Butterflies and Moths of Massachusetts

1792 Species Recorded in Massachusetts

Top 20 Species Checklist All Photographs

Featured Species

Polites peckius

100 Most Recent Sightings in Massachusetts

Use the Data Explorer to explore all sightings in Massachusetts.

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Most Recent Sightings in Massachusetts

See more recent sightings in Massachusetts

Spicebush Swallowtail
Papilio troilus

Observed: Jul 23, 2026

Submitted by: negirl

Verified: Jul 23, 2026

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Hickory Tussock Moth or Hickory Tiger Moth
Lophocampa caryae

Observed: Jul 23, 2026

Submitted by: dlister

Verified: Jul 28, 2026

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Leopard Moth
Zeuzera pyrina

Observed: Jul 20, 2026

Submitted by: Bradleysogoba

Verified: Jul 20, 2026

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Girlfriend Underwing
Catocala lineella

Observed: Jul 19, 2026

Submitted by: VRom

Verified: Jul 22, 2026

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Dusky Leafroller
Orthotaenia undulana

Observed: Jul 19, 2026

Submitted by: VRom

Verified: Jul 22, 2026

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Ilexia intractata

Observed: Jul 18, 2026

Submitted by: VRom

Verified: Jul 18, 2026

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Common Wood-Nymph
Cercyonis pegala

Observed: Jul 16, 2026

Submitted by: tedzimmerman

Verified: Jul 17, 2026

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Question Mark
Polygonia interrogationis

Observed: Jul 13, 2026

Submitted by: tedzimmerman

Verified: Jul 14, 2026

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Beautiful Wood-nymph
Eudryas grata

Observed: Jul 13, 2026

Submitted by: VRom

Verified: Jul 13, 2026

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Hydrelia inornata

Observed: Jul 12, 2026

Submitted by: dlister

Verified: Jul 13, 2026

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Yellow-collared Scape Moth
Cisseps fulvicollis

Observed: Jul 11, 2026

Submitted by: drcooke2

Verified: Jul 12, 2026

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Olethreutes permundana

Observed: Jul 08, 2026

Submitted by: dlister

Verified: Jul 11, 2026

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Top 10 Commonly Reported Butterflies and Moths of Massachusetts

Cabbage White Pieris rapae	Upperside of wings white; forewing with black tip. Two submarginal black spots in female, one in male. Underside of hindwing and forewing apex evenly yellow-green or gray-green. Spring and fall short-day form is smaller, less yellow, with reduced black areas.
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.
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.
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.
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.
American Copper Lycaena phlaeas	Upper surface of forewing shiny, fiery orange-red with black spots; hindwing gray with orange-red outer margin. Underside gray; hindwing with submarginal row of orange-red zigzags.
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.
Spring Azure Celastrina ladon	Seasonally variable and sexually dimorphic. Upperside of males blue, females with some black at outer edge of forewing. Late spring and summer forms with white above. Underside hindwing gray-white with faded small black dots, darker gray with larger black spots, or with blotches and black margins in the center.
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.
Peck's Skipper Polites peckius	Upperside of male is brown with reddish-orange patches; forewing has a sinuous stigma. Female is darker with no stigma. Underside of the hindwing of both sexes has a patch of large yellow spots in the center surrounded by dark brown.

Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

1792 Species Recorded in Massachusetts

Featured Species

Polites peckius

100 Most Recent Sightings in Massachusetts

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

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in Massachusetts

Spicebush Swallowtail
Papilio troilus

Hickory Tussock Moth or Hickory Tiger Moth
Lophocampa caryae

Leopard Moth
Zeuzera pyrina

Girlfriend Underwing
Catocala lineella

Dusky Leafroller
Orthotaenia undulana

Ilexia intractata

Common Wood-Nymph
Cercyonis pegala

Question Mark
Polygonia interrogationis

Beautiful Wood-nymph
Eudryas grata

Hydrelia inornata

Yellow-collared Scape Moth
Cisseps fulvicollis

Olethreutes permundana

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Clouded Sulphur
Colias philodice

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme

Pearl Crescent
Phyciodes tharos

American Copper
Lycaena phlaeas

American Lady
Vanessa virginiensis

Spring Azure
Celastrina ladon

Eastern Tailed-Blue
Cupido comyntas

Peck's Skipper
Polites peckius

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Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Butterflies and Moths of Massachusetts

1792 Species Recorded in Massachusetts

Featured Species

100 Most Recent Sightings in Massachusetts

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in Massachusetts

Spicebush SwallowtailPapilio troilus

Hickory Tussock Moth or Hickory Tiger MothLophocampa caryae

Leopard MothZeuzera pyrina

Girlfriend UnderwingCatocala lineella

Dusky LeafrollerOrthotaenia undulana

Common Wood-NymphCercyonis pegala

Question MarkPolygonia interrogationis

Beautiful Wood-nymphEudryas grata

Yellow-collared Scape MothCisseps fulvicollis

Cabbage WhitePieris rapae

Clouded SulphurColias philodice

MonarchDanaus plexippus

Orange SulphurColias eurytheme

Pearl CrescentPhyciodes tharos

American CopperLycaena phlaeas

American LadyVanessa virginiensis

Spring AzureCelastrina ladon

Eastern Tailed-BlueCupido comyntas

Peck's SkipperPolites peckius

Spicebush Swallowtail
Papilio troilus

Hickory Tussock Moth or Hickory Tiger Moth
Lophocampa caryae

Leopard Moth
Zeuzera pyrina

Girlfriend Underwing
Catocala lineella

Dusky Leafroller
Orthotaenia undulana

Common Wood-Nymph
Cercyonis pegala

Question Mark
Polygonia interrogationis

Beautiful Wood-nymph
Eudryas grata

Yellow-collared Scape Moth
Cisseps fulvicollis

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Clouded Sulphur
Colias philodice

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme

Pearl Crescent
Phyciodes tharos

American Copper
Lycaena phlaeas

American Lady
Vanessa virginiensis

Spring Azure
Celastrina ladon

Eastern Tailed-Blue
Cupido comyntas

Peck's Skipper
Polites peckius