Butterflies and Moths of Kansas

706 Species Recorded in Kansas

Top 20 Species Checklist All Photographs

Featured Species

Speyeria idalia

100 Most Recent Sightings in Kansas

Use the Data Explorer to explore all sightings in Kansas.

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Most Recent Sightings in Kansas

See more recent sightings in Kansas

Pandorus Sphinx
Eumorpha pandorus

Observed: Aug 08, 2026

Submitted by: Lilliegriffith

Verified: Aug 09, 2026

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Black Swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes

Observed: Aug 02, 2026

Submitted by: jkarthei

Verified: Aug 08, 2026

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Pyrausta generosa

Observed: Aug 02, 2026

Submitted by: Kansasbirder

Verified: Aug 03, 2026

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Dun Skipper
Euphyes vestris

Observed: Aug 01, 2026

Submitted by: Kansasbirder

Verified: Aug 02, 2026

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Observed: Jul 31, 2026

Submitted by: jkarthei

Verified: Aug 08, 2026

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Delaware Skipper
Anatrytone logan

Observed: Jul 29, 2026

Submitted by: Kansasbirder

Verified: Jul 31, 2026

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Tawny-edged Skipper
Polites themistocles

Observed: Jul 26, 2026

Submitted by: Kansasbirder

Verified: Jul 28, 2026

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Horace's Duskywing
Erynnis horatius

Observed: Jul 26, 2026

Submitted by: jkarthei

Verified: Jul 28, 2026

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Zabulon Skipper
Poanes zabulon

Observed: Jul 26, 2026

Submitted by: jkarthei

Verified: Jul 28, 2026

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

White-dotted Prominent
Nadata gibbosa

Observed: Jul 26, 2026

Submitted by: jkarthei

Verified: Jul 27, 2026

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Huron Sachem
Atalopedes huron

Observed: Jul 25, 2026

Submitted by: jkarthei

Verified: Jul 28, 2026

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Tawny-edged Skipper
Polites themistocles

Observed: Jul 24, 2026

Submitted by: Kansasbirder

Verified: Jul 29, 2026

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Top 10 Commonly Reported Butterflies and Moths of Kansas

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.
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.
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.
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.
Orange Sulphur Colias eurytheme	Quite variable. Upperside of male yellow with orange overlay, yellow veins, wide black border, and dark black cell spot. Female yellow or white with irregular black border surrounding light spots. Underside hindwing spot silver with 2 concentric dark rings, and a spot above it.
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.
Gray Hairstreak Strymon melinus	One tail on hindwing. Upperside blue-gray with large red spot near tail. Underside of spring/fall form is dark gray, summer form is paler gray. Relatively straight postmedian line is white, bordered with orange on the inside edge.
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.
Hackberry Emperor Asterocampa celtis	Extremely variable geographically. Upperside is reddish brown. Forewing has 1 submarginal eyespot, a jagged row of white spots, and the cell has 1 solid black bar and 2 separate black spots.

Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

706 Species Recorded in Kansas

Featured Species

Speyeria idalia

100 Most Recent Sightings in Kansas

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

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in Kansas

Pandorus Sphinx
Eumorpha pandorus

Black Swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes

Pyrausta generosa

Dun Skipper
Euphyes vestris

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Delaware Skipper
Anatrytone logan

Tawny-edged Skipper
Polites themistocles

Horace's Duskywing
Erynnis horatius

Zabulon Skipper
Poanes zabulon

White-dotted Prominent
Nadata gibbosa

Huron Sachem
Atalopedes huron

Tawny-edged Skipper
Polites themistocles

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

Black Swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes

Common Buckeye
Junonia coenia

Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Pearl Crescent
Phyciodes tharos

Gray Hairstreak
Strymon melinus

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Hackberry Emperor
Asterocampa celtis

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Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Butterflies and Moths of Kansas

706 Species Recorded in Kansas

Featured Species

100 Most Recent Sightings in Kansas

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in Kansas

Pandorus SphinxEumorpha pandorus

Black SwallowtailPapilio polyxenes

Dun SkipperEuphyes vestris

MonarchDanaus plexippus

Delaware SkipperAnatrytone logan

Tawny-edged SkipperPolites themistocles

Horace's DuskywingErynnis horatius

Zabulon SkipperPoanes zabulon

White-dotted ProminentNadata gibbosa

Huron SachemAtalopedes huron

Tawny-edged SkipperPolites themistocles

MonarchDanaus plexippus

Painted LadyVanessa cardui

Black SwallowtailPapilio polyxenes

Common BuckeyeJunonia coenia

Orange SulphurColias eurytheme

Eastern Tiger SwallowtailPapilio glaucus

Pearl CrescentPhyciodes tharos

Gray HairstreakStrymon melinus

Red AdmiralVanessa atalanta

Hackberry EmperorAsterocampa celtis

Pandorus Sphinx
Eumorpha pandorus

Black Swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes

Dun Skipper
Euphyes vestris

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Delaware Skipper
Anatrytone logan

Tawny-edged Skipper
Polites themistocles

Horace's Duskywing
Erynnis horatius

Zabulon Skipper
Poanes zabulon

White-dotted Prominent
Nadata gibbosa

Huron Sachem
Atalopedes huron

Tawny-edged Skipper
Polites themistocles

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

Black Swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes

Common Buckeye
Junonia coenia

Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Pearl Crescent
Phyciodes tharos

Gray Hairstreak
Strymon melinus

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Hackberry Emperor
Asterocampa celtis