Butterflies and Moths of Washington

1075 Species Recorded in Washington

Top 20 Species Checklist All Photographs

Featured Species

Papilio zelicaon

100 Most Recent Sightings in Washington

Use the Data Explorer to explore all sightings in Washington.

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Most Recent Sightings in Washington

See more recent sightings in Washington

Panthea virginarius

Observed: Jun 08, 2026

Submitted by: Varn

Verified: Jun 10, 2026

Verified by: davidwdroppers

Details

Common Ringlet
Coenonympha tullia

Observed: Jun 06, 2026

Submitted by: cjgoin

Verified: Jun 10, 2026

Verified by: davidwdroppers

Details

European Yellow Underwing
Noctua pronuba

Observed: Jun 04, 2026

Submitted by: lewismagpie

Verified: Jun 10, 2026

Verified by: davidwdroppers

Details

Chrysoteuchia topiaria

Observed: Jun 03, 2026

Submitted by: pammymp

Verified: Jun 10, 2026

Verified by: davidwdroppers

Details

Pale Beauty
Campaea perlata

Observed: Jun 02, 2026

Submitted by: Varn

Verified: Jun 10, 2026

Verified by: davidwdroppers

Details

Western Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio rutulus

Observed: Jun 02, 2026

Submitted by: chloemcintyre

Verified: Jun 10, 2026

Verified by: davidwdroppers

Details

Polyphemus moth
Antheraea polyphemus

Observed: Jun 02, 2026

Submitted by: MeganMarks

Verified: Jun 10, 2026

Verified by: davidwdroppers

Details

Cinnabar Moth
Tyria jacobaeae

Observed: Jun 02, 2026

Submitted by: treenostalgia

Verified: Jun 10, 2026

Verified by: davidwdroppers

Details

Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme

Observed: May 30, 2026

Submitted by: Varn

Verified: Jun 10, 2026

Verified by: davidwdroppers

Details

Ranchman's Tiger Moth
Platyprepia virginalis

Observed: May 30, 2026

Submitted by: BCallahan001

Verified: May 31, 2026

Verified by: davidwdroppers

Details

Rhigognostis interrupta

Observed: May 29, 2026

Submitted by: pammymp

Verified: Jun 10, 2026

Verified by: davidwdroppers

Details

Oecophora bractella

Observed: May 29, 2026

Submitted by: pammymp

Verified: May 31, 2026

Verified by: davidwdroppers

Details

Top 10 Commonly Reported Butterflies and Moths of Washington

Western Tiger Swallowtail Papilio rutulus	Upperside of hindwing with upper-most marginal spot yellow or lacking. Underside of forewing with separate yellow spots forming marginal band. Hindwing has narrow marginal spots and no orange tint except for 2 spots near end of inner margin.
Lorquin's Admiral Limenitis lorquini	Upperside is black with white median bands on both wings; tip of forewing is orange-brown. Underside is reddish-brown with white markings.
Echo Azure Celastrina echo	Chalky pale blue gray beneath with small black spots or dashes. Submarginal row of inward pointing triangular marks. Males are a pale chalky blue above.
Woodland Skipper Ochlodes sylvanoides	Upperside is orange with toothed brown borders. Forewing has a black stigma (male) or a black diagonal band (female). Hindwing has a large reddish patch. Underside varies from yellow to reddish to brown; hindwing varies from unmarked to having a distinct band of cream to yellow spots.
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.
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.
Common Ringlet Coenonympha tullia	Extremely variable geographically, with at least 4 subspecies. Wings range from dark orange-brown to pale cream. Underside of forewing usually has a small eyespot near its tip. Underside of hindwing is gray-green with a wavy white median line.
Pale Swallowtail Papilio eurymedon	Upper surface of wings creamy white with black stripes. Front wing is narrow and pointed; tail of hindwing is long, slender and twisted.
Painted Lady Vanessa cardui	Upperside is orange-brown with darker wing bases; forewing with black apex patch and white bar on leading edge; hindwing submarginal row of 5 small black spots sometimes has blue scales. Underside has a black, brown, and gray pattern with 4 small submarginal eyespots.
Anise Swallowtail Papilio zelicaon	Upper surface of hindwing has yellow-orange eyespot near tail with round black center that is not connected to hindwing margin. Anal cell of hindwing is primarily yellow.

Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

1075 Species Recorded in Washington

Featured Species

Papilio zelicaon

100 Most Recent Sightings in Washington

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

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in Washington

Panthea virginarius

Common Ringlet
Coenonympha tullia

European Yellow Underwing
Noctua pronuba

Chrysoteuchia topiaria

Pale Beauty
Campaea perlata

Western Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio rutulus

Polyphemus moth
Antheraea polyphemus

Cinnabar Moth
Tyria jacobaeae

Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme

Ranchman's Tiger Moth
Platyprepia virginalis

Rhigognostis interrupta

Oecophora bractella

Western Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio rutulus

Lorquin's Admiral
Limenitis lorquini

Echo Azure
Celastrina echo

Woodland Skipper
Ochlodes sylvanoides

Polyphemus moth
Antheraea polyphemus

Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa

Common Ringlet
Coenonympha tullia

Pale Swallowtail
Papilio eurymedon

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

Anise Swallowtail
Papilio zelicaon

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Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Butterflies and Moths of Washington

1075 Species Recorded in Washington

Featured Species

100 Most Recent Sightings in Washington

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in Washington

Common RingletCoenonympha tullia

European Yellow UnderwingNoctua pronuba

Pale BeautyCampaea perlata

Western Tiger SwallowtailPapilio rutulus

Polyphemus mothAntheraea polyphemus

Cinnabar MothTyria jacobaeae

Orange SulphurColias eurytheme

Ranchman's Tiger MothPlatyprepia virginalis

Western Tiger SwallowtailPapilio rutulus

Lorquin's AdmiralLimenitis lorquini

Echo AzureCelastrina echo

Woodland SkipperOchlodes sylvanoides

Polyphemus mothAntheraea polyphemus

Mourning CloakNymphalis antiopa

Common RingletCoenonympha tullia

Pale SwallowtailPapilio eurymedon

Painted LadyVanessa cardui

Anise SwallowtailPapilio zelicaon

Common Ringlet
Coenonympha tullia

European Yellow Underwing
Noctua pronuba

Pale Beauty
Campaea perlata

Western Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio rutulus

Polyphemus moth
Antheraea polyphemus

Cinnabar Moth
Tyria jacobaeae

Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme

Ranchman's Tiger Moth
Platyprepia virginalis

Western Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio rutulus

Lorquin's Admiral
Limenitis lorquini

Echo Azure
Celastrina echo

Woodland Skipper
Ochlodes sylvanoides

Polyphemus moth
Antheraea polyphemus

Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa

Common Ringlet
Coenonympha tullia

Pale Swallowtail
Papilio eurymedon

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

Anise Swallowtail
Papilio zelicaon