Butterflies and Moths of South Carolina

1211 Species Recorded in South Carolina

Top 20 Species Checklist All Photographs

100 Most Recent Sightings in South Carolina

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

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Most Recent Sightings in South Carolina

See more recent sightings in South Carolina

Virginia creeper sphinx
Darapsa myron

Observed: Apr 13, 2026

Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe

Verified: Apr 13, 2026

Verified by: Dennis Forsythe

Details

Orange-patched Smoky Moth
Pyromorpha dimidiata

Observed: Apr 12, 2026

Submitted by: Ken Cheeks

Verified: Apr 12, 2026

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Eight-spotted Forester
Alypia octomaculata

Observed: Apr 11, 2026

Submitted by: cfield

Verified: Apr 13, 2026

Verified by: Dennis Forsythe

Details

Spicebush Swallowtail
Papilio troilus

Observed: Apr 11, 2026

Submitted by: cfield

Verified: Apr 13, 2026

Verified by: Dennis Forsythe

Details

Large Purplish Gray
Iridopsis vellivolata

Observed: Apr 11, 2026

Submitted by: cfield

Verified: Apr 13, 2026

Verified by: Dennis Forsythe

Details

Spring Azure
Celastrina ladon

Observed: Apr 11, 2026

Submitted by: cfield

Verified: Apr 13, 2026

Verified by: Dennis Forsythe

Details

Green Cloverworm Moth
Hypena scabra

Observed: Apr 05, 2026

Submitted by: Alison Davies

Verified: Apr 06, 2026

Verified by: Dennis Forsythe

Details

Burnsius albescens or communis

Observed: Apr 05, 2026

Submitted by: RandomMoth

Verified: Apr 09, 2026

Verified by: John Calhoun

Details

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Observed: Apr 04, 2026

Submitted by: cfield

Verified: Apr 07, 2026

Verified by: Dennis Forsythe

Details

Tulip-Tree Beauty
Epimecis hortaria

Observed: Apr 01, 2026

Submitted by: Rclements7051

Verified: Apr 03, 2026

Verified by: Dennis Forsythe

Details

White Checkered-Skipper
Burnsius albescens

Observed: Mar 31, 2026

Submitted by: NaturallyWade

Verified: Apr 01, 2026

Verified by: Dennis Forsythe

Details

Eastern Comma
Polygonia comma

Observed: Mar 31, 2026

Submitted by: NaturallyWade

Verified: Apr 01, 2026

Verified by: Dennis Forsythe

Details

Top 10 Commonly Reported Butterflies and Moths of South Carolina

Gulf Fritillary Agraulis vanillae	Upperside bright orange with black markings; 3 black-encircled white dots on forewing leading edge. Underside brown; forewing with orange at base; both wings with elongated, iridescent silver spots.
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.
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.
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.
Palamedes Swallowtail Papilio palamedes	Upper surface of hind- and forewings with postmedian yellow bands; tails are filled with yellow. Lower surface of hindwing with thin yellow basal stripe and postmedian band of yellow-orange crescents.
Long-tailed Skipper Urbanus proteus	Tails are long. Upperside is dark blackish brown; body and wing bases are iridescent blue-green. Males have a costal fold enclosing scent scales on the leading edge of the forewing. Dark row on underside of hindwing is a complete band.
Horace's Duskywing Erynnis horatius	Fringes are brown. Upperside of male forewing is dark brown with little contrast and no white overscaling. Upperside of female forewing is light brown with a contrasting pattern and large transparent spots. Underside of hindwing is usually without 2 spots below the apex. Male has a costal fold containing yellow scent scales; female has a patch of scent scales on the 7th abdominal segment.
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.
Fiery Skipper Hylephila phyleus	Antennae are very short. Male wide black stigma. Underside of the hindwing is scattered with small black spots. Female: Upperside is dark brown with a very irregular orange band. Underside of hindwing is pale brown with paler checks.
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.

Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

1211 Species Recorded in South Carolina

100 Most Recent Sightings in South 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 South Carolina

Virginia creeper sphinx
Darapsa myron

Orange-patched Smoky Moth
Pyromorpha dimidiata

Eight-spotted Forester
Alypia octomaculata

Spicebush Swallowtail
Papilio troilus

Large Purplish Gray
Iridopsis vellivolata

Spring Azure
Celastrina ladon

Green Cloverworm Moth
Hypena scabra

Burnsius albescens or communis

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Tulip-Tree Beauty
Epimecis hortaria

White Checkered-Skipper
Burnsius albescens

Eastern Comma
Polygonia comma

Gulf Fritillary
Agraulis vanillae

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Cloudless Sulphur
Phoebis sennae

Common Buckeye
Junonia coenia

Palamedes Swallowtail
Papilio palamedes

Long-tailed Skipper
Urbanus proteus

Horace's Duskywing
Erynnis horatius

Silver-spotted Skipper
Epargyreus clarus

Fiery Skipper
Hylephila phyleus

Sleepy Orange
Abaeis nicippe

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Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Butterflies and Moths of South Carolina

1211 Species Recorded in South Carolina

100 Most Recent Sightings in South Carolina

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in South Carolina

Virginia creeper sphinxDarapsa myron

Orange-patched Smoky MothPyromorpha dimidiata

Eight-spotted ForesterAlypia octomaculata

Spicebush SwallowtailPapilio troilus

Large Purplish GrayIridopsis vellivolata

Spring AzureCelastrina ladon

Green Cloverworm MothHypena scabra

Red AdmiralVanessa atalanta

Tulip-Tree BeautyEpimecis hortaria

White Checkered-SkipperBurnsius albescens

Eastern CommaPolygonia comma

Gulf FritillaryAgraulis vanillae

Eastern Tiger SwallowtailPapilio glaucus

Cloudless SulphurPhoebis sennae

Common BuckeyeJunonia coenia

Palamedes SwallowtailPapilio palamedes

Long-tailed SkipperUrbanus proteus

Horace's DuskywingErynnis horatius

Silver-spotted SkipperEpargyreus clarus

Fiery SkipperHylephila phyleus

Sleepy OrangeAbaeis nicippe

Virginia creeper sphinx
Darapsa myron

Orange-patched Smoky Moth
Pyromorpha dimidiata

Eight-spotted Forester
Alypia octomaculata

Spicebush Swallowtail
Papilio troilus

Large Purplish Gray
Iridopsis vellivolata

Spring Azure
Celastrina ladon

Green Cloverworm Moth
Hypena scabra

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Tulip-Tree Beauty
Epimecis hortaria

White Checkered-Skipper
Burnsius albescens

Eastern Comma
Polygonia comma

Gulf Fritillary
Agraulis vanillae

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Cloudless Sulphur
Phoebis sennae

Common Buckeye
Junonia coenia

Palamedes Swallowtail
Papilio palamedes

Long-tailed Skipper
Urbanus proteus

Horace's Duskywing
Erynnis horatius

Silver-spotted Skipper
Epargyreus clarus

Fiery Skipper
Hylephila phyleus

Sleepy Orange
Abaeis nicippe