Butterflies and Moths of Ontario

1789 Species Recorded in Ontario

Top 20 Species Checklist All Photographs

100 Most Recent Sightings in Ontario

Use the Data Explorer to explore all sightings in Ontario.

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Most Recent Sightings in Ontario

See more recent sightings in Ontario

American Lady
Vanessa virginiensis

Observed: May 31, 2026

Submitted by: John Terpstra

Verified: May 31, 2026

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Eastern Pine Elfin
Callophrys niphon

Observed: May 27, 2026

Submitted by: John Terpstra

Verified: May 31, 2026

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Polyphemus moth
Antheraea polyphemus

Observed: May 27, 2026

Submitted by: rapids

Verified: May 27, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

Northern Azure
Celastrina lucia

Observed: May 26, 2026

Submitted by: John Terpstra

Verified: May 31, 2026

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Abbott's sphinx
Sphecodina abbottii

Observed: May 26, 2026

Submitted by: Mandy Cole

Verified: May 27, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

Brown Elfin
Callophrys augustinus

Observed: May 22, 2026

Submitted by: John Terpstra

Verified: May 22, 2026

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Confused Woodgrain
Morrisonia confusa

Observed: May 17, 2026

Submitted by: rapids

Verified: May 17, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

Bicolored Woodgrain
Morrisonia evicta

Observed: May 17, 2026

Submitted by: rapids

Verified: May 17, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

Viper's Bugloss Moth
Ethmia bipunctella

Observed: May 16, 2026

Submitted by: rapids

Verified: May 16, 2026

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Waved sphinx
Ceratomia undulosa

Observed: May 11, 2026

Submitted by: Gigi_

Verified: May 12, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

The Small Engrailed
Ectropis crepuscularia

Observed: Apr 17, 2026

Submitted by: rapids

Verified: Apr 18, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

Spring Cankerworm Moth
Paleacrita vernata

Observed: Apr 17, 2026

Submitted by: rapids

Verified: Apr 18, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

Top 10 Commonly Reported Butterflies and Moths of Ontario

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.
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.
Northern Crescent Phyciodes cocyta	Antennal clubs of male are orange. Females are darker than males. Upperside is orange-brown with dark borders; median orange-brown areas are mostly open, with few dark markings. Underside of hindwing is orange with a tan patch surrounding the pale marginal crescent.
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.
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.
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.
Mourning Cloak Nymphalis antiopa	Short projections on both wings, borders irregular. Upperside is purple-black with a wide, bright yellow border on outer margins, and a row of iridescent blue spots at the inner edge of the border.
Virginia Ctenucha Ctenucha virginica	The largest and most broad-winged of wasp moths in North America. Body metallic blue; head and sides of collar orange. Forewing deep grayish brown, metallic blue at base. Hindwing black. Fringes on all wings partly white.
Dingy Cutworm Moth Feltia jaculifera
European Skipper Thymelicus lineola	Wings are brassy burnt orange; upperside of both wings with black borders and black on the outer portions of the veins. The male forewing has a narrow black stigma. A pale form (pallida) is very rare.

Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

1789 Species Recorded in Ontario

100 Most Recent Sightings in Ontario

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

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in Ontario

American Lady
Vanessa virginiensis

Eastern Pine Elfin
Callophrys niphon

Polyphemus moth
Antheraea polyphemus

Northern Azure
Celastrina lucia

Abbott's sphinx
Sphecodina abbottii

Brown Elfin
Callophrys augustinus

Confused Woodgrain
Morrisonia confusa

Bicolored Woodgrain
Morrisonia evicta

Viper's Bugloss Moth
Ethmia bipunctella

Waved sphinx
Ceratomia undulosa

The Small Engrailed
Ectropis crepuscularia

Spring Cankerworm Moth
Paleacrita vernata

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Northern Crescent
Phyciodes cocyta

Clouded Sulphur
Colias philodice

Black Swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa

Virginia Ctenucha
Ctenucha virginica

Dingy Cutworm Moth
Feltia jaculifera

European Skipper
Thymelicus lineola

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Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Butterflies and Moths of Ontario

1789 Species Recorded in Ontario

100 Most Recent Sightings in Ontario

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in Ontario

American LadyVanessa virginiensis

Eastern Pine ElfinCallophrys niphon

Polyphemus mothAntheraea polyphemus

Northern AzureCelastrina lucia

Abbott's sphinxSphecodina abbottii

Brown ElfinCallophrys augustinus

Confused WoodgrainMorrisonia confusa

Bicolored WoodgrainMorrisonia evicta

Viper's Bugloss MothEthmia bipunctella

Waved sphinxCeratomia undulosa

The Small EngrailedEctropis crepuscularia

Spring Cankerworm MothPaleacrita vernata

Cabbage WhitePieris rapae

MonarchDanaus plexippus

Northern CrescentPhyciodes cocyta

Clouded SulphurColias philodice

Black SwallowtailPapilio polyxenes

Red AdmiralVanessa atalanta

Mourning CloakNymphalis antiopa

Virginia CtenuchaCtenucha virginica

Dingy Cutworm MothFeltia jaculifera

European SkipperThymelicus lineola

American Lady
Vanessa virginiensis

Eastern Pine Elfin
Callophrys niphon

Polyphemus moth
Antheraea polyphemus

Northern Azure
Celastrina lucia

Abbott's sphinx
Sphecodina abbottii

Brown Elfin
Callophrys augustinus

Confused Woodgrain
Morrisonia confusa

Bicolored Woodgrain
Morrisonia evicta

Viper's Bugloss Moth
Ethmia bipunctella

Waved sphinx
Ceratomia undulosa

The Small Engrailed
Ectropis crepuscularia

Spring Cankerworm Moth
Paleacrita vernata

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Northern Crescent
Phyciodes cocyta

Clouded Sulphur
Colias philodice

Black Swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa

Virginia Ctenucha
Ctenucha virginica

Dingy Cutworm Moth
Feltia jaculifera

European Skipper
Thymelicus lineola