Butterflies and Moths of New Jersey

1878 Species Recorded in New Jersey

Top 20 Species Checklist All Photographs

Featured Species

Sparganothis caryae

100 Most Recent Sightings in New Jersey

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

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Most Recent Sightings in New Jersey

See more recent sightings in New Jersey

Juniper Geometer
Patalene olyzonaria

Observed: Aug 04, 2026

Submitted by: jrtindall

Verified: Aug 04, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

Broad-winged Skipper
Poanes viator

Observed: Aug 02, 2026

Submitted by: JHummel

Verified: Aug 02, 2026

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Mottled Prominent
Macrurocampa marthesia

Observed: Aug 02, 2026

Submitted by: jrtindall

Verified: Aug 02, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

Atascosa glareosella

Observed: Jul 31, 2026

Submitted by: Wade Wander

Verified: Aug 01, 2026

Verified by: BarbSendelbach

Details

One-Spotted Variant
Hypagyrtis unipunctata

Observed: Jul 31, 2026

Submitted by: jrtindall

Verified: Aug 01, 2026

Verified by: BarbSendelbach

Details

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Observed: Jul 30, 2026

Submitted by: michael marantz

Verified: Jul 31, 2026

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Silver-spotted Skipper
Epargyreus clarus

Observed: Jul 30, 2026

Submitted by: JG_Duquesnel

Verified: Jul 30, 2026

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Ephestiodes infimella

Observed: Jul 29, 2026

Submitted by: jrtindall

Verified: Aug 01, 2026

Verified by: BarbSendelbach

Details

Snowberry Clearwing
Hemaris diffinis

Observed: Jul 29, 2026

Submitted by: JG_Duquesnel

Verified: Jul 30, 2026

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Observed: Jul 29, 2026

Submitted by: JG_Duquesnel

Verified: Jul 30, 2026

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Silver-spotted Skipper
Epargyreus clarus

Observed: Jul 26, 2026

Submitted by: Daniel Morton

Verified: Jul 27, 2026

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Silver-spotted Skipper
Epargyreus clarus

Observed: Jul 26, 2026

Submitted by: Daniel Morton

Verified: Jul 27, 2026

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Top 10 Commonly Reported Butterflies and Moths of New Jersey

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.
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.
Silver-spotted Skipper Epargyreus clarus	Wings are brown-black; hindwing is lobed. Forewing has transparent gold spots; underside of hindwing has a metallic silver band.
Imperial moth Eacles imperialis	Females are larger than males. Upperside is yellow with pinkish brown to purple-brown patches, bands, and cell spots, and tiny brown spots scattered overall. Males have larger patches on the forewings than females, except for some subspecies pini males which have reduced purple and are mostly yellow.
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.
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 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.
Spicebush Swallowtail Papilio troilus	Upper surface of forewing is mostly black with ivory spots along margin. Upper surface of hindwing has orange spot on costal margin and sheen of bluish (female) or bluish-green (male) scales. Underside of hindwing with pale green marginal spots.
Zabulon Skipper Poanes zabulon	Male black borders and no stigma. Underside of hindwing is mostly yellow with a dark brown wingbase and outer margin. Female: Upperside is purple-brown with pale yellow spots; underside of hindwing is brown and purple-gray with a white-edged costal margin.

Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

1878 Species Recorded in New Jersey

Featured Species

Sparganothis caryae

100 Most Recent Sightings in New Jersey

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

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in New Jersey

Juniper Geometer
Patalene olyzonaria

Broad-winged Skipper
Poanes viator

Mottled Prominent
Macrurocampa marthesia

Atascosa glareosella

One-Spotted Variant
Hypagyrtis unipunctata

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Silver-spotted Skipper
Epargyreus clarus

Ephestiodes infimella

Snowberry Clearwing
Hemaris diffinis

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Silver-spotted Skipper
Epargyreus clarus

Silver-spotted Skipper
Epargyreus clarus

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Silver-spotted Skipper
Epargyreus clarus

Imperial moth
Eacles imperialis

Black Swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes

Common Buckeye
Junonia coenia

Pearl Crescent
Phyciodes tharos

American Lady
Vanessa virginiensis

Spicebush Swallowtail
Papilio troilus

Zabulon Skipper
Poanes zabulon

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Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Butterflies and Moths of New Jersey

1878 Species Recorded in New Jersey

Featured Species

100 Most Recent Sightings in New Jersey

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in New Jersey

Juniper GeometerPatalene olyzonaria

Broad-winged SkipperPoanes viator

Mottled ProminentMacrurocampa marthesia

One-Spotted VariantHypagyrtis unipunctata

MonarchDanaus plexippus

Silver-spotted SkipperEpargyreus clarus

Snowberry ClearwingHemaris diffinis

Red AdmiralVanessa atalanta

Silver-spotted SkipperEpargyreus clarus

Silver-spotted SkipperEpargyreus clarus

MonarchDanaus plexippus

Eastern Tiger SwallowtailPapilio glaucus

Silver-spotted SkipperEpargyreus clarus

Imperial mothEacles imperialis

Black SwallowtailPapilio polyxenes

Common BuckeyeJunonia coenia

Pearl CrescentPhyciodes tharos

American LadyVanessa virginiensis

Spicebush SwallowtailPapilio troilus

Zabulon SkipperPoanes zabulon

Juniper Geometer
Patalene olyzonaria

Broad-winged Skipper
Poanes viator

Mottled Prominent
Macrurocampa marthesia

One-Spotted Variant
Hypagyrtis unipunctata

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Silver-spotted Skipper
Epargyreus clarus

Snowberry Clearwing
Hemaris diffinis

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Silver-spotted Skipper
Epargyreus clarus

Silver-spotted Skipper
Epargyreus clarus

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Silver-spotted Skipper
Epargyreus clarus

Imperial moth
Eacles imperialis

Black Swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes

Common Buckeye
Junonia coenia

Pearl Crescent
Phyciodes tharos

American Lady
Vanessa virginiensis

Spicebush Swallowtail
Papilio troilus

Zabulon Skipper
Poanes zabulon