Butterflies and Moths of Illinois

950 Species Recorded in Illinois

Top 20 Species Checklist All Photographs

Featured Species

Eumorpha fasciatus

100 Most Recent Sightings in Illinois

Use the Data Explorer to explore all sightings in Illinois.

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Most Recent Sightings in Illinois

See more recent sightings in Illinois

Great Leopard Moth
Hypercompe scribonia

Observed: Apr 08, 2026

Submitted by: leskokid

Verified: Apr 08, 2026

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Eight-spotted Forester
Alypia octomaculata

Observed: Apr 08, 2026

Submitted by: leskokid

Verified: Apr 08, 2026

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Zebra Swallowtail
Neographium marcellus

Observed: Apr 05, 2026

Submitted by: leskokid

Verified: Apr 08, 2026

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Nessus sphinx
Amphion floridensis

Observed: Mar 31, 2026

Submitted by: leskokid

Verified: Apr 01, 2026

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Nessus sphinx
Amphion floridensis

Observed: Mar 22, 2026

Submitted by: DarrinO

Verified: Mar 25, 2026

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa

Observed: Mar 21, 2026

Submitted by: mtobin11

Verified: Mar 25, 2026

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Hemina Pinion Moth
Lithophane hemina

Observed: Mar 20, 2026

Submitted by: mathgeek

Verified: Mar 22, 2026

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Fall Cankerworm Moth
Alsophila pometaria

Observed: Mar 10, 2026

Submitted by: Kzfisherman

Verified: Mar 14, 2026

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Spring Cankerworm Moth
Paleacrita vernata

Observed: Mar 10, 2026

Submitted by: Kzfisherman

Verified: Mar 14, 2026

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Small Phigalia
Phigalia strigataria

Observed: Mar 10, 2026

Submitted by: Kzfisherman

Verified: Mar 14, 2026

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Small Phigalia
Phigalia strigataria

Observed: Mar 10, 2026

Submitted by: Kzfisherman

Verified: Mar 14, 2026

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Spring Cankerworm Moth
Paleacrita vernata

Observed: Mar 06, 2026

Submitted by: mtobin11

Verified: Mar 14, 2026

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Top 10 Commonly Reported Butterflies and Moths of Illinois

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
'Astyanax' Red-spotted Purple Limenitis arthemis astyanax

Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

950 Species Recorded in Illinois

Featured Species

Eumorpha fasciatus

100 Most Recent Sightings in Illinois

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

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in Illinois

Great Leopard Moth
Hypercompe scribonia

Eight-spotted Forester
Alypia octomaculata

Zebra Swallowtail
Neographium marcellus

Nessus sphinx
Amphion floridensis

Nessus sphinx
Amphion floridensis

Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa

Hemina Pinion Moth
Lithophane hemina

Fall Cankerworm Moth
Alsophila pometaria

Spring Cankerworm Moth
Paleacrita vernata

Small Phigalia
Phigalia strigataria

Small Phigalia
Phigalia strigataria

Spring Cankerworm Moth
Paleacrita vernata

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Pearl Crescent
Phyciodes tharos

Black Swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes

Eastern Tailed-Blue
Cupido comyntas

Silver-spotted Skipper
Epargyreus clarus

Common Buckeye
Junonia coenia

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

'Astyanax' Red-spotted Purple
Limenitis arthemis astyanax

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Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Butterflies and Moths of Illinois

950 Species Recorded in Illinois

Featured Species

100 Most Recent Sightings in Illinois

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in Illinois

Great Leopard MothHypercompe scribonia

Eight-spotted ForesterAlypia octomaculata

Zebra SwallowtailNeographium marcellus

Nessus sphinxAmphion floridensis

Nessus sphinxAmphion floridensis

Mourning CloakNymphalis antiopa

Hemina Pinion MothLithophane hemina

Fall Cankerworm MothAlsophila pometaria

Spring Cankerworm MothPaleacrita vernata

Small PhigaliaPhigalia strigataria

Small PhigaliaPhigalia strigataria

Spring Cankerworm MothPaleacrita vernata

MonarchDanaus plexippus

Eastern Tiger SwallowtailPapilio glaucus

Red AdmiralVanessa atalanta

Pearl CrescentPhyciodes tharos

Black SwallowtailPapilio polyxenes

Eastern Tailed-BlueCupido comyntas

Silver-spotted SkipperEpargyreus clarus

Common BuckeyeJunonia coenia

Cabbage WhitePieris rapae

'Astyanax' Red-spotted PurpleLimenitis arthemis astyanax

Great Leopard Moth
Hypercompe scribonia

Eight-spotted Forester
Alypia octomaculata

Zebra Swallowtail
Neographium marcellus

Nessus sphinx
Amphion floridensis

Nessus sphinx
Amphion floridensis

Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa

Hemina Pinion Moth
Lithophane hemina

Fall Cankerworm Moth
Alsophila pometaria

Spring Cankerworm Moth
Paleacrita vernata

Small Phigalia
Phigalia strigataria

Small Phigalia
Phigalia strigataria

Spring Cankerworm Moth
Paleacrita vernata

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Pearl Crescent
Phyciodes tharos

Black Swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes

Eastern Tailed-Blue
Cupido comyntas

Silver-spotted Skipper
Epargyreus clarus

Common Buckeye
Junonia coenia

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

'Astyanax' Red-spotted Purple
Limenitis arthemis astyanax