Butterflies and Moths of Utah

629 Species Recorded in Utah

Top 20 Species Checklist All Photographs

Featured Species

Plebejus melissa

100 Most Recent Sightings in Utah

Use the Data Explorer to explore all sightings in Utah.

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Most Recent Sightings in Utah

See more recent sightings in Utah

Gray Swordgrass
Xylena cineritia

Observed: Nov 01, 2025

Submitted by: Kfergi

Verified: Nov 03, 2025

Verified by: J_Martineau

Details

Black Witch
Ascalapha odorata

Observed: Aug 03, 2025

Submitted by: Lydiamurdock

Verified: Aug 04, 2025

Verified by: J_Martineau

Details

Asella sphinx
Sphinx asellus

Observed: Jul 03, 2025

Submitted by: ButterflyMycologist

Verified: Jul 07, 2025

Verified by: J_Martineau

Details

Modest sphinx
Pachysphinx modesta

Observed: Jun 25, 2025

Submitted by: Duck1crazy

Verified: Jun 27, 2025

Verified by: J_Martineau

Details

Weidemeyer's Admiral
Limenitis weidemeyerii

Observed: Jun 25, 2025

Submitted by: Duck1crazy

Verified: Jun 25, 2025

Verified by: James Steen

Details

Coenonympha california

Observed: Jun 23, 2025

Submitted by: Martin Neil UK

Verified: Sep 04, 2025

Verified by: J_Martineau

Details

Melissa Blue (includes Karner Blue)
Plebejus melissa

Observed: Jun 23, 2025

Submitted by: Martin Neil UK

Verified: Sep 05, 2025

Verified by: J_Martineau

Details

Zerene Fritillary
Speyeria zerene

Observed: Jun 23, 2025

Submitted by: Martin Neil UK

Verified: Sep 05, 2025

Verified by: J_Martineau

Details

Sod Webworm Moth
Pediasia trisecta

Observed: Jun 04, 2025

Submitted by: Duck1crazy

Verified: Jun 12, 2025

Verified by: J_Martineau

Details

Ephestiodes gilvescentella

Observed: Jun 04, 2025

Submitted by: Duck1crazy

Verified: Jun 12, 2025

Verified by: J_Martineau

Details

Olive-shaded Bird-dropping Moth
Ponometia candefacta

Observed: Jun 04, 2025

Submitted by: nick.e.ball

Verified: Jun 11, 2025

Verified by: J_Martineau

Details

Small Ranunculus Moth
Hecatera dysodea

Observed: Jun 03, 2025

Submitted by: Duck1crazy

Verified: Jun 12, 2025

Verified by: J_Martineau

Details

Top 10 Commonly Reported Butterflies and Moths of Utah

Common Ringlet Coenonympha tullia	Extremely variable geographically, with at least 4 subspecies. Wings range from dark orange-brown to pale cream. Underside of forewing usually has a small eyespot near its tip. Underside of hindwing is gray-green with a wavy white median line.
Two-tailed Swallowtail Papilio multicaudata	Upper surface of male forewing with narrow black stripes. Each hindwing has 2 tails.
Purplish Copper Lycaena helloides	Upperside of male brown with purple iridescence; female more orange. Hindwing of both sexes with broad orange band at margin.
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.
White-lined Sphinx Hyles lineata	Upperside of forewing is dark olive brown with paler brown along the costa and outer margin, a narrow tan band running from the wing tip to the base, and white streaks along the veins. Hindwing upperside is black with a reddish pink median band.
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.
Indra Swallowtail Papilio indra	Abdomen is all black, or black with a yellow dash on the side of the rear. Wings are mostly black with pale yellow markings. Tails are very short on most subspecies.
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.
Common Checkered-Skipper Burnsius communis	Upperside of male is blue-gray; female is black. Both sexes have large white spots which form median bands across both wings. Fringes of male checkered but black checks often reach only halfway to edge of fringe. Male has a costal fold enclosing scent scales on the upperside of the forewing. Underside is dull white with dark gray or olive bands. Spots of the hindwing marginal row are very small; spots of the submarginal row are larger. This species is separated from the white checkered skipper with confidence only by dissection and examination of the male genitalia.
Melissa Blue (includes Karner Blue) Plebejus melissa	Upperside of male blue with narrow dark border; female brown with blue tinge. Underside with continuous black line along outer margin of both wings. Red-orange submarginal row is continuous in subspecies melissa and divided into separate spots in subspecies samuelis (Karner Blue).

Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

629 Species Recorded in Utah

Featured Species

Plebejus melissa

100 Most Recent Sightings in Utah

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

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in Utah

Gray Swordgrass
Xylena cineritia

Black Witch
Ascalapha odorata

Asella sphinx
Sphinx asellus

Modest sphinx
Pachysphinx modesta

Weidemeyer's Admiral
Limenitis weidemeyerii

Coenonympha california

Melissa Blue (includes Karner Blue)
Plebejus melissa

Zerene Fritillary
Speyeria zerene

Sod Webworm Moth
Pediasia trisecta

Ephestiodes gilvescentella

Olive-shaded Bird-dropping Moth
Ponometia candefacta

Small Ranunculus Moth
Hecatera dysodea

Common Ringlet
Coenonympha tullia

Two-tailed Swallowtail
Papilio multicaudata

Purplish Copper
Lycaena helloides

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

White-lined Sphinx
Hyles lineata

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Indra Swallowtail
Papilio indra

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Common Checkered-Skipper
Burnsius communis

Melissa Blue (includes Karner Blue)
Plebejus melissa

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Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Butterflies and Moths of Utah

629 Species Recorded in Utah

Featured Species

100 Most Recent Sightings in Utah

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in Utah

Gray SwordgrassXylena cineritia

Black WitchAscalapha odorata

Asella sphinxSphinx asellus

Modest sphinxPachysphinx modesta

Weidemeyer's AdmiralLimenitis weidemeyerii

Melissa Blue (includes Karner Blue)Plebejus melissa

Zerene FritillarySpeyeria zerene

Sod Webworm MothPediasia trisecta

Olive-shaded Bird-dropping MothPonometia candefacta

Small Ranunculus MothHecatera dysodea

Common RingletCoenonympha tullia

Two-tailed SwallowtailPapilio multicaudata

Purplish CopperLycaena helloides

Painted LadyVanessa cardui

White-lined SphinxHyles lineata

Cabbage WhitePieris rapae

Indra SwallowtailPapilio indra

MonarchDanaus plexippus

Common Checkered-SkipperBurnsius communis

Melissa Blue (includes Karner Blue)Plebejus melissa

Gray Swordgrass
Xylena cineritia

Black Witch
Ascalapha odorata

Asella sphinx
Sphinx asellus

Modest sphinx
Pachysphinx modesta

Weidemeyer's Admiral
Limenitis weidemeyerii

Melissa Blue (includes Karner Blue)
Plebejus melissa

Zerene Fritillary
Speyeria zerene

Sod Webworm Moth
Pediasia trisecta

Olive-shaded Bird-dropping Moth
Ponometia candefacta

Small Ranunculus Moth
Hecatera dysodea

Common Ringlet
Coenonympha tullia

Two-tailed Swallowtail
Papilio multicaudata

Purplish Copper
Lycaena helloides

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

White-lined Sphinx
Hyles lineata

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Indra Swallowtail
Papilio indra

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Common Checkered-Skipper
Burnsius communis

Melissa Blue (includes Karner Blue)
Plebejus melissa