Butterflies and Moths of New Mexico

1002 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

Istar sphinx
Lintneria istar

Observed: Aug 04, 2026

Submitted by: LDennisson

Verified: Aug 06, 2026

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Common Sootywing
Pholisora catullus

Observed: Aug 03, 2026

Submitted by: Dogoszhi

Verified: Aug 04, 2026

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Saltbush Sootywing
Hesperopsis alpheus

Observed: Aug 02, 2026

Submitted by: Gordon Berman

Verified: Aug 04, 2026

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Acacia Skipper
Cogia hippalus

Observed: Aug 01, 2026

Submitted by: Cactuswren1976

Verified: Aug 05, 2026

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Empress Leilia
Asterocampa leilia

Observed: Jul 31, 2026

Submitted by: Cactuswren1976

Verified: Aug 05, 2026

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Burnsius albescens or communis

Observed: Jul 31, 2026

Submitted by: Cactuswren1976

Verified: Aug 05, 2026

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Golden-headed Scallopwing
Staphylus ceos

Observed: Jul 31, 2026

Submitted by: Cactuswren1976

Verified: Aug 05, 2026

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Mournful Duskywing
Erynnis tristis

Observed: Jul 30, 2026

Submitted by: Cactuswren1976

Verified: Aug 05, 2026

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Margined White
Pieris marginalis

Observed: Jul 29, 2026

Submitted by: Dogoszhi

Verified: Jul 30, 2026

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Observed: Jul 29, 2026

Submitted by: Cactuswren1976

Verified: Jul 30, 2026

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Mexican Metalmark
Apodemia mejicanus

Observed: Jul 28, 2026

Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly

Verified: Jul 29, 2026

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Southern Dogface
Zerene cesonia

Observed: Jul 28, 2026

Submitted by: Cactuswren1976

Verified: Jul 30, 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Queen Danaus gilippus	Upperside is chestnut brown; black borders of forewings have 2 rows of white spots; white spots are scattered at the forewing apex. Underside of hindwing has black veins; black borders of both wings have 2 rows of white spots. Upperside of male hindwing has a black scale patch. Very similar to the Soldier (Danaus eresimus), but is more brown and has less defined wing veins on the upperside. Underside hindwing lacks band of pale spots present in the Soldier. Queens in the southwest (and sometimes in the southeast) have pale veins on the upperside of the hindwings, which are lacking in the Soldier.
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.
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.

Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

1002 Species Recorded in New Mexico

Featured Species

Callophrys mcfarlandi

100 Most Recent Sightings in New Mexico

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

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in New Mexico

Istar sphinx
Lintneria istar

Common Sootywing
Pholisora catullus

Saltbush Sootywing
Hesperopsis alpheus

Acacia Skipper
Cogia hippalus

Empress Leilia
Asterocampa leilia

Burnsius albescens or communis

Golden-headed Scallopwing
Staphylus ceos

Mournful Duskywing
Erynnis tristis

Margined White
Pieris marginalis

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Mexican Metalmark
Apodemia mejicanus

Southern Dogface
Zerene cesonia

Checkered White
Pontia protodice

Reakirt's Blue
Echinargus isola

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

Marine Blue
Leptotes marina

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Variegated Fritillary
Euptoieta claudia

Sleepy Orange
Abaeis nicippe

Queen
Danaus gilippus

Dainty Sulphur
Nathalis iole

Juniper Hairstreak
Callophrys gryneus

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Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Butterflies and Moths of New Mexico

1002 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

Istar sphinxLintneria istar

Common SootywingPholisora catullus

Saltbush SootywingHesperopsis alpheus

Acacia SkipperCogia hippalus

Empress LeiliaAsterocampa leilia

Golden-headed ScallopwingStaphylus ceos

Mournful DuskywingErynnis tristis

Margined WhitePieris marginalis

MonarchDanaus plexippus

Mexican MetalmarkApodemia mejicanus

Southern DogfaceZerene cesonia

Checkered WhitePontia protodice

Reakirt's BlueEchinargus isola

Painted LadyVanessa cardui

Marine BlueLeptotes marina

MonarchDanaus plexippus

Variegated FritillaryEuptoieta claudia

Sleepy OrangeAbaeis nicippe

QueenDanaus gilippus

Dainty SulphurNathalis iole

Juniper HairstreakCallophrys gryneus

Istar sphinx
Lintneria istar

Common Sootywing
Pholisora catullus

Saltbush Sootywing
Hesperopsis alpheus

Acacia Skipper
Cogia hippalus

Empress Leilia
Asterocampa leilia

Golden-headed Scallopwing
Staphylus ceos

Mournful Duskywing
Erynnis tristis

Margined White
Pieris marginalis

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Mexican Metalmark
Apodemia mejicanus

Southern Dogface
Zerene cesonia

Checkered White
Pontia protodice

Reakirt's Blue
Echinargus isola

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

Marine Blue
Leptotes marina

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Variegated Fritillary
Euptoieta claudia

Sleepy Orange
Abaeis nicippe

Queen
Danaus gilippus

Dainty Sulphur
Nathalis iole

Juniper Hairstreak
Callophrys gryneus