictipennis

Juniper Hairstreak
Callophrys gryneus

Checkered White
Pontia protodice

Reakirt's Blue
Echinargus isola

Marine Blue
Leptotes marina

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Variegated Fritillary
Euptoieta claudia

Juniper Hairstreak
Callophrys gryneus

Common Checkered-Skipper
Burnsius communis

Queen
Danaus gilippus

Dainty Sulphur
Nathalis iole

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Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Butterflies and Moths of New Mexico

872 Species Recorded in New Mexico

100 Most Recent Sightings in New Mexico

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in New Mexico

Soft-lined WaveScopula inductata

Brown ElfinCallophrys augustinus

Hoary ElfinCallophrys polios

Mexican MetalmarkApodemia mejicanus

Southwestern OrangetipAnthocharis thoosa

White-lined SphinxHyles lineata

Western Pygmy-BlueBrephidium exilis

Black SwallowtailPapilio polyxenes

Carus SkipperPolites carus

Juniper HairstreakCallophrys gryneus

Checkered WhitePontia protodice

Reakirt's BlueEchinargus isola

Marine BlueLeptotes marina

Painted LadyVanessa cardui

MonarchDanaus plexippus

Variegated FritillaryEuptoieta claudia

Juniper HairstreakCallophrys gryneus

Common Checkered-SkipperBurnsius communis

QueenDanaus gilippus

Dainty SulphurNathalis iole

Soft-lined Wave
Scopula inductata

Brown Elfin
Callophrys augustinus

Hoary Elfin
Callophrys polios

Mexican Metalmark
Apodemia mejicanus

Southwestern Orangetip
Anthocharis thoosa

White-lined Sphinx
Hyles lineata

Western Pygmy-Blue
Brephidium exilis

Black Swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes

Carus Skipper
Polites carus

Juniper Hairstreak
Callophrys gryneus

Checkered White
Pontia protodice

Reakirt's Blue
Echinargus isola

Marine Blue
Leptotes marina

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Variegated Fritillary
Euptoieta claudia

Juniper Hairstreak
Callophrys gryneus

Common Checkered-Skipper
Burnsius communis

Queen
Danaus gilippus

Dainty Sulphur
Nathalis iole