Butterflies and Moths of North Carolina

1544 Species Recorded in North Carolina

Top 20 Species Checklist All Photographs

Featured Species

Citheronia regalis

100 Most Recent Sightings in North Carolina

Use the Data Explorer to explore all sightings in North Carolina.

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Most Recent Sightings in North Carolina

See more recent sightings in North Carolina

White Checkered-Skipper
Burnsius albescens

Observed: Mar 15, 2026

Submitted by: Sharonjean

Verified: Mar 17, 2026

Verified by: Dennis Forsythe

Details

Filigreed Chimoptesis
Chimoptesis pennsylvaniana

Observed: Mar 14, 2026

Submitted by: Steven C. Hess

Verified: Mar 21, 2026

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Fall Spruce Needle Moth
Argyrotaenia occultana

Observed: Mar 11, 2026

Submitted by: Steven C. Hess

Verified: Mar 15, 2026

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Curved-Toothed Geometer
Eutrapela clemataria

Observed: Feb 19, 2026

Submitted by: Robyn Culpepper

Verified: Feb 19, 2026

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Small Phigalia
Phigalia strigataria

Observed: Feb 19, 2026

Submitted by: vsantiagoam

Verified: Feb 21, 2026

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Yellow Three-spot
Apamea helva

Observed: Nov 05, 2025

Submitted by: Jenphillippi

Verified: Dec 14, 2025

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Mournful sphinx
Enyo lugubris

Observed: Oct 25, 2025

Submitted by: ktew

Verified: Oct 29, 2025

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Virginian Tiger Moth or Yellow Woolybear Moth
Spilosoma virginica

Observed: Oct 23, 2025

Submitted by: Jenphillippi

Verified: Dec 14, 2025

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Tawny Emperor
Asterocampa clyton

Observed: Oct 14, 2025

Submitted by: Craigdu

Verified: Oct 14, 2025

Verified by: Dennis Forsythe

Details

Large Tolype Moth
Tolype velleda

Observed: Oct 12, 2025

Submitted by: Weresalmon

Verified: Oct 12, 2025

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Gulf Fritillary
Agraulis vanillae

Observed: Oct 09, 2025

Submitted by: Flygirl1

Verified: Oct 10, 2025

Verified by: Dennis Forsythe

Details

Virgin Tiger Moth
Apantesis virgo

Observed: Oct 05, 2025

Submitted by: Jenphillippi

Verified: Dec 14, 2025

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Top 10 Commonly Reported Butterflies and Moths of North Carolina

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Cloudless Sulphur Phoebis sennae	Upper surface of male is lemon yellow with no markings. Female is yellow or white; outer edges of both wings with irregular black borders; upper forewing with dark spot in cell. Lower surface of hindwing of both sexes with 2 pink-edged 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-spotted Purple or White Admiral Limenitis arthemis	These two very different forms had once been considered separate species. WHITE ADMIRAL: Upperside is black with broad white median bands on both wings; hindwing has a marginal row of blue dashes and a submarginal row of red dots. Underside is reddish-brown with white median bands as on the upperside. RED-SPOTTED PURPLE: Upperside is blue to blue-green with much iridescence on the outer part of the hindwing. Underside is dark brown. Forewing has 2 red-orange bars near the base of the leading edge; hindwing has 3 red-orange spots near the base and a submarginal row of red-orange spots. The two forms hybridize where their ranges overlap, creating various intermediate forms which may be found in or near the overlap zone.

Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

1544 Species Recorded in North Carolina

Featured Species

Citheronia regalis

100 Most Recent Sightings in North Carolina

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

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in North Carolina

White Checkered-Skipper
Burnsius albescens

Filigreed Chimoptesis
Chimoptesis pennsylvaniana

Fall Spruce Needle Moth
Argyrotaenia occultana

Curved-Toothed Geometer
Eutrapela clemataria

Small Phigalia
Phigalia strigataria

Yellow Three-spot
Apamea helva

Mournful sphinx
Enyo lugubris

Virginian Tiger Moth or Yellow Woolybear Moth
Spilosoma virginica

Tawny Emperor
Asterocampa clyton

Large Tolype Moth
Tolype velleda

Gulf Fritillary
Agraulis vanillae

Virgin Tiger Moth
Apantesis virgo

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Pearl Crescent
Phyciodes tharos

Common Buckeye
Junonia coenia

Silver-spotted Skipper
Epargyreus clarus

American Lady
Vanessa virginiensis

Eastern Tailed-Blue
Cupido comyntas

Sleepy Orange
Abaeis nicippe

Cloudless Sulphur
Phoebis sennae

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Red-spotted Purple or White Admiral
Limenitis arthemis

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Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Butterflies and Moths of North Carolina

1544 Species Recorded in North Carolina

Featured Species

100 Most Recent Sightings in North Carolina

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in North Carolina

White Checkered-SkipperBurnsius albescens

Filigreed ChimoptesisChimoptesis pennsylvaniana

Fall Spruce Needle MothArgyrotaenia occultana

Curved-Toothed GeometerEutrapela clemataria

Small PhigaliaPhigalia strigataria

Yellow Three-spotApamea helva

Mournful sphinxEnyo lugubris

Virginian Tiger Moth or Yellow Woolybear MothSpilosoma virginica

Tawny EmperorAsterocampa clyton

Large Tolype MothTolype velleda

Gulf FritillaryAgraulis vanillae

Virgin Tiger MothApantesis virgo

Eastern Tiger SwallowtailPapilio glaucus

Pearl CrescentPhyciodes tharos

Common BuckeyeJunonia coenia

Silver-spotted SkipperEpargyreus clarus

American LadyVanessa virginiensis

Eastern Tailed-BlueCupido comyntas

Sleepy OrangeAbaeis nicippe

Cloudless SulphurPhoebis sennae

Cabbage WhitePieris rapae

Red-spotted Purple or White AdmiralLimenitis arthemis

White Checkered-Skipper
Burnsius albescens

Filigreed Chimoptesis
Chimoptesis pennsylvaniana

Fall Spruce Needle Moth
Argyrotaenia occultana

Curved-Toothed Geometer
Eutrapela clemataria

Small Phigalia
Phigalia strigataria

Yellow Three-spot
Apamea helva

Mournful sphinx
Enyo lugubris

Virginian Tiger Moth or Yellow Woolybear Moth
Spilosoma virginica

Tawny Emperor
Asterocampa clyton

Large Tolype Moth
Tolype velleda

Gulf Fritillary
Agraulis vanillae

Virgin Tiger Moth
Apantesis virgo

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Pearl Crescent
Phyciodes tharos

Common Buckeye
Junonia coenia

Silver-spotted Skipper
Epargyreus clarus

American Lady
Vanessa virginiensis

Eastern Tailed-Blue
Cupido comyntas

Sleepy Orange
Abaeis nicippe

Cloudless Sulphur
Phoebis sennae

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Red-spotted Purple or White Admiral
Limenitis arthemis