Butterflies and Moths of West Virginia

1167 Species Recorded in West Virginia

Top 20 Species Checklist All Photographs

100 Most Recent Sightings in West Virginia

Use the Data Explorer to explore all sightings in West Virginia.

BAMONA Shop

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

Please donate!

We depend on donations to keep Butterflies and Moths of North America freely available. We want to express our gratitude to all who showed their support by making a contribution this year. You can donate to support this project at any time.

Advertise with us!

Do you have a product or service that you think would interest BAMONA users? If you would like to advertise on this website, contact us by email, or use the contact form and select the "Advertising" category.

Most Recent Sightings in West Virginia

See more recent sightings in West Virginia

White Spring Moth
Lomographa vestaliata

Observed: Apr 04, 2026

Submitted by: tiki33wv

Verified: Apr 06, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Observed: Apr 04, 2026

Submitted by: tiki33wv

Verified: Apr 06, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

Falcate Orangetip
Anthocharis midea

Observed: Apr 04, 2026

Submitted by: tiki33wv

Verified: Apr 06, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

Eastern Comma
Polygonia comma

Observed: Mar 31, 2026

Submitted by: tiki33wv

Verified: Apr 01, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

Confused Haploa
Haploa confusa

Observed: Mar 31, 2026

Submitted by: FireByrd71

Verified: Apr 01, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

Isabella Tiger Moth or Banded Woolybear
Pyrrharctia isabella

Observed: Mar 31, 2026

Submitted by: FireByrd71

Verified: Apr 01, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

The Neighbor
Haploa contigua

Observed: Mar 25, 2026

Submitted by: FireByrd71

Verified: Mar 30, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

Spring Azure
Celastrina ladon

Observed: Mar 25, 2026

Submitted by: FireByrd71

Verified: Mar 26, 2026

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Grapevine Epimenis
Psychomorpha epimenis

Observed: Mar 22, 2026

Submitted by: Belinda Knoblock

Verified: Mar 23, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

Eastern Comma
Polygonia comma

Observed: Mar 21, 2026

Submitted by: tiki33wv

Verified: Mar 22, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Observed: Mar 21, 2026

Submitted by: greggra

Verified: Mar 26, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

Ruby Quaker
Orthosia rubescens

Observed: Mar 20, 2026

Submitted by: Belinda Knoblock

Verified: Mar 22, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

Top 10 Commonly Reported Butterflies and Moths of West Virginia

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.
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.
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.
Spicebush Swallowtail Papilio troilus	Upper surface of forewing is mostly black with ivory spots along margin. Upper surface of hindwing has orange spot on costal margin and sheen of bluish (female) or bluish-green (male) scales. Underside of hindwing with pale green marginal spots.
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.
Orange Sulphur Colias eurytheme	Quite variable. Upperside of male yellow with orange overlay, yellow veins, wide black border, and dark black cell spot. Female yellow or white with irregular black border surrounding light spots. Underside hindwing spot silver with 2 concentric dark rings, and a spot above it.
Pipevine Swallowtail Battus philenor	Upper surface of hindwing iridescent blue or blue-green. Underside of hindwing with submarginal row of 7 round orange spots in iridescent blue field.
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.
Imperial moth Eacles imperialis	Females are larger than males. Upperside is yellow with pinkish brown to purple-brown patches, bands, and cell spots, and tiny brown spots scattered overall. Males have larger patches on the forewings than females, except for some subspecies pini males which have reduced purple and are mostly yellow.

Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

1167 Species Recorded in West Virginia

100 Most Recent Sightings in West Virginia

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

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in West Virginia

White Spring Moth
Lomographa vestaliata

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Falcate Orangetip
Anthocharis midea

Eastern Comma
Polygonia comma

Confused Haploa
Haploa confusa

Isabella Tiger Moth or Banded Woolybear
Pyrrharctia isabella

The Neighbor
Haploa contigua

Spring Azure
Celastrina ladon

Grapevine Epimenis
Psychomorpha epimenis

Eastern Comma
Polygonia comma

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Ruby Quaker
Orthosia rubescens

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Eastern Tailed-Blue
Cupido comyntas

Silver-spotted Skipper
Epargyreus clarus

Pearl Crescent
Phyciodes tharos

Spicebush Swallowtail
Papilio troilus

Great Spangled Fritillary
Speyeria cybele

Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme

Pipevine Swallowtail
Battus philenor

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Imperial moth
Eacles imperialis

About

Get Involved

Donate

Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Butterflies and Moths of West Virginia

1167 Species Recorded in West Virginia

100 Most Recent Sightings in West Virginia

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in West Virginia

White Spring MothLomographa vestaliata

Cabbage WhitePieris rapae

Falcate OrangetipAnthocharis midea

Eastern CommaPolygonia comma

Confused HaploaHaploa confusa

Isabella Tiger Moth or Banded WoolybearPyrrharctia isabella

The NeighborHaploa contigua

Spring AzureCelastrina ladon

Grapevine EpimenisPsychomorpha epimenis

Eastern CommaPolygonia comma

Eastern Tiger SwallowtailPapilio glaucus

Ruby QuakerOrthosia rubescens

Eastern Tiger SwallowtailPapilio glaucus

Eastern Tailed-BlueCupido comyntas

Silver-spotted SkipperEpargyreus clarus

Pearl CrescentPhyciodes tharos

Spicebush SwallowtailPapilio troilus

Great Spangled FritillarySpeyeria cybele

Orange SulphurColias eurytheme

Pipevine SwallowtailBattus philenor

MonarchDanaus plexippus

Imperial mothEacles imperialis

White Spring Moth
Lomographa vestaliata

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Falcate Orangetip
Anthocharis midea

Eastern Comma
Polygonia comma

Confused Haploa
Haploa confusa

Isabella Tiger Moth or Banded Woolybear
Pyrrharctia isabella

The Neighbor
Haploa contigua

Spring Azure
Celastrina ladon

Grapevine Epimenis
Psychomorpha epimenis

Eastern Comma
Polygonia comma

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Ruby Quaker
Orthosia rubescens

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Eastern Tailed-Blue
Cupido comyntas

Silver-spotted Skipper
Epargyreus clarus

Pearl Crescent
Phyciodes tharos

Spicebush Swallowtail
Papilio troilus

Great Spangled Fritillary
Speyeria cybele

Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme

Pipevine Swallowtail
Battus philenor

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Imperial moth
Eacles imperialis