Butterflies and Moths of South Carolina

1207 Species Recorded in South Carolina

Top 20 Species Checklist All Photographs

100 Most Recent Sightings in South Carolina

Use the Data Explorer to explore all sightings in South Carolina.

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Most Recent Sightings in South Carolina

See more recent sightings in South Carolina

Abbott's sphinx
Sphecodina abbottii

Observed: Mar 12, 2026

Submitted by: JamieLynn

Verified: Mar 12, 2026

Verified by: Dennis Forsythe

Details

Polyphemus moth
Antheraea polyphemus

Observed: Mar 10, 2026

Submitted by: Agates19

Verified: Mar 10, 2026

Verified by: Dennis Forsythe

Details

Summer Azure
Celastrina neglecta

Observed: Mar 10, 2026

Submitted by: Chip Gilbert

Verified: Mar 11, 2026

Verified by: Dennis Forsythe

Details

Ambiguous Moth
Lascoria ambigualis

Observed: Mar 10, 2026

Submitted by: JamieLynn

Verified: Mar 12, 2026

Verified by: Dennis Forsythe

Details

Aristotelia rubidella

Observed: Mar 09, 2026

Submitted by: JamieLynn

Verified: Mar 10, 2026

Verified by: Dennis Forsythe

Details

Question Mark
Polygonia interrogationis

Observed: Mar 06, 2026

Submitted by: labkitten

Verified: Mar 06, 2026

Verified by: Dennis Forsythe

Details

Harnessed Moth
Apantesis phalerata

Observed: Mar 06, 2026

Submitted by: JamieLynn

Verified: Mar 10, 2026

Verified by: Dennis Forsythe

Details

Brown Elfin
Callophrys augustinus

Observed: Mar 01, 2026

Submitted by: cfield

Verified: Mar 03, 2026

Verified by: Dennis Forsythe

Details

Henry's Elfin
Callophrys henrici

Observed: Feb 22, 2026

Submitted by: cfield

Verified: Feb 24, 2026

Verified by: Dennis Forsythe

Details

Green Cloverworm Moth
Hypena scabra

Observed: Jan 07, 2026

Submitted by: Ken Cheeks

Verified: Jan 16, 2026

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Bella Moth
Utetheisa ornatrix

Observed: Dec 28, 2025

Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe

Verified: Dec 31, 2025

Verified by: Dennis Forsythe

Details

American Snout
Libytheana carinenta

Observed: Dec 20, 2025

Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe

Verified: Dec 22, 2025

Verified by: Dennis Forsythe

Details

Top 10 Commonly Reported Butterflies and Moths of South Carolina

Gulf Fritillary Agraulis vanillae	Upperside bright orange with black markings; 3 black-encircled white dots on forewing leading edge. Underside brown; forewing with orange at base; both wings with elongated, iridescent 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.
Cloudless Sulphur Phoebis sennae	Upper surface of male is lemon yellow with no markings. Female is yellow or white; outer edges of both wings with irregular black borders; upper forewing with dark spot in cell. Lower surface of hindwing of both sexes with 2 pink-edged silver spots.
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.
Palamedes Swallowtail Papilio palamedes	Upper surface of hind- and forewings with postmedian yellow bands; tails are filled with yellow. Lower surface of hindwing with thin yellow basal stripe and postmedian band of yellow-orange crescents.
Long-tailed Skipper Urbanus proteus	Tails are long. Upperside is dark blackish brown; body and wing bases are iridescent blue-green. Males have a costal fold enclosing scent scales on the leading edge of the forewing. Dark row on underside of hindwing is a complete band.
Horace's Duskywing Erynnis horatius	Fringes are brown. Upperside of male forewing is dark brown with little contrast and no white overscaling. Upperside of female forewing is light brown with a contrasting pattern and large transparent spots. Underside of hindwing is usually without 2 spots below the apex. Male has a costal fold containing yellow scent scales; female has a patch of scent scales on the 7th abdominal segment.
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.
Fiery Skipper Hylephila phyleus	Antennae are very short. Male wide black stigma. Underside of the hindwing is scattered with small black spots. Female: Upperside is dark brown with a very irregular orange band. Underside of hindwing is pale brown with paler checks.
Sleepy Orange Abaeis nicippe	Upperside of wings orange in both sexes; orange-yellow form rare. Forewing with small black cell spot. Male with sharply defined black borders on outer and costal margins; female borders not so well-defined. In winter form, underside of hindwing is brick red, brown, or tan; in summer form it is orange-yellow.

Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

1207 Species Recorded in South Carolina

100 Most Recent Sightings in South Carolina

Check out our new Fall 2025 Classic BAMONA Logo Shirts and cozy Native Plants Hoodies!

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in South Carolina

Abbott's sphinx
Sphecodina abbottii

Polyphemus moth
Antheraea polyphemus

Summer Azure
Celastrina neglecta

Ambiguous Moth
Lascoria ambigualis

Aristotelia rubidella

Question Mark
Polygonia interrogationis

Harnessed Moth
Apantesis phalerata

Brown Elfin
Callophrys augustinus

Henry's Elfin
Callophrys henrici

Green Cloverworm Moth
Hypena scabra

Bella Moth
Utetheisa ornatrix

American Snout
Libytheana carinenta

Gulf Fritillary
Agraulis vanillae

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Cloudless Sulphur
Phoebis sennae

Common Buckeye
Junonia coenia

Palamedes Swallowtail
Papilio palamedes

Long-tailed Skipper
Urbanus proteus

Horace's Duskywing
Erynnis horatius

Silver-spotted Skipper
Epargyreus clarus

Fiery Skipper
Hylephila phyleus

Sleepy Orange
Abaeis nicippe

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Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Butterflies and Moths of South Carolina

1207 Species Recorded in South Carolina

100 Most Recent Sightings in South Carolina

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in South Carolina

Abbott's sphinxSphecodina abbottii

Polyphemus mothAntheraea polyphemus

Summer AzureCelastrina neglecta

Ambiguous MothLascoria ambigualis

Question MarkPolygonia interrogationis

Harnessed MothApantesis phalerata

Brown ElfinCallophrys augustinus

Henry's ElfinCallophrys henrici

Green Cloverworm MothHypena scabra

Bella MothUtetheisa ornatrix

American SnoutLibytheana carinenta

Gulf FritillaryAgraulis vanillae

Eastern Tiger SwallowtailPapilio glaucus

Cloudless SulphurPhoebis sennae

Common BuckeyeJunonia coenia

Palamedes SwallowtailPapilio palamedes

Long-tailed SkipperUrbanus proteus

Horace's DuskywingErynnis horatius

Silver-spotted SkipperEpargyreus clarus

Fiery SkipperHylephila phyleus

Sleepy OrangeAbaeis nicippe

Abbott's sphinx
Sphecodina abbottii

Polyphemus moth
Antheraea polyphemus

Summer Azure
Celastrina neglecta

Ambiguous Moth
Lascoria ambigualis

Question Mark
Polygonia interrogationis

Harnessed Moth
Apantesis phalerata

Brown Elfin
Callophrys augustinus

Henry's Elfin
Callophrys henrici

Green Cloverworm Moth
Hypena scabra

Bella Moth
Utetheisa ornatrix

American Snout
Libytheana carinenta

Gulf Fritillary
Agraulis vanillae

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Cloudless Sulphur
Phoebis sennae

Common Buckeye
Junonia coenia

Palamedes Swallowtail
Papilio palamedes

Long-tailed Skipper
Urbanus proteus

Horace's Duskywing
Erynnis horatius

Silver-spotted Skipper
Epargyreus clarus

Fiery Skipper
Hylephila phyleus

Sleepy Orange
Abaeis nicippe