Butterflies and Moths of New Jersey

1870 Species Recorded in New Jersey

Top 20 Species Checklist All Photographs

Featured Species

Sparganothis caryae

100 Most Recent Sightings in New Jersey

Use the Data Explorer to explore all sightings in New Jersey.

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Most Recent Sightings in New Jersey

See more recent sightings in New Jersey

Lucerne Moth
Nomophila nearctica

Observed: May 06, 2026

Submitted by: Daniel Morton

Verified: May 06, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

Copper Underwing
Amphipyra pyramidoides

Observed: May 02, 2026

Submitted by: Daniel Morton

Verified: May 06, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

Eastern Tent Caterpillar Moth
Malacosoma americanum

Observed: Apr 29, 2026

Submitted by: Daniel Morton

Verified: May 06, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

Proteoteras aesculana

Observed: Apr 23, 2026

Submitted by: jrtindall

Verified: Apr 24, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

Lunate Zale
Zale lunata

Observed: Apr 17, 2026

Submitted by: SueDRad

Verified: Apr 18, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

Wild Indigo Duskywing
Erynnis baptisiae

Observed: Apr 17, 2026

Submitted by: Daniel Morton

Verified: May 06, 2026

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Variegated Fritillary
Euptoieta claudia

Observed: Apr 17, 2026

Submitted by: zebrafinch19

Verified: Apr 17, 2026

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Eastern Tailed-Blue
Cupido comyntas

Observed: Apr 17, 2026

Submitted by: Daniel Morton

Verified: May 06, 2026

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Double-lined Gray
Cleora sublunaria

Observed: Apr 14, 2026

Submitted by: jrtindall

Verified: Apr 15, 2026

Verified by: BarbSendelbach

Details

Common Oak Moth
Phoberia atomaris

Observed: Apr 14, 2026

Submitted by: jrtindall

Verified: Apr 15, 2026

Verified by: BarbSendelbach

Details

Double-lined Gray
Cleora sublunaria

Observed: Apr 14, 2026

Submitted by: jrtindall

Verified: Apr 15, 2026

Verified by: BarbSendelbach

Details

Brown-shaded Gray
Iridopsis defectaria

Observed: Apr 10, 2026

Submitted by: jrtindall

Verified: Apr 11, 2026

Verified by: BarbSendelbach

Details

Top 10 Commonly Reported Butterflies and Moths of New Jersey

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.
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.
Imperial moth Eacles imperialis	Females are larger than males. Upperside is yellow with pinkish brown to purple-brown patches, bands, and cell spots, and tiny brown spots scattered overall. Males have larger patches on the forewings than females, except for some subspecies pini males which have reduced purple and are mostly yellow.
Silver-spotted Skipper Epargyreus clarus	Wings are brown-black; hindwing is lobed. Forewing has transparent gold spots; underside of hindwing has a metallic silver band.
Black Swallowtail Papilio polyxenes	Upper surface of wings mostly black; on inner edge of hindwing is a black spot centered in larger orange spot. Male has yellow band near edge of wings; female has row of yellow spots. Female hindwing with iridescent blue band. In the Southwest, yellow forms predominate in the subspecies P. coloro.
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.
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 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.
Zabulon Skipper Poanes zabulon	Male black borders and no stigma. Underside of hindwing is mostly yellow with a dark brown wingbase and outer margin. Female: Upperside is purple-brown with pale yellow spots; underside of hindwing is brown and purple-gray with a white-edged costal margin.

Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

1870 Species Recorded in New Jersey

Featured Species

Sparganothis caryae

100 Most Recent Sightings in New Jersey

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

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in New Jersey

Lucerne Moth
Nomophila nearctica

Copper Underwing
Amphipyra pyramidoides

Eastern Tent Caterpillar Moth
Malacosoma americanum

Proteoteras aesculana

Lunate Zale
Zale lunata

Wild Indigo Duskywing
Erynnis baptisiae

Variegated Fritillary
Euptoieta claudia

Eastern Tailed-Blue
Cupido comyntas

Double-lined Gray
Cleora sublunaria

Common Oak Moth
Phoberia atomaris

Double-lined Gray
Cleora sublunaria

Brown-shaded Gray
Iridopsis defectaria

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Imperial moth
Eacles imperialis

Silver-spotted Skipper
Epargyreus clarus

Black Swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes

Common Buckeye
Junonia coenia

Pearl Crescent
Phyciodes tharos

American Lady
Vanessa virginiensis

Spicebush Swallowtail
Papilio troilus

Zabulon Skipper
Poanes zabulon

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Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Butterflies and Moths of New Jersey

1870 Species Recorded in New Jersey

Featured Species

100 Most Recent Sightings in New Jersey

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in New Jersey

Lucerne MothNomophila nearctica

Copper UnderwingAmphipyra pyramidoides

Eastern Tent Caterpillar MothMalacosoma americanum

Lunate ZaleZale lunata

Wild Indigo DuskywingErynnis baptisiae

Variegated FritillaryEuptoieta claudia

Eastern Tailed-BlueCupido comyntas

Double-lined GrayCleora sublunaria

Common Oak MothPhoberia atomaris

Double-lined GrayCleora sublunaria

Brown-shaded GrayIridopsis defectaria

MonarchDanaus plexippus

Eastern Tiger SwallowtailPapilio glaucus

Imperial mothEacles imperialis

Silver-spotted SkipperEpargyreus clarus

Black SwallowtailPapilio polyxenes

Common BuckeyeJunonia coenia

Pearl CrescentPhyciodes tharos

American LadyVanessa virginiensis

Spicebush SwallowtailPapilio troilus

Zabulon SkipperPoanes zabulon

Lucerne Moth
Nomophila nearctica

Copper Underwing
Amphipyra pyramidoides

Eastern Tent Caterpillar Moth
Malacosoma americanum

Lunate Zale
Zale lunata

Wild Indigo Duskywing
Erynnis baptisiae

Variegated Fritillary
Euptoieta claudia

Eastern Tailed-Blue
Cupido comyntas

Double-lined Gray
Cleora sublunaria

Common Oak Moth
Phoberia atomaris

Double-lined Gray
Cleora sublunaria

Brown-shaded Gray
Iridopsis defectaria

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Imperial moth
Eacles imperialis

Silver-spotted Skipper
Epargyreus clarus

Black Swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes

Common Buckeye
Junonia coenia

Pearl Crescent
Phyciodes tharos

American Lady
Vanessa virginiensis

Spicebush Swallowtail
Papilio troilus

Zabulon Skipper
Poanes zabulon