Butterflies and Moths of West Virginia

1178 Species Recorded in West Virginia

Top 20 Species Checklist All Photographs

Featured Species

Vanessa virginiensis

100 Most Recent Sightings in West Virginia

Use the Data Explorer to explore all sightings in West Virginia.

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Most Recent Sightings in West Virginia

See more recent sightings in West Virginia

Tuliptree silkmoth
Callosamia angulifera

Observed: Jul 10, 2026

Submitted by: MadisonG

Verified: Jul 10, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

Huron Sachem
Atalopedes huron

Observed: Jul 08, 2026

Submitted by: tiki33wv

Verified: Jul 08, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

Pipevine Swallowtail
Battus philenor

Observed: Jul 08, 2026

Submitted by: tiki33wv

Verified: Jul 08, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme

Observed: Jul 08, 2026

Submitted by: tiki33wv

Verified: Jul 08, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Observed: Jul 08, 2026

Submitted by: tiki33wv

Verified: Jul 08, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

Pearl Crescent
Phyciodes tharos

Observed: Jul 08, 2026

Submitted by: tiki33wv

Verified: Jul 08, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

Peck's Skipper
Polites peckius

Observed: Jul 08, 2026

Submitted by: tiki33wv

Verified: Jul 08, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

Snowberry Clearwing
Hemaris diffinis

Observed: Jul 08, 2026

Submitted by: tiki33wv

Verified: Jul 08, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

Eastern Tailed-Blue
Cupido comyntas

Observed: Jul 08, 2026

Submitted by: tiki33wv

Verified: Jul 08, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Observed: Jul 08, 2026

Submitted by: tiki33wv

Verified: Jul 08, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

Spotted Apatelodes Moth
Apatelodes torrefacta

Observed: Jul 02, 2026

Submitted by: Steven Wilson

Verified: Jul 02, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

Reticulated Fruitworm Moth
Cenopis reticulatana

Observed: Jun 30, 2026

Submitted by: Steven Wilson

Verified: Jul 01, 2026

Verified by: curtis.lehman

Details

Top 10 Commonly Reported Butterflies and Moths of West Virginia

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.
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.
Eastern Tailed-Blue Cupido comyntas	One narrow tail on hindwing. Upperside of male iridescent blue; summer females uniformly brown, spring females smaller with much blue at the wing bases. Underside of hindwing pale gray with black bar at end of cell, distinct black spots, and three large orange spots at outer margin near tail.
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.
Great Spangled Fritillary Speyeria cybele	Large. Upperside of male tan to orange with black scales on forewing veins; female tawny, darker than male. Underside of hindwing with wide pale submarginal band and large silver spots.
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.
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.
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.
Pipevine Swallowtail Battus philenor	Upper surface of hindwing iridescent blue or blue-green. Underside of hindwing with submarginal row of 7 round orange spots in iridescent blue field.
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.

Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

1178 Species Recorded in West Virginia

Featured Species

Vanessa virginiensis

100 Most Recent Sightings in West Virginia

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

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in West Virginia

Tuliptree silkmoth
Callosamia angulifera

Huron Sachem
Atalopedes huron

Pipevine Swallowtail
Battus philenor

Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Pearl Crescent
Phyciodes tharos

Peck's Skipper
Polites peckius

Snowberry Clearwing
Hemaris diffinis

Eastern Tailed-Blue
Cupido comyntas

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Spotted Apatelodes Moth
Apatelodes torrefacta

Reticulated Fruitworm Moth
Cenopis reticulatana

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Pearl Crescent
Phyciodes tharos

Eastern Tailed-Blue
Cupido comyntas

Silver-spotted Skipper
Epargyreus clarus

Great Spangled Fritillary
Speyeria cybele

Spicebush Swallowtail
Papilio troilus

Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Pipevine Swallowtail
Battus philenor

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

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Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Butterflies and Moths of West Virginia

1178 Species Recorded in West Virginia

Featured Species

100 Most Recent Sightings in West Virginia

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in West Virginia

Tuliptree silkmothCallosamia angulifera

Huron SachemAtalopedes huron

Pipevine SwallowtailBattus philenor

Orange SulphurColias eurytheme

Eastern Tiger SwallowtailPapilio glaucus

Pearl CrescentPhyciodes tharos

Peck's SkipperPolites peckius

Snowberry ClearwingHemaris diffinis

Eastern Tailed-BlueCupido comyntas

Cabbage WhitePieris rapae

Spotted Apatelodes MothApatelodes torrefacta

Reticulated Fruitworm MothCenopis reticulatana

Eastern Tiger SwallowtailPapilio glaucus

Pearl CrescentPhyciodes tharos

Eastern Tailed-BlueCupido comyntas

Silver-spotted SkipperEpargyreus clarus

Great Spangled FritillarySpeyeria cybele

Spicebush SwallowtailPapilio troilus

Orange SulphurColias eurytheme

Cabbage WhitePieris rapae

Pipevine SwallowtailBattus philenor

MonarchDanaus plexippus

Tuliptree silkmoth
Callosamia angulifera

Huron Sachem
Atalopedes huron

Pipevine Swallowtail
Battus philenor

Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Pearl Crescent
Phyciodes tharos

Peck's Skipper
Polites peckius

Snowberry Clearwing
Hemaris diffinis

Eastern Tailed-Blue
Cupido comyntas

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Spotted Apatelodes Moth
Apatelodes torrefacta

Reticulated Fruitworm Moth
Cenopis reticulatana

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Pearl Crescent
Phyciodes tharos

Eastern Tailed-Blue
Cupido comyntas

Silver-spotted Skipper
Epargyreus clarus

Great Spangled Fritillary
Speyeria cybele

Spicebush Swallowtail
Papilio troilus

Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Pipevine Swallowtail
Battus philenor

Monarch
Danaus plexippus