Butterflies and Moths of Pennsylvania

2459 Species Recorded in Pennsylvania

Top 20 Species Checklist All Photographs

Featured Species

Cupido comyntas

100 Most Recent Sightings in Pennsylvania

Use the Data Explorer to explore all sightings in Pennsylvania.

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Most Recent Sightings in Pennsylvania

See more recent sightings in Pennsylvania

Eastern Comma
Polygonia comma

Observed: Mar 26, 2026

Submitted by: PolygoniaKai

Verified: Mar 27, 2026

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Eastern Comma
Polygonia comma

Observed: Mar 26, 2026

Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw

Verified: Mar 26, 2026

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa

Observed: Mar 26, 2026

Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw

Verified: Mar 26, 2026

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Spring Cankerworm Moth
Paleacrita vernata

Observed: Mar 12, 2026

Submitted by: Eddie Wyatt

Verified: Mar 13, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

Spiny Looper
Phigalia titea

Observed: Mar 11, 2026

Submitted by: jmgesell

Verified: Mar 12, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

Agonopterix pulvipennella

Observed: Mar 10, 2026

Submitted by: gjkoppel

Verified: Mar 12, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

Dimorphic Pinion Moth
Lithophane patefacta

Observed: Mar 10, 2026

Submitted by: David Trently

Verified: Mar 12, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

Diamondback Moth
Plutella xylostella

Observed: Mar 10, 2026

Submitted by: David Trently

Verified: Mar 12, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

Eastern Comma
Polygonia comma

Observed: Mar 10, 2026

Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw

Verified: Mar 15, 2026

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Small Phigalia
Phigalia strigataria

Observed: Mar 09, 2026

Submitted by: gjkoppel

Verified: Mar 10, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

Small Phigalia
Phigalia strigataria

Observed: Mar 09, 2026

Submitted by: gjkoppel

Verified: Mar 10, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

Small Phigalia
Phigalia strigataria

Observed: Mar 08, 2026

Submitted by: MistyLyn

Verified: Mar 09, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

Top 10 Commonly Reported Butterflies and Moths of Pennsylvania

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.
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.
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.
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.
Peck's Skipper Polites peckius	Upperside of male is brown with reddish-orange patches; forewing has a sinuous stigma. Female is darker with no stigma. Underside of the hindwing of both sexes has a patch of large yellow spots in the center surrounded by dark brown.
Wild Indigo Duskywing Erynnis baptisiae	Upperside of forewing is dark on the basal half and lighter on the outer half, with a distinct orange-brown patch at the end of the cell. Male has a costal fold containing yellow scent scales; female has a patch of scent scales on the 7th abdominal segment.
'Astyanax' Red-spotted Purple Limenitis arthemis astyanax
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.
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.

Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

2459 Species Recorded in Pennsylvania

Featured Species

Cupido comyntas

100 Most Recent Sightings in Pennsylvania

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

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in Pennsylvania

Eastern Comma
Polygonia comma

Eastern Comma
Polygonia comma

Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa

Spring Cankerworm Moth
Paleacrita vernata

Spiny Looper
Phigalia titea

Agonopterix pulvipennella

Dimorphic Pinion Moth
Lithophane patefacta

Diamondback Moth
Plutella xylostella

Eastern Comma
Polygonia comma

Small Phigalia
Phigalia strigataria

Small Phigalia
Phigalia strigataria

Small Phigalia
Phigalia strigataria

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Pearl Crescent
Phyciodes tharos

Silver-spotted Skipper
Epargyreus clarus

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Peck's Skipper
Polites peckius

Wild Indigo Duskywing
Erynnis baptisiae

'Astyanax' Red-spotted Purple
Limenitis arthemis astyanax

Zabulon Skipper
Poanes zabulon

Black Swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes

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Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Butterflies and Moths of Pennsylvania

2459 Species Recorded in Pennsylvania

Featured Species

100 Most Recent Sightings in Pennsylvania

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in Pennsylvania

Eastern CommaPolygonia comma

Eastern CommaPolygonia comma

Mourning CloakNymphalis antiopa

Spring Cankerworm MothPaleacrita vernata

Spiny LooperPhigalia titea

Dimorphic Pinion MothLithophane patefacta

Diamondback MothPlutella xylostella

Eastern CommaPolygonia comma

Small PhigaliaPhigalia strigataria

Small PhigaliaPhigalia strigataria

Small PhigaliaPhigalia strigataria

MonarchDanaus plexippus

Eastern Tiger SwallowtailPapilio glaucus

Pearl CrescentPhyciodes tharos

Silver-spotted SkipperEpargyreus clarus

Cabbage WhitePieris rapae

Peck's SkipperPolites peckius

Wild Indigo DuskywingErynnis baptisiae

'Astyanax' Red-spotted PurpleLimenitis arthemis astyanax

Zabulon SkipperPoanes zabulon

Black SwallowtailPapilio polyxenes

Eastern Comma
Polygonia comma

Eastern Comma
Polygonia comma

Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa

Spring Cankerworm Moth
Paleacrita vernata

Spiny Looper
Phigalia titea

Dimorphic Pinion Moth
Lithophane patefacta

Diamondback Moth
Plutella xylostella

Eastern Comma
Polygonia comma

Small Phigalia
Phigalia strigataria

Small Phigalia
Phigalia strigataria

Small Phigalia
Phigalia strigataria

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Pearl Crescent
Phyciodes tharos

Silver-spotted Skipper
Epargyreus clarus

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Peck's Skipper
Polites peckius

Wild Indigo Duskywing
Erynnis baptisiae

'Astyanax' Red-spotted Purple
Limenitis arthemis astyanax

Zabulon Skipper
Poanes zabulon

Black Swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes