Butterflies and Moths of Nebraska

573 Species Recorded in Nebraska

Top 20 Species Checklist All Photographs

Featured Species

Eichlinia cucurbitae

100 Most Recent Sightings in Nebraska

Use the Data Explorer to explore all sightings in Nebraska.

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Most Recent Sightings in Nebraska

See more recent sightings in Nebraska

Celypha cespitana

Observed: Jun 03, 2026

Submitted by: Blue Swallowtail

Verified: Jun 08, 2026

Verified by: J_Martineau

Details

American Lady
Vanessa virginiensis

Observed: May 27, 2026

Submitted by: Blue Swallowtail

Verified: Jun 01, 2026

Verified by: Emily Geest

Details

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Observed: May 23, 2026

Submitted by: Blue Swallowtail

Verified: May 25, 2026

Verified by: Emily Geest

Details

Checkered White
Pontia protodice

Observed: May 21, 2026

Submitted by: Blue Swallowtail

Verified: May 25, 2026

Verified by: Emily Geest

Details

Reakirt's Blue
Echinargus isola

Observed: May 20, 2026

Submitted by: Blue Swallowtail

Verified: May 25, 2026

Verified by: Emily Geest

Details

Melissa Blue (includes Karner Blue)
Plebejus melissa

Observed: May 14, 2026

Submitted by: Blue Swallowtail

Verified: May 18, 2026

Verified by: Emily Geest

Details

Digrammia triviata

Observed: Apr 22, 2026

Submitted by: Blue Swallowtail

Verified: Apr 23, 2026

Verified by: J_Martineau

Details

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Observed: Mar 09, 2026

Submitted by: Blue Swallowtail

Verified: Mar 23, 2026

Verified by: Emily Geest

Details

Eastern Comma
Polygonia comma

Observed: Mar 08, 2026

Submitted by: Blue Swallowtail

Verified: Mar 23, 2026

Verified by: Emily Geest

Details

Armyworm Moth
Mythimna unipuncta

Observed: Nov 20, 2025

Submitted by: Blue Swallowtail

Verified: Nov 24, 2025

Verified by: J_Martineau

Details

Isabella Tiger Moth or Banded Woolybear
Pyrrharctia isabella

Observed: Oct 21, 2025

Submitted by: Blue Swallowtail

Verified: Nov 03, 2025

Verified by: J_Martineau

Details

Checkered White
Pontia protodice

Observed: Oct 17, 2025

Submitted by: Blue Swallowtail

Verified: Oct 27, 2025

Verified by: Emily Geest

Details

Top 10 Commonly Reported Butterflies and Moths of Nebraska

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.
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.
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.
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.
Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta	Upperside is black with white spots near the apex; forewing with red median band, hindwing with red marginal band. The winter form is smaller and duller, summer form larger and brighter with an interrupted forewing band.
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.
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.
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.

Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

573 Species Recorded in Nebraska

Featured Species

Eichlinia cucurbitae

100 Most Recent Sightings in Nebraska

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

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in Nebraska

Celypha cespitana

American Lady
Vanessa virginiensis

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Checkered White
Pontia protodice

Reakirt's Blue
Echinargus isola

Melissa Blue (includes Karner Blue)
Plebejus melissa

Digrammia triviata

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Eastern Comma
Polygonia comma

Armyworm Moth
Mythimna unipuncta

Isabella Tiger Moth or Banded Woolybear
Pyrrharctia isabella

Checkered White
Pontia protodice

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme

Eastern Tailed-Blue
Cupido comyntas

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Common Checkered-Skipper
Burnsius communis

Pearl Crescent
Phyciodes tharos

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Clouded Sulphur
Colias philodice

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Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Butterflies and Moths of Nebraska

573 Species Recorded in Nebraska

Featured Species

100 Most Recent Sightings in Nebraska

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in Nebraska

American LadyVanessa virginiensis

Eastern Tiger SwallowtailPapilio glaucus

Checkered WhitePontia protodice

Reakirt's BlueEchinargus isola

Melissa Blue (includes Karner Blue)Plebejus melissa

Cabbage WhitePieris rapae

Eastern CommaPolygonia comma

Armyworm MothMythimna unipuncta

Isabella Tiger Moth or Banded WoolybearPyrrharctia isabella

Checkered WhitePontia protodice

MonarchDanaus plexippus

Orange SulphurColias eurytheme

Eastern Tailed-BlueCupido comyntas

Painted LadyVanessa cardui

Eastern Tiger SwallowtailPapilio glaucus

Red AdmiralVanessa atalanta

Common Checkered-SkipperBurnsius communis

Pearl CrescentPhyciodes tharos

Cabbage WhitePieris rapae

Clouded SulphurColias philodice

American Lady
Vanessa virginiensis

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Checkered White
Pontia protodice

Reakirt's Blue
Echinargus isola

Melissa Blue (includes Karner Blue)
Plebejus melissa

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Eastern Comma
Polygonia comma

Armyworm Moth
Mythimna unipuncta

Isabella Tiger Moth or Banded Woolybear
Pyrrharctia isabella

Checkered White
Pontia protodice

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme

Eastern Tailed-Blue
Cupido comyntas

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Common Checkered-Skipper
Burnsius communis

Pearl Crescent
Phyciodes tharos

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Clouded Sulphur
Colias philodice