Butterflies and Moths of Minnesota

National Moth Week is July 18-26!

Moths are amazing creatures. Take photographs and share your moth sightings with us to document the moths where you live.

1563 Species Recorded in Minnesota

Top 20 Species Checklist All Photographs

Featured Species

Cerma cora

100 Most Recent Sightings in Minnesota

Use the Data Explorer to explore all sightings in Minnesota.

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Most Recent Sightings in Minnesota

See more recent sightings in Minnesota

Mulberry Wing
Poanes massasoit

Observed: Jul 18, 2026

Submitted by: naj.pilla

Verified: Jul 20, 2026

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Dion Skipper
Euphyes dion

Observed: Jul 18, 2026

Submitted by: naj.pilla

Verified: Jul 20, 2026

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Dun Skipper
Euphyes vestris

Observed: Jul 18, 2026

Submitted by: naj.pilla

Verified: Jul 20, 2026

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Summer Azure
Celastrina neglecta

Observed: Jul 16, 2026

Submitted by: prairie fairie

Verified: Jul 16, 2026

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Isabella Tiger Moth or Banded Woolybear
Pyrrharctia isabella

Observed: Jul 12, 2026

Submitted by: Emma Heim

Verified: Jul 12, 2026

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Observed: Jul 12, 2026

Submitted by: Emma Heim

Verified: Jul 12, 2026

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Wild Indigo Duskywing
Erynnis baptisiae

Observed: Jul 09, 2026

Submitted by: bethtiller

Verified: Jul 11, 2026

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Northern Blue
Plebejus idas

Observed: Jul 07, 2026

Submitted by: Allison Barta

Verified: Jul 12, 2026

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

American Lady
Vanessa virginiensis

Observed: Jul 01, 2026

Submitted by: AnnL

Verified: Jul 02, 2026

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Eastern Tent Caterpillar Moth
Malacosoma americanum

Observed: Jun 22, 2026

Submitted by: Collferg11

Verified: Jun 24, 2026

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Desmia funeralis/maculalis

Observed: Jun 19, 2026

Submitted by: RickR

Verified: Jun 28, 2026

Verified by: Tom Middagh

Details

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Observed: Jun 11, 2026

Submitted by: Shesparkledon

Verified: Jul 13, 2026

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Top 10 Commonly Reported Butterflies and Moths of Minnesota

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.
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.
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.
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.
Great Spangled Fritillary Speyeria cybele	Large. Upperside of male tan to orange with black scales on forewing veins; female tawny, darker than male. Underside of hindwing with wide pale submarginal band and large silver spots.
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.
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.
White-lined Sphinx Hyles lineata	Upperside of forewing is dark olive brown with paler brown along the costa and outer margin, a narrow tan band running from the wing tip to the base, and white streaks along the veins. Hindwing upperside is black with a reddish pink median band.
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.
Cecropia silkmoth Hyalophora cecropia	Body is red with a white collar and white bands on the abdomen. Wings are dark brown with white hairlike scales giving a frosted appearance; forewings are red at the base. Crescent spots and the area outside the postmedian line are red on all wings.

Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

National Moth Week is July 18-26!

Moths are amazing creatures. Take photographs and share your moth sightings with us to document the moths where you live.

1563 Species Recorded in Minnesota

Featured Species

Cerma cora

100 Most Recent Sightings in Minnesota

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

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in Minnesota

Mulberry Wing
Poanes massasoit

Dion Skipper
Euphyes dion

Dun Skipper
Euphyes vestris

Summer Azure
Celastrina neglecta

Isabella Tiger Moth or Banded Woolybear
Pyrrharctia isabella

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Wild Indigo Duskywing
Erynnis baptisiae

Northern Blue
Plebejus idas

American Lady
Vanessa virginiensis

Eastern Tent Caterpillar Moth
Malacosoma americanum

Desmia funeralis/maculalis

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Polyphemus moth
Antheraea polyphemus

Great Spangled Fritillary
Speyeria cybele

Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

White-lined Sphinx
Hyles lineata

Eastern Tailed-Blue
Cupido comyntas

Cecropia silkmoth
Hyalophora cecropia

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Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

National Moth Week is July 18-26!

Moths are amazing creatures. Take photographs and share your moth sightings with us to document the moths where you live.

Butterflies and Moths of Minnesota

1563 Species Recorded in Minnesota

Featured Species

100 Most Recent Sightings in Minnesota

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in Minnesota

Mulberry WingPoanes massasoit

Dion SkipperEuphyes dion

Dun SkipperEuphyes vestris

Summer AzureCelastrina neglecta

Isabella Tiger Moth or Banded WoolybearPyrrharctia isabella

Cabbage WhitePieris rapae

Wild Indigo DuskywingErynnis baptisiae

Northern BluePlebejus idas

American LadyVanessa virginiensis

Eastern Tent Caterpillar MothMalacosoma americanum

MonarchDanaus plexippus

Eastern Tiger SwallowtailPapilio glaucus

MonarchDanaus plexippus

Red AdmiralVanessa atalanta

Polyphemus mothAntheraea polyphemus

Great Spangled FritillarySpeyeria cybele

Mourning CloakNymphalis antiopa

Painted LadyVanessa cardui

White-lined SphinxHyles lineata

Eastern Tailed-BlueCupido comyntas

Cecropia silkmothHyalophora cecropia

Mulberry Wing
Poanes massasoit

Dion Skipper
Euphyes dion

Dun Skipper
Euphyes vestris

Summer Azure
Celastrina neglecta

Isabella Tiger Moth or Banded Woolybear
Pyrrharctia isabella

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Wild Indigo Duskywing
Erynnis baptisiae

Northern Blue
Plebejus idas

American Lady
Vanessa virginiensis

Eastern Tent Caterpillar Moth
Malacosoma americanum

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Polyphemus moth
Antheraea polyphemus

Great Spangled Fritillary
Speyeria cybele

Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

White-lined Sphinx
Hyles lineata

Eastern Tailed-Blue
Cupido comyntas

Cecropia silkmoth
Hyalophora cecropia