Butterflies and Moths of New Mexico

947 Species Recorded in New Mexico

Top 20 Species Checklist All Photographs

Featured Species

Callophrys mcfarlandi

100 Most Recent Sightings in New Mexico

Use the Data Explorer to explore all sightings in New Mexico.

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Most Recent Sightings in New Mexico

See more recent sightings in New Mexico

Gray Hairstreak
Strymon melinus

Observed: Jan 14, 2026

Submitted by: cjgoin

Verified: Jan 15, 2026

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Mexican Yellow
Eurema mexicana

Observed: Jan 05, 2026

Submitted by: jamesvonloh

Verified: Jan 06, 2026

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Great Purple Hairstreak
Atlides halesus

Observed: Dec 31, 2025

Submitted by: Marta Reece

Verified: Jan 01, 2026

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Observed: Dec 28, 2025

Submitted by: Marta Reece

Verified: Dec 29, 2025

Verified by: stevecary

Details

American Snout
Libytheana carinenta

Observed: Dec 28, 2025

Submitted by: Marta Reece

Verified: Dec 28, 2025

Verified by: stevecary

Details

American Lady
Vanessa virginiensis

Observed: Dec 28, 2025

Submitted by: asombro_institute

Verified: Dec 30, 2025

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Mexican Yellow
Eurema mexicana

Observed: Dec 27, 2025

Submitted by: Marta Reece

Verified: Dec 28, 2025

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Burnsius albescens or communis

Observed: Dec 27, 2025

Submitted by: Marta Reece

Verified: Dec 28, 2025

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Gray Hairstreak
Strymon melinus

Observed: Dec 27, 2025

Submitted by: Marta Reece

Verified: Dec 28, 2025

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Western Pygmy-Blue
Brephidium exilis

Observed: Dec 26, 2025

Submitted by: Marta Reece

Verified: Dec 27, 2025

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Sleepy Orange
Abaeis nicippe

Observed: Dec 26, 2025

Submitted by: jamesvonloh

Verified: Jan 13, 2026

Verified by: stevecary

Details

American Snout
Libytheana carinenta

Observed: Dec 26, 2025

Submitted by: jamesvonloh

Verified: Jan 13, 2026

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Top 10 Commonly Reported Butterflies and Moths of New Mexico

Checkered White Pontia protodice	Upperside of male forewing has black checkered pattern on outer half. Female is more heavily patterned, but markings are more brown and diffuse. Hindwing of both male and female white. Underside of male hindwing with pale checkered pattern. Underside of female with yellow-tan markings on hindwing and tip of forewing. Short-day form has underside hindwing veins with heavy gray-green outlines.
Reakirt's Blue Echinargus isola	Upperside of male light blue with darker veins and dusky border; female darker. Underside of forewing with postmedian row of 5 round black spots circled with white.
Marine Blue Leptotes marina	Upperside blue; male with purple tinge, female with no white. Underside of forewing with unbroken pale brown bands from costa to inner margin.
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.
Variegated Fritillary Euptoieta claudia	Upperside tawny orange with thick dark veins and markings; black spots near margin. Hindwing margin angled and slightly scalloped. Underside of hindwing with a mottled pattern and no silver spots.
Dainty Sulphur Nathalis iole	Small, with elongated forewings. Upperside yellow with black markings, female with more extensive black than male. White form very rare. Underside of forewing with orange or yellow patch at base of wing and black spots at outer wing edge. Winter form has dusty green hindwing, summer form hindwing is pale yellow.
Sleepy Orange Abaeis nicippe	Upperside of wings orange in both sexes; orange-yellow form rare. Forewing with small black cell spot. Male with sharply defined black borders on outer and costal margins; female borders not so well-defined. In winter form, underside of hindwing is brick red, brown, or tan; in summer form it is orange-yellow.
Juniper Hairstreak Callophrys gryneus	Widespread and variable. Western and eastern populations were once considered separate species but have been found to hybridize. Western: Upperside of male dull red-brown, female tawny; both with dark brown costa and wing borders. Underside of forewing rust-red; hindwing dull to bright green with irregular white line edged inwardly with red-brown. Eastern: Upperside of male dark brown with olive-colored sheen, female blackish brown. Underside green; forewing with tawny base, hindwing with 2 white spots near base and irregular white line edged inwardly with red-brown.
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.

Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

947 Species Recorded in New Mexico

Featured Species

Callophrys mcfarlandi

100 Most Recent Sightings in New Mexico

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

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in New Mexico

Gray Hairstreak
Strymon melinus

Mexican Yellow
Eurema mexicana

Great Purple Hairstreak
Atlides halesus

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

American Snout
Libytheana carinenta

American Lady
Vanessa virginiensis

Mexican Yellow
Eurema mexicana

Burnsius albescens or communis

Gray Hairstreak
Strymon melinus

Western Pygmy-Blue
Brephidium exilis

Sleepy Orange
Abaeis nicippe

American Snout
Libytheana carinenta

Checkered White
Pontia protodice

Reakirt's Blue
Echinargus isola

Marine Blue
Leptotes marina

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

Variegated Fritillary
Euptoieta claudia

Dainty Sulphur
Nathalis iole

Sleepy Orange
Abaeis nicippe

Juniper Hairstreak
Callophrys gryneus

Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme

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Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Butterflies and Moths of New Mexico

947 Species Recorded in New Mexico

Featured Species

100 Most Recent Sightings in New Mexico

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in New Mexico

Gray HairstreakStrymon melinus

Mexican YellowEurema mexicana

Great Purple HairstreakAtlides halesus

Cabbage WhitePieris rapae

American SnoutLibytheana carinenta

American LadyVanessa virginiensis

Mexican YellowEurema mexicana

Gray HairstreakStrymon melinus

Western Pygmy-BlueBrephidium exilis

Sleepy OrangeAbaeis nicippe

American SnoutLibytheana carinenta

Checkered WhitePontia protodice

Reakirt's BlueEchinargus isola

Marine BlueLeptotes marina

MonarchDanaus plexippus

Painted LadyVanessa cardui

Variegated FritillaryEuptoieta claudia

Dainty SulphurNathalis iole

Sleepy OrangeAbaeis nicippe

Juniper HairstreakCallophrys gryneus

Orange SulphurColias eurytheme

Gray Hairstreak
Strymon melinus

Mexican Yellow
Eurema mexicana

Great Purple Hairstreak
Atlides halesus

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

American Snout
Libytheana carinenta

American Lady
Vanessa virginiensis

Mexican Yellow
Eurema mexicana

Gray Hairstreak
Strymon melinus

Western Pygmy-Blue
Brephidium exilis

Sleepy Orange
Abaeis nicippe

American Snout
Libytheana carinenta

Checkered White
Pontia protodice

Reakirt's Blue
Echinargus isola

Marine Blue
Leptotes marina

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

Variegated Fritillary
Euptoieta claudia

Dainty Sulphur
Nathalis iole

Sleepy Orange
Abaeis nicippe

Juniper Hairstreak
Callophrys gryneus

Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme