Butterflies and Moths of New Mexico

869 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

Hoary Comma
Polygonia gracilis

Observed: Apr 03, 2024

Submitted by: Cactuswren1976

Verified: Apr 04, 2024

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Great Purple Hairstreak
Atlides halesus

Observed: Mar 28, 2024

Submitted by: jamesvonloh

Verified: Mar 30, 2024

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Nevada buckmoth
Hemileuca nevadensis

Observed: Mar 28, 2024

Submitted by: Pheasantboy77

Verified: Apr 07, 2024

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Nevada buckmoth
Hemileuca nevadensis

Observed: Mar 28, 2024

Submitted by: Pheasantboy77

Verified: Apr 07, 2024

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Milbert's Tortoiseshell
Aglais milberti

Observed: Mar 21, 2024

Submitted by: Cactuswren1976

Verified: Mar 23, 2024

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Litocala sexsignata

Observed: Mar 21, 2024

Submitted by: Cactuswren1976

Verified: Mar 23, 2024

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Southwestern Orangetip
Anthocharis thoosa

Observed: Mar 21, 2024

Submitted by: Cactuswren1976

Verified: Mar 23, 2024

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Spring White
Pontia sisymbrii

Observed: Mar 20, 2024

Submitted by: Cactuswren1976

Verified: Mar 23, 2024

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Hoary Comma
Polygonia gracilis

Observed: Mar 19, 2024

Submitted by: Cactuswren1976

Verified: Mar 23, 2024

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Litocala sexsignata

Observed: Mar 17, 2024

Submitted by: bonfrey

Verified: Mar 21, 2024

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Southwestern Orangetip
Anthocharis thoosa

Observed: Mar 17, 2024

Submitted by: bonfrey

Verified: Mar 23, 2024

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Desert Orangetip
Anthocharis cethura

Observed: Mar 17, 2024

Submitted by: asombro_institute

Verified: Mar 23, 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.
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.
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.
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

869 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

Hoary Comma
Polygonia gracilis

Great Purple Hairstreak
Atlides halesus

Nevada buckmoth
Hemileuca nevadensis

Nevada buckmoth
Hemileuca nevadensis

Milbert's Tortoiseshell
Aglais milberti

Litocala sexsignata

Southwestern Orangetip
Anthocharis thoosa

Spring White
Pontia sisymbrii

Hoary Comma
Polygonia gracilis

Litocala sexsignata

Southwestern Orangetip
Anthocharis thoosa

Desert Orangetip
Anthocharis cethura

Checkered White
Pontia protodice

Reakirt's Blue
Echinargus isola

Marine Blue
Leptotes marina

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

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

869 Species Recorded in New Mexico

100 Most Recent Sightings in New Mexico

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in New Mexico

Hoary CommaPolygonia gracilis

Great Purple HairstreakAtlides halesus

Nevada buckmothHemileuca nevadensis

Nevada buckmothHemileuca nevadensis

Milbert's TortoiseshellAglais milberti

Southwestern OrangetipAnthocharis thoosa

Spring WhitePontia sisymbrii

Hoary CommaPolygonia gracilis

Southwestern OrangetipAnthocharis thoosa

Desert OrangetipAnthocharis cethura

Checkered WhitePontia protodice

Reakirt's BlueEchinargus isola

Marine BlueLeptotes marina

MonarchDanaus plexippus

Painted LadyVanessa cardui

Variegated FritillaryEuptoieta claudia

Juniper HairstreakCallophrys gryneus

Common Checkered-SkipperBurnsius communis

QueenDanaus gilippus

Dainty SulphurNathalis iole

Hoary Comma
Polygonia gracilis

Great Purple Hairstreak
Atlides halesus

Nevada buckmoth
Hemileuca nevadensis

Nevada buckmoth
Hemileuca nevadensis

Milbert's Tortoiseshell
Aglais milberti

Southwestern Orangetip
Anthocharis thoosa

Spring White
Pontia sisymbrii

Hoary Comma
Polygonia gracilis

Southwestern Orangetip
Anthocharis thoosa

Desert Orangetip
Anthocharis cethura

Checkered White
Pontia protodice

Reakirt's Blue
Echinargus isola

Marine Blue
Leptotes marina

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

Variegated Fritillary
Euptoieta claudia

Juniper Hairstreak
Callophrys gryneus

Common Checkered-Skipper
Burnsius communis

Queen
Danaus gilippus

Dainty Sulphur
Nathalis iole