Butterflies and Moths of New Mexico

989 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

Lupine Blue
Plebejus lupini

Observed: Apr 24, 2026

Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly

Verified: Apr 28, 2026

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Mountain Checkered-Skipper
Pyrgus xanthus

Observed: Apr 24, 2026

Submitted by: topper72

Verified: Apr 28, 2026

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Melissa Blue (includes Karner Blue)
Plebejus melissa

Observed: Apr 24, 2026

Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly

Verified: Apr 28, 2026

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

Observed: Apr 24, 2026

Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly

Verified: Apr 28, 2026

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Margined White
Pieris marginalis

Observed: Apr 24, 2026

Submitted by: topper72

Verified: Apr 28, 2026

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Rhesus Skipper
Polites rhesus

Observed: Apr 24, 2026

Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly

Verified: Apr 28, 2026

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Asella sphinx
Sphinx asellus

Observed: Apr 22, 2026

Submitted by: moth_sm

Verified: Apr 23, 2026

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Mexican Metalmark
Apodemia mejicanus

Observed: Apr 22, 2026

Submitted by: LightScavenger

Verified: Apr 24, 2026

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Funereal Duskywing
Erynnis funeralis

Observed: Apr 21, 2026

Submitted by: Dogoszhi

Verified: Apr 22, 2026

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Marine Blue
Leptotes marina

Observed: Apr 21, 2026

Submitted by: Dogoszhi

Verified: Apr 24, 2026

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Silvery Blue
Glaucopsyche lygdamus

Observed: Apr 20, 2026

Submitted by: topper72

Verified: Apr 22, 2026

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Southwestern Orangetip
Anthocharis thoosa

Observed: Apr 20, 2026

Submitted by: topper72

Verified: Apr 22, 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.
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

989 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

Lupine Blue
Plebejus lupini

Mountain Checkered-Skipper
Pyrgus xanthus

Melissa Blue (includes Karner Blue)
Plebejus melissa

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

Margined White
Pieris marginalis

Rhesus Skipper
Polites rhesus

Asella sphinx
Sphinx asellus

Mexican Metalmark
Apodemia mejicanus

Funereal Duskywing
Erynnis funeralis

Marine Blue
Leptotes marina

Silvery Blue
Glaucopsyche lygdamus

Southwestern Orangetip
Anthocharis thoosa

Checkered White
Pontia protodice

Reakirt's Blue
Echinargus isola

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

Marine Blue
Leptotes marina

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

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

989 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

Lupine BluePlebejus lupini

Mountain Checkered-SkipperPyrgus xanthus

Melissa Blue (includes Karner Blue)Plebejus melissa

Painted LadyVanessa cardui

Margined WhitePieris marginalis

Rhesus SkipperPolites rhesus

Asella sphinxSphinx asellus

Mexican MetalmarkApodemia mejicanus

Funereal DuskywingErynnis funeralis

Marine BlueLeptotes marina

Silvery BlueGlaucopsyche lygdamus

Southwestern OrangetipAnthocharis thoosa

Checkered WhitePontia protodice

Reakirt's BlueEchinargus isola

Painted LadyVanessa cardui

Marine BlueLeptotes marina

MonarchDanaus plexippus

Variegated FritillaryEuptoieta claudia

Dainty SulphurNathalis iole

Sleepy OrangeAbaeis nicippe

Juniper HairstreakCallophrys gryneus

Orange SulphurColias eurytheme

Lupine Blue
Plebejus lupini

Mountain Checkered-Skipper
Pyrgus xanthus

Melissa Blue (includes Karner Blue)
Plebejus melissa

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

Margined White
Pieris marginalis

Rhesus Skipper
Polites rhesus

Asella sphinx
Sphinx asellus

Mexican Metalmark
Apodemia mejicanus

Funereal Duskywing
Erynnis funeralis

Marine Blue
Leptotes marina

Silvery Blue
Glaucopsyche lygdamus

Southwestern Orangetip
Anthocharis thoosa

Checkered White
Pontia protodice

Reakirt's Blue
Echinargus isola

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

Marine Blue
Leptotes marina

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Variegated Fritillary
Euptoieta claudia

Dainty Sulphur
Nathalis iole

Sleepy Orange
Abaeis nicippe

Juniper Hairstreak
Callophrys gryneus

Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme