Butterflies and Moths of New Mexico

954 Species Recorded in New Mexico

Top 20 Species Checklist All Photographs

100 Most Recent Sightings in New Mexico

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

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Most Recent Sightings in New Mexico

See more recent sightings in New Mexico

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

Observed: Feb 25, 2026

Submitted by: Dogoszhi

Verified: Feb 26, 2026

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Sandia Hairstreak
Callophrys mcfarlandi

Observed: Feb 25, 2026

Submitted by: Dogoszhi

Verified: Feb 26, 2026

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Dury's Metalmark
Apodemia duryi

Observed: Feb 24, 2026

Submitted by: jamesvonloh

Verified: Feb 26, 2026

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa

Observed: Feb 16, 2026

Submitted by: Cactuswren1976

Verified: Feb 20, 2026

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme

Observed: Feb 16, 2026

Submitted by: Cactuswren1976

Verified: Feb 20, 2026

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Southern Dogface
Zerene cesonia

Observed: Feb 11, 2026

Submitted by: Marta Reece

Verified: Feb 20, 2026

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Great Purple Hairstreak
Atlides halesus

Observed: Feb 11, 2026

Submitted by: Marta Reece

Verified: Feb 20, 2026

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa

Observed: Feb 09, 2026

Submitted by: Dogoszhi

Verified: Feb 20, 2026

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Dainty Sulphur
Nathalis iole

Observed: Feb 07, 2026

Submitted by: Cactuswren1976

Verified: Feb 20, 2026

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Observed: Jan 31, 2026

Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly

Verified: Jan 31, 2026

Verified by: stevecary

Details

American Lady
Vanessa virginiensis

Observed: Jan 28, 2026

Submitted by: Marta Reece

Verified: Jan 31, 2026

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Gray Hairstreak
Strymon melinus

Observed: Jan 14, 2026

Submitted by: cjgoin

Verified: Jan 15, 2026

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Top 10 Commonly Reported Butterflies and Moths of New Mexico

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.
Reakirt's Blue Echinargus isola	Upperside of male light blue with darker veins and dusky border; female darker. Underside of forewing with postmedian row of 5 round black spots circled with white.
Marine Blue Leptotes marina	Upperside blue; male with purple tinge, female with no white. Underside of forewing with unbroken pale brown bands from costa to inner 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.
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.
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.
Dainty Sulphur Nathalis iole	Small, with elongated forewings. Upperside yellow with black markings, female with more extensive black than male. White form very rare. Underside of forewing with orange or yellow patch at base of wing and black spots at outer wing edge. Winter form has dusty green hindwing, summer form hindwing is pale yellow.
Sleepy Orange Abaeis nicippe	Upperside of wings orange in both sexes; orange-yellow form rare. Forewing with small black cell spot. Male with sharply defined black borders on outer and costal margins; female borders not so well-defined. In winter form, underside of hindwing is brick red, brown, or tan; in summer form it is orange-yellow.
Juniper Hairstreak Callophrys gryneus	Widespread and variable. Western and eastern populations were once considered separate species but have been found to hybridize. Western: Upperside of male dull red-brown, female tawny; both with dark brown costa and wing borders. Underside of forewing rust-red; hindwing dull to bright green with irregular white line edged inwardly with red-brown. Eastern: Upperside of male dark brown with olive-colored sheen, female blackish brown. Underside green; forewing with tawny base, hindwing with 2 white spots near base and irregular white line edged inwardly with red-brown.
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.

Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

954 Species Recorded in New Mexico

100 Most Recent Sightings in New Mexico

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 Mexico

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

Sandia Hairstreak
Callophrys mcfarlandi

Dury's Metalmark
Apodemia duryi

Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa

Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme

Southern Dogface
Zerene cesonia

Great Purple Hairstreak
Atlides halesus

Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa

Dainty Sulphur
Nathalis iole

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

American Lady
Vanessa virginiensis

Gray Hairstreak
Strymon melinus

Checkered White
Pontia protodice

Reakirt's Blue
Echinargus isola

Marine Blue
Leptotes marina

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Variegated Fritillary
Euptoieta claudia

Dainty Sulphur
Nathalis iole

Sleepy Orange
Abaeis nicippe

Juniper Hairstreak
Callophrys gryneus

Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme

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Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Butterflies and Moths of New Mexico

954 Species Recorded in New Mexico

100 Most Recent Sightings in New Mexico

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in New Mexico

Painted LadyVanessa cardui

Sandia HairstreakCallophrys mcfarlandi

Dury's MetalmarkApodemia duryi

Mourning CloakNymphalis antiopa

Orange SulphurColias eurytheme

Southern DogfaceZerene cesonia

Great Purple HairstreakAtlides halesus

Mourning CloakNymphalis antiopa

Dainty SulphurNathalis iole

Cabbage WhitePieris rapae

American LadyVanessa virginiensis

Gray HairstreakStrymon melinus

Checkered WhitePontia protodice

Reakirt's BlueEchinargus isola

Marine BlueLeptotes marina

Painted LadyVanessa cardui

MonarchDanaus plexippus

Variegated FritillaryEuptoieta claudia

Dainty SulphurNathalis iole

Sleepy OrangeAbaeis nicippe

Juniper HairstreakCallophrys gryneus

Orange SulphurColias eurytheme

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

Sandia Hairstreak
Callophrys mcfarlandi

Dury's Metalmark
Apodemia duryi

Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa

Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme

Southern Dogface
Zerene cesonia

Great Purple Hairstreak
Atlides halesus

Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa

Dainty Sulphur
Nathalis iole

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

American Lady
Vanessa virginiensis

Gray Hairstreak
Strymon melinus

Checkered White
Pontia protodice

Reakirt's Blue
Echinargus isola

Marine Blue
Leptotes marina

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Variegated Fritillary
Euptoieta claudia

Dainty Sulphur
Nathalis iole

Sleepy Orange
Abaeis nicippe

Juniper Hairstreak
Callophrys gryneus

Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme