Butterflies and Moths of Massachusetts

1790 Species Recorded in Massachusetts

Top 20 Species Checklist All Photographs

Featured Species

Polites peckius

100 Most Recent Sightings in Massachusetts

Use the Data Explorer to explore all sightings in Massachusetts.

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Most Recent Sightings in Massachusetts

See more recent sightings in Massachusetts

Pink-spotted hawkmoth
Agrius cingulata

Observed: Sep 13, 2025

Submitted by: Moebus6

Verified: Sep 14, 2025

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Soybean Looper Moth
Chrysodeixis includens

Observed: Sep 06, 2025

Submitted by: TJ in Derry

Verified: Sep 08, 2025

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Arcigera Flower Moth
Schinia arcigera

Observed: Sep 05, 2025

Submitted by: lyndageller

Verified: Sep 21, 2025

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Hellinsia paleaceus

Observed: Aug 22, 2025

Submitted by: dlister

Verified: Aug 31, 2025

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Soybean Looper Moth
Chrysodeixis includens

Observed: Aug 22, 2025

Submitted by: dlister

Verified: Aug 31, 2025

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Sharp-angled Carpet
Euphyia intermediata

Observed: Aug 22, 2025

Submitted by: dlister

Verified: Aug 23, 2025

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Eupithecia absinthiata

Observed: Aug 20, 2025

Submitted by: dlister

Verified: Oct 11, 2025

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Ursula Wainscot
Leucania ursula

Observed: Aug 19, 2025

Submitted by: dlister

Verified: Aug 24, 2025

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Armyworm Moth
Mythimna unipuncta

Observed: Aug 19, 2025

Submitted by: dlister

Verified: Aug 24, 2025

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Dotted Sallow
Anathix ralla

Observed: Aug 19, 2025

Submitted by: dlister

Verified: Aug 24, 2025

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Lesser Maple Spanworm Moth
Speranza pustularia

Observed: Aug 19, 2025

Submitted by: dlister

Verified: Aug 24, 2025

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Xestia c-nigrum/dolosa complex

Observed: Aug 19, 2025

Submitted by: dlister

Verified: Sep 01, 2025

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Top 10 Commonly Reported Butterflies and Moths of Massachusetts

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.
Clouded Sulphur Colias philodice	Upper surface of male wings bright, clear yellow with solid black edging; lower side of forewing with some dark submarginal spots; hindwing with silver cell spot rimmed with orange-pink, usually doubled. Female has 2 forms: yellow form with uneven black edging enclosing yellow spots, and a white form which is greenish-white rather than yellow. Spring and fall forms are smaller and less conspicuously marked.
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.
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.
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.
American Copper Lycaena phlaeas	Upper surface of forewing shiny, fiery orange-red with black spots; hindwing gray with orange-red outer margin. Underside gray; hindwing with submarginal row of orange-red zigzags.
American Lady Vanessa virginiensis	Upperside with uneven brown, yellow, and orange pattern. Forewing with a black apical patch, a small white spot in the orange field below the patch, and a white bar at the leading edge of the forewing. Underside of hindwing with two large eyespots. Winter form is smaller and paler, summer form larger with brighter coloring.
Spring Azure Celastrina ladon	Seasonally variable and sexually dimorphic. Upperside of males blue, females with some black at outer edge of forewing. Late spring and summer forms with white above. Underside hindwing gray-white with faded small black dots, darker gray with larger black spots, or with blotches and black margins in the center.
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.
Peck's Skipper Polites peckius	Upperside of male is brown with reddish-orange patches; forewing has a sinuous stigma. Female is darker with no stigma. Underside of the hindwing of both sexes has a patch of large yellow spots in the center surrounded by dark brown.

Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

1790 Species Recorded in Massachusetts

Featured Species

Polites peckius

100 Most Recent Sightings in Massachusetts

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

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in Massachusetts

Pink-spotted hawkmoth
Agrius cingulata

Soybean Looper Moth
Chrysodeixis includens

Arcigera Flower Moth
Schinia arcigera

Hellinsia paleaceus

Soybean Looper Moth
Chrysodeixis includens

Sharp-angled Carpet
Euphyia intermediata

Eupithecia absinthiata

Ursula Wainscot
Leucania ursula

Armyworm Moth
Mythimna unipuncta

Dotted Sallow
Anathix ralla

Lesser Maple Spanworm Moth
Speranza pustularia

Xestia c-nigrum/dolosa complex

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Clouded Sulphur
Colias philodice

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme

Pearl Crescent
Phyciodes tharos

American Copper
Lycaena phlaeas

American Lady
Vanessa virginiensis

Spring Azure
Celastrina ladon

Eastern Tailed-Blue
Cupido comyntas

Peck's Skipper
Polites peckius

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Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Butterflies and Moths of Massachusetts

1790 Species Recorded in Massachusetts

Featured Species

100 Most Recent Sightings in Massachusetts

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in Massachusetts

Pink-spotted hawkmothAgrius cingulata

Soybean Looper MothChrysodeixis includens

Arcigera Flower MothSchinia arcigera

Soybean Looper MothChrysodeixis includens

Sharp-angled CarpetEuphyia intermediata

Ursula WainscotLeucania ursula

Armyworm MothMythimna unipuncta

Dotted SallowAnathix ralla

Lesser Maple Spanworm MothSperanza pustularia

Cabbage WhitePieris rapae

Clouded SulphurColias philodice

MonarchDanaus plexippus

Orange SulphurColias eurytheme

Pearl CrescentPhyciodes tharos

American CopperLycaena phlaeas

American LadyVanessa virginiensis

Spring AzureCelastrina ladon

Eastern Tailed-BlueCupido comyntas

Peck's SkipperPolites peckius

Pink-spotted hawkmoth
Agrius cingulata

Soybean Looper Moth
Chrysodeixis includens

Arcigera Flower Moth
Schinia arcigera

Soybean Looper Moth
Chrysodeixis includens

Sharp-angled Carpet
Euphyia intermediata

Ursula Wainscot
Leucania ursula

Armyworm Moth
Mythimna unipuncta

Dotted Sallow
Anathix ralla

Lesser Maple Spanworm Moth
Speranza pustularia

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Clouded Sulphur
Colias philodice

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme

Pearl Crescent
Phyciodes tharos

American Copper
Lycaena phlaeas

American Lady
Vanessa virginiensis

Spring Azure
Celastrina ladon

Eastern Tailed-Blue
Cupido comyntas

Peck's Skipper
Polites peckius