Butterflies and Moths of Colorado

818 Species Recorded in Colorado

Top 20 Species Checklist All Photographs

100 Most Recent Sightings in Colorado

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Most Recent Sightings in Colorado

See more recent sightings in Colorado

Western White
Pontia occidentalis

Observed: Mar 21, 2026

Submitted by: sgguthart

Verified: Mar 22, 2026

Verified by: mikefisher

Details

Hoary Comma
Polygonia gracilis

Observed: Mar 20, 2026

Submitted by: sgguthart

Verified: Mar 22, 2026

Verified by: mikefisher

Details

Sheridan's Green Hairstreak
Callophrys sheridanii

Observed: Mar 20, 2026

Submitted by: sgguthart

Verified: Mar 22, 2026

Verified by: mikefisher

Details

Hoary Comma
Polygonia gracilis

Observed: Mar 18, 2026

Submitted by: blgreco

Verified: Mar 22, 2026

Verified by: mikefisher

Details

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

Observed: Mar 18, 2026

Submitted by: blgreco

Verified: Mar 22, 2026

Verified by: mikefisher

Details

Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa

Observed: Mar 18, 2026

Submitted by: blgreco

Verified: Mar 22, 2026

Verified by: mikefisher

Details

Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme

Observed: Mar 18, 2026

Submitted by: blgreco

Verified: Mar 22, 2026

Verified by: mikefisher

Details

Southern Rocky Mountain Orangetip
Anthocharis julia

Observed: Mar 18, 2026

Submitted by: blgreco

Verified: Mar 22, 2026

Verified by: mikefisher

Details

Zephyr Comma
Polygonia zephyrus

Observed: Mar 14, 2026

Submitted by: tjungst

Verified: Mar 22, 2026

Verified by: mikefisher

Details

Dainty Sulphur
Nathalis iole

Observed: Feb 15, 2026

Submitted by: KevinN

Verified: Feb 22, 2026

Verified by: mikefisher

Details

Checkered White
Pontia protodice

Observed: Feb 05, 2026

Submitted by: blgreco

Verified: Feb 08, 2026

Verified by: mikefisher

Details

Gray Hairstreak
Strymon melinus

Observed: Nov 16, 2025

Submitted by: sgguthart

Verified: Nov 23, 2025

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.
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.
Mormon Fritillary Speyeria mormonia	Small, with large rounded antennal clubs. Upperside tawny to orange-brown; male with no black scales on veins. Underside of hindwing orange-brown; base sometimes slightly darker or greenish. Spots are usually silvered.

Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

818 Species Recorded in Colorado

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

Western White
Pontia occidentalis

Hoary Comma
Polygonia gracilis

Sheridan's Green Hairstreak
Callophrys sheridanii

Hoary Comma
Polygonia gracilis

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa

Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme

Southern Rocky Mountain Orangetip
Anthocharis julia

Zephyr Comma
Polygonia zephyrus

Dainty Sulphur
Nathalis iole

Checkered White
Pontia protodice

Gray Hairstreak
Strymon melinus

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

Field Crescent
Phyciodes pulchella

Mormon Fritillary
Speyeria mormonia

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Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Butterflies and Moths of Colorado

818 Species Recorded in Colorado

100 Most Recent Sightings in Colorado

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in Colorado

Western WhitePontia occidentalis

Hoary CommaPolygonia gracilis

Sheridan's Green HairstreakCallophrys sheridanii

Hoary CommaPolygonia gracilis

Painted LadyVanessa cardui

Mourning CloakNymphalis antiopa

Orange SulphurColias eurytheme

Southern Rocky Mountain OrangetipAnthocharis julia

Zephyr CommaPolygonia zephyrus

Dainty SulphurNathalis iole

Checkered WhitePontia protodice

Gray HairstreakStrymon melinus

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

Field CrescentPhyciodes pulchella

Mormon FritillarySpeyeria mormonia

Western White
Pontia occidentalis

Hoary Comma
Polygonia gracilis

Sheridan's Green Hairstreak
Callophrys sheridanii

Hoary Comma
Polygonia gracilis

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa

Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme

Southern Rocky Mountain Orangetip
Anthocharis julia

Zephyr Comma
Polygonia zephyrus

Dainty Sulphur
Nathalis iole

Checkered White
Pontia protodice

Gray Hairstreak
Strymon melinus

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

Field Crescent
Phyciodes pulchella

Mormon Fritillary
Speyeria mormonia