Butterflies and Moths of New York

1893 Species Recorded in New York

Top 20 Species Checklist All Photographs

Featured Species

Zeuzera pyrina

100 Most Recent Sightings in New York

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

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Most Recent Sightings in New York

See more recent sightings in New York

Sooty Winged Chalcoela Moth
Chalcoela iphitalis

Observed: Jun 01, 2026

Submitted by: jskinner

Verified: Jun 02, 2026

Verified by: Sue Gregoire

Details

Gray Hairstreak
Strymon melinus

Observed: Jun 01, 2026

Submitted by: Elleden9

Verified: Jun 02, 2026

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Green Leuconycta
Leuconycta diphteroides

Observed: Jun 01, 2026

Submitted by: Lutya

Verified: Jun 02, 2026

Verified by: Sue Gregoire

Details

Polyphemus moth
Antheraea polyphemus

Observed: Jun 01, 2026

Submitted by: BuffaloveMom

Verified: Jun 02, 2026

Verified by: Sue Gregoire

Details

Cecropia silkmoth
Hyalophora cecropia

Observed: May 29, 2026

Submitted by: Ez_007

Verified: May 31, 2026

Verified by: Sue Gregoire

Details

Cecropia silkmoth
Hyalophora cecropia

Observed: May 26, 2026

Submitted by: Tim Benson

Verified: May 26, 2026

Verified by: Sue Gregoire

Details

Saddled Prominent
Cecrita guttivitta

Observed: May 26, 2026

Submitted by: Jim Lowe

Verified: May 28, 2026

Verified by: Sue Gregoire

Details

Juvenal's Duskywing
Erynnis juvenalis

Observed: May 26, 2026

Submitted by: Graycatbird88

Verified: May 26, 2026

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Abbott's sphinx
Sphecodina abbottii

Observed: May 25, 2026

Submitted by: David Trently

Verified: May 26, 2026

Verified by: Sue Gregoire

Details

Celery Leaftier Moth
Udea rubigalis

Observed: May 25, 2026

Submitted by: David Trently

Verified: May 26, 2026

Verified by: Sue Gregoire

Details

White Furcula
Furcula borealis

Observed: May 25, 2026

Submitted by: David Trently

Verified: May 26, 2026

Verified by: Sue Gregoire

Details

The Gem
Orthonama obstipata

Observed: May 25, 2026

Submitted by: David Trently

Verified: May 26, 2026

Verified by: Sue Gregoire

Details

Top 10 Commonly Reported Butterflies and Moths of New York

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.
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.
Great Spangled Fritillary Speyeria cybele	Large. Upperside of male tan to orange with black scales on forewing veins; female tawny, darker than male. Underside of hindwing with wide pale submarginal band and large silver spots.
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.
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.
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.
Polyphemus moth Antheraea polyphemus	Upperside is reddish to yellowish brown; forewing margin is usually lighter than the basal area; forewing submarginal line is pink, or black and pink. Clear oval eyespots are ringed with yellow, blue, and black; hindwing eyespot is separated from the basal area of the wing by a thin pink line. Underside has rust, brown, and pink markings.
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.
Cecropia silkmoth Hyalophora cecropia	Body is red with a white collar and white bands on the abdomen. Wings are dark brown with white hairlike scales giving a frosted appearance; forewings are red at the base. Crescent spots and the area outside the postmedian line are red on all wings.
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.

Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

1893 Species Recorded in New York

Featured Species

Zeuzera pyrina

100 Most Recent Sightings in New York

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 York

Sooty Winged Chalcoela Moth
Chalcoela iphitalis

Gray Hairstreak
Strymon melinus

Green Leuconycta
Leuconycta diphteroides

Polyphemus moth
Antheraea polyphemus

Cecropia silkmoth
Hyalophora cecropia

Cecropia silkmoth
Hyalophora cecropia

Saddled Prominent
Cecrita guttivitta

Juvenal's Duskywing
Erynnis juvenalis

Abbott's sphinx
Sphecodina abbottii

Celery Leaftier Moth
Udea rubigalis

White Furcula
Furcula borealis

The Gem
Orthonama obstipata

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Black Swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes

Great Spangled Fritillary
Speyeria cybele

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Polyphemus moth
Antheraea polyphemus

Clouded Sulphur
Colias philodice

Cecropia silkmoth
Hyalophora cecropia

American Lady
Vanessa virginiensis

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Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Butterflies and Moths of New York

1893 Species Recorded in New York

Featured Species

100 Most Recent Sightings in New York

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in New York

Sooty Winged Chalcoela MothChalcoela iphitalis

Gray HairstreakStrymon melinus

Green LeuconyctaLeuconycta diphteroides

Polyphemus mothAntheraea polyphemus

Cecropia silkmothHyalophora cecropia

Cecropia silkmothHyalophora cecropia

Saddled ProminentCecrita guttivitta

Juvenal's DuskywingErynnis juvenalis

Abbott's sphinxSphecodina abbottii

Celery Leaftier MothUdea rubigalis

White FurculaFurcula borealis

The GemOrthonama obstipata

MonarchDanaus plexippus

Black SwallowtailPapilio polyxenes

Great Spangled FritillarySpeyeria cybele

Cabbage WhitePieris rapae

Red AdmiralVanessa atalanta

Eastern Tiger SwallowtailPapilio glaucus

Polyphemus mothAntheraea polyphemus

Clouded SulphurColias philodice

Cecropia silkmothHyalophora cecropia

American LadyVanessa virginiensis

Sooty Winged Chalcoela Moth
Chalcoela iphitalis

Gray Hairstreak
Strymon melinus

Green Leuconycta
Leuconycta diphteroides

Polyphemus moth
Antheraea polyphemus

Cecropia silkmoth
Hyalophora cecropia

Cecropia silkmoth
Hyalophora cecropia

Saddled Prominent
Cecrita guttivitta

Juvenal's Duskywing
Erynnis juvenalis

Abbott's sphinx
Sphecodina abbottii

Celery Leaftier Moth
Udea rubigalis

White Furcula
Furcula borealis

The Gem
Orthonama obstipata

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Black Swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes

Great Spangled Fritillary
Speyeria cybele

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Polyphemus moth
Antheraea polyphemus

Clouded Sulphur
Colias philodice

Cecropia silkmoth
Hyalophora cecropia

American Lady
Vanessa virginiensis