Butterflies and Moths of Colorado

820 Species Recorded in Colorado

Top 20 Species Checklist All Photographs

Featured Species

Euchloe olympia

100 Most Recent Sightings in Colorado

Use the Data Explorer to explore all sightings in Colorado.

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Most Recent Sightings in Colorado

See more recent sightings in Colorado

Dreamy Duskywing
Erynnis icelus

Observed: May 16, 2026

Submitted by: Cascade Colors

Verified: May 17, 2026

Verified by: mikefisher

Details

Becker's White
Pontia beckerii

Observed: May 15, 2026

Submitted by: blgreco

Verified: May 17, 2026

Verified by: mikefisher

Details

Pale Swallowtail
Papilio eurymedon

Observed: May 14, 2026

Submitted by: blgreco

Verified: May 17, 2026

Verified by: mikefisher

Details

Hoary Comma
Polygonia gracilis

Observed: May 12, 2026

Submitted by: Cascade Colors

Verified: May 17, 2026

Verified by: mikefisher

Details

Variegated Fritillary
Euptoieta claudia

Observed: May 12, 2026

Submitted by: Cascade Colors

Verified: May 17, 2026

Verified by: mikefisher

Details

Meadow Fritillary
Boloria bellona

Observed: May 12, 2026

Submitted by: Cascade Colors

Verified: May 17, 2026

Verified by: mikefisher

Details

Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa

Observed: May 10, 2026

Submitted by: Cascade Colors

Verified: May 17, 2026

Verified by: mikefisher

Details

Milbert's Tortoiseshell
Aglais milberti

Observed: May 10, 2026

Submitted by: Cascade Colors

Verified: May 17, 2026

Verified by: mikefisher

Details

Clouded Sulphur
Colias philodice

Observed: May 10, 2026

Submitted by: Cascade Colors

Verified: May 17, 2026

Verified by: mikefisher

Details

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

Observed: May 10, 2026

Submitted by: Cascade Colors

Verified: May 17, 2026

Verified by: mikefisher

Details

Greenish Blue
Plebejus saepiolus

Observed: May 10, 2026

Submitted by: Cascade Colors

Verified: May 17, 2026

Verified by: mikefisher

Details

Freija Fritillary
Boloria freija

Observed: May 09, 2026

Submitted by: Cascade Colors

Verified: May 10, 2026

Verified by: mikefisher

Details

Top 10 Commonly Reported Butterflies and Moths of Colorado

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.
White-lined Sphinx Hyles lineata	Upperside of forewing is dark olive brown with paler brown along the costa and outer margin, a narrow tan band running from the wing tip to the base, and white streaks along the veins. Hindwing upperside is black with a reddish pink median band.
Purplish Copper Lycaena helloides	Upperside of male brown with purple iridescence; female more orange. Hindwing of both sexes with broad orange band at 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.
Two-tailed Swallowtail Papilio multicaudata	Upper surface of male forewing with narrow black stripes. Each hindwing has 2 tails.
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.
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.
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.
Clouded Sulphur Colias philodice	Upper surface of male wings bright, clear yellow with solid black edging; lower side of forewing with some dark submarginal spots; hindwing with silver cell spot rimmed with orange-pink, usually doubled. Female has 2 forms: yellow form with uneven black edging enclosing yellow spots, and a white form which is greenish-white rather than yellow. Spring and fall forms are smaller and less conspicuously marked.
Field Crescent Phyciodes pulchella	Upperside is orange and black. Underside of forewing is yellow-brown with a yellow bar at the cell and small black patches on the inner margin. Underside of hindwing is yellow-brown with rusty markings.

Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

820 Species Recorded in Colorado

Featured Species

Euchloe olympia

100 Most Recent Sightings in Colorado

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

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in Colorado

Dreamy Duskywing
Erynnis icelus

Becker's White
Pontia beckerii

Pale Swallowtail
Papilio eurymedon

Hoary Comma
Polygonia gracilis

Variegated Fritillary
Euptoieta claudia

Meadow Fritillary
Boloria bellona

Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa

Milbert's Tortoiseshell
Aglais milberti

Clouded Sulphur
Colias philodice

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

Greenish Blue
Plebejus saepiolus

Freija Fritillary
Boloria freija

Common Checkered-Skipper
Burnsius communis

White-lined Sphinx
Hyles lineata

Purplish Copper
Lycaena helloides

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

Two-tailed Swallowtail
Papilio multicaudata

Checkered White
Pontia protodice

Variegated Fritillary
Euptoieta claudia

Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme

Clouded Sulphur
Colias philodice

Field Crescent
Phyciodes pulchella

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Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Butterflies and Moths of Colorado

820 Species Recorded in Colorado

Featured Species

100 Most Recent Sightings in Colorado

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in Colorado

Dreamy DuskywingErynnis icelus

Becker's WhitePontia beckerii

Pale SwallowtailPapilio eurymedon

Hoary CommaPolygonia gracilis

Variegated FritillaryEuptoieta claudia

Meadow FritillaryBoloria bellona

Mourning CloakNymphalis antiopa

Milbert's TortoiseshellAglais milberti

Clouded SulphurColias philodice

Painted LadyVanessa cardui

Greenish BluePlebejus saepiolus

Freija FritillaryBoloria freija

Common Checkered-SkipperBurnsius communis

White-lined SphinxHyles lineata

Purplish CopperLycaena helloides

Painted LadyVanessa cardui

Two-tailed SwallowtailPapilio multicaudata

Checkered WhitePontia protodice

Variegated FritillaryEuptoieta claudia

Orange SulphurColias eurytheme

Clouded SulphurColias philodice

Field CrescentPhyciodes pulchella

Dreamy Duskywing
Erynnis icelus

Becker's White
Pontia beckerii

Pale Swallowtail
Papilio eurymedon

Hoary Comma
Polygonia gracilis

Variegated Fritillary
Euptoieta claudia

Meadow Fritillary
Boloria bellona

Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa

Milbert's Tortoiseshell
Aglais milberti

Clouded Sulphur
Colias philodice

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

Greenish Blue
Plebejus saepiolus

Freija Fritillary
Boloria freija

Common Checkered-Skipper
Burnsius communis

White-lined Sphinx
Hyles lineata

Purplish Copper
Lycaena helloides

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

Two-tailed Swallowtail
Papilio multicaudata

Checkered White
Pontia protodice

Variegated Fritillary
Euptoieta claudia

Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme

Clouded Sulphur
Colias philodice

Field Crescent
Phyciodes pulchella