Butterflies and Moths of Arkansas

951 Species Recorded in Arkansas

Top 20 Species Checklist All Photographs

Featured Species

Automeris io

100 Most Recent Sightings in Arkansas

Use the Data Explorer to explore all sightings in Arkansas.

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Most Recent Sightings in Arkansas

See more recent sightings in Arkansas

Banded sphinx
Eumorpha fasciatus

Observed: Aug 12, 2026

Submitted by: JanVanRoh

Verified: Aug 12, 2026

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Virginia creeper sphinx
Darapsa myron

Observed: Aug 09, 2026

Submitted by: Lisa McClendon

Verified: Aug 10, 2026

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

'Astyanax' Red-spotted Purple
Limenitis arthemis astyanax

Observed: Aug 08, 2026

Submitted by: Lisa McClendon

Verified: Aug 09, 2026

Verified by: CA Ivy

Details

Imperial moth
Eacles imperialis

Observed: Aug 07, 2026

Submitted by: Lisa McClendon

Verified: Aug 08, 2026

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Salt Marsh Moth or Acrea Moth
Estigmene acrea

Observed: Jul 21, 2026

Submitted by: Lisa McClendon

Verified: Jul 22, 2026

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Io moth
Automeris io

Observed: Jul 15, 2026

Submitted by: rnjessi

Verified: Jul 16, 2026

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Sleepy Orange
Abaeis nicippe

Observed: Jul 14, 2026

Submitted by: Lisa McClendon

Verified: Jul 15, 2026

Verified by: CA Ivy

Details

Variegated Fritillary
Euptoieta claudia

Observed: Jul 12, 2026

Submitted by: Lisa McClendon

Verified: Jul 12, 2026

Verified by: CA Ivy

Details

Southern Purple Mint Moth
Pyrausta laticlavia

Observed: Jul 11, 2026

Submitted by: Lisa McClendon

Verified: Jul 11, 2026

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Plebeian sphinx
Paratrea plebeja

Observed: Jun 29, 2026

Submitted by: Lisa McClendon

Verified: Jun 30, 2026

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Apantesis sp.

Observed: Jun 28, 2026

Submitted by: Lisa McClendon

Verified: Jun 29, 2026

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Heterocampa pulverea

Observed: Jun 28, 2026

Submitted by: RayTTP

Verified: Jun 28, 2026

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Top 10 Commonly Reported Butterflies and Moths of Arkansas

Sachem Atalopedes campestris	Upperside of male is yellow-orange with a wide brown border and a large squarish black stigma. Female upperside varies from yellow-brown to very dark brown, but always has a square transparent white spot at the end of the forewing cell. Underside of female hindwing is brown with nearly square cream or white 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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
American Lady Vanessa virginiensis	Upperside with uneven brown, yellow, and orange pattern. Forewing with a black apical patch, a small white spot in the orange field below the patch, and a white bar at the leading edge of the forewing. Underside of hindwing with two large eyespots. Winter form is smaller and paler, summer form larger with brighter coloring.
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.

Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

951 Species Recorded in Arkansas

Featured Species

Automeris io

100 Most Recent Sightings in Arkansas

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

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in Arkansas

Banded sphinx
Eumorpha fasciatus

Virginia creeper sphinx
Darapsa myron

'Astyanax' Red-spotted Purple
Limenitis arthemis astyanax

Imperial moth
Eacles imperialis

Salt Marsh Moth or Acrea Moth
Estigmene acrea

Io moth
Automeris io

Sleepy Orange
Abaeis nicippe

Variegated Fritillary
Euptoieta claudia

Southern Purple Mint Moth
Pyrausta laticlavia

Plebeian sphinx
Paratrea plebeja

Apantesis sp.

Heterocampa pulverea

Sachem
Atalopedes campestris

Common Buckeye
Junonia coenia

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Pearl Crescent
Phyciodes tharos

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Variegated Fritillary
Euptoieta claudia

Eastern Tailed-Blue
Cupido comyntas

Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme

American Lady
Vanessa virginiensis

Spicebush Swallowtail
Papilio troilus

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Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Butterflies and Moths of Arkansas

951 Species Recorded in Arkansas

Featured Species

100 Most Recent Sightings in Arkansas

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in Arkansas

Banded sphinxEumorpha fasciatus

Virginia creeper sphinxDarapsa myron

'Astyanax' Red-spotted PurpleLimenitis arthemis astyanax

Imperial mothEacles imperialis

Salt Marsh Moth or Acrea MothEstigmene acrea

Io mothAutomeris io

Sleepy OrangeAbaeis nicippe

Variegated FritillaryEuptoieta claudia

Southern Purple Mint MothPyrausta laticlavia

Plebeian sphinxParatrea plebeja

SachemAtalopedes campestris

Common BuckeyeJunonia coenia

MonarchDanaus plexippus

Pearl CrescentPhyciodes tharos

Eastern Tiger SwallowtailPapilio glaucus

Variegated FritillaryEuptoieta claudia

Eastern Tailed-BlueCupido comyntas

Orange SulphurColias eurytheme

American LadyVanessa virginiensis

Spicebush SwallowtailPapilio troilus

Banded sphinx
Eumorpha fasciatus

Virginia creeper sphinx
Darapsa myron

'Astyanax' Red-spotted Purple
Limenitis arthemis astyanax

Imperial moth
Eacles imperialis

Salt Marsh Moth or Acrea Moth
Estigmene acrea

Io moth
Automeris io

Sleepy Orange
Abaeis nicippe

Variegated Fritillary
Euptoieta claudia

Southern Purple Mint Moth
Pyrausta laticlavia

Plebeian sphinx
Paratrea plebeja

Sachem
Atalopedes campestris

Common Buckeye
Junonia coenia

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Pearl Crescent
Phyciodes tharos

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Variegated Fritillary
Euptoieta claudia

Eastern Tailed-Blue
Cupido comyntas

Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme

American Lady
Vanessa virginiensis

Spicebush Swallowtail
Papilio troilus