Butterflies and Moths of New Mexico

873 Species Recorded in New Mexico

Top 20 Species Checklist All Photographs

Featured Species

100 Most Recent Sightings in New Mexico

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Most Recent Sightings in New Mexico

See more recent sightings in New Mexico

Western Tailed-Blue
Cupido amyntula

Observed: May 27, 2024

Submitted by: chneal

Verified: May 28, 2024

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Dreamy Duskywing
Erynnis icelus

Observed: May 26, 2024

Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly

Verified: May 28, 2024

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Colias sp.

Observed: May 26, 2024

Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly

Verified: May 28, 2024

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Sleepy Duskywing
Erynnis brizo

Observed: May 26, 2024

Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly

Verified: May 28, 2024

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Common Checkered-Skipper
Burnsius communis

Observed: May 26, 2024

Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly

Verified: May 28, 2024

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Juniper Hairstreak
Callophrys gryneus

Observed: May 26, 2024

Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly

Verified: May 28, 2024

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Persius Duskywing
Erynnis persius

Observed: May 24, 2024

Submitted by: Cactuswren1976

Verified: May 24, 2024

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Hackberry Emperor
Asterocampa celtis

Observed: May 21, 2024

Submitted by: Chuck Kooshian

Verified: May 22, 2024

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Rocky Mountain Duskywing
Erynnis telemachus

Observed: May 20, 2024

Submitted by: Cactuswren1976

Verified: May 22, 2024

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Observed: May 20, 2024

Submitted by: Cactuswren1976

Verified: May 22, 2024

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Margined White
Pieris marginalis

Observed: May 20, 2024

Submitted by: Cactuswren1976

Verified: May 22, 2024

Verified by: stevecary

Details

Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme

Observed: May 20, 2024

Submitted by: Cactuswren1976

Verified: May 22, 2024

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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

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873 Species Recorded in New Mexico

Featured Species

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100 Most Recent Sightings in New Mexico

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Most Recent Sightings in New Mexico

Western Tailed-Blue
Cupido amyntula

Dreamy Duskywing
Erynnis icelus

Colias sp.

Sleepy Duskywing
Erynnis brizo

Common Checkered-Skipper
Burnsius communis

Juniper Hairstreak
Callophrys gryneus

Persius Duskywing
Erynnis persius

Hackberry Emperor
Asterocampa celtis

Rocky Mountain Duskywing
Erynnis telemachus

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Margined White
Pieris marginalis

Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme

Checkered White
Pontia protodice

Reakirt's Blue
Echinargus isola

Marine Blue
Leptotes marina

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Juniper Hairstreak
Callophrys gryneus

Variegated Fritillary
Euptoieta claudia

Common Checkered-Skipper
Burnsius communis

Queen
Danaus gilippus

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

873 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

Western Tailed-BlueCupido amyntula

Dreamy DuskywingErynnis icelus

Sleepy DuskywingErynnis brizo

Common Checkered-SkipperBurnsius communis

Juniper HairstreakCallophrys gryneus

Persius DuskywingErynnis persius

Hackberry EmperorAsterocampa celtis

Rocky Mountain DuskywingErynnis telemachus

Red AdmiralVanessa atalanta

Margined WhitePieris marginalis

Orange SulphurColias eurytheme

Checkered WhitePontia protodice

Reakirt's BlueEchinargus isola

Marine BlueLeptotes marina

Painted LadyVanessa cardui

MonarchDanaus plexippus

Juniper HairstreakCallophrys gryneus

Variegated FritillaryEuptoieta claudia

Common Checkered-SkipperBurnsius communis

QueenDanaus gilippus

Orange SulphurColias eurytheme

Western Tailed-Blue
Cupido amyntula

Dreamy Duskywing
Erynnis icelus

Sleepy Duskywing
Erynnis brizo

Common Checkered-Skipper
Burnsius communis

Juniper Hairstreak
Callophrys gryneus

Persius Duskywing
Erynnis persius

Hackberry Emperor
Asterocampa celtis

Rocky Mountain Duskywing
Erynnis telemachus

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Margined White
Pieris marginalis

Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme

Checkered White
Pontia protodice

Reakirt's Blue
Echinargus isola

Marine Blue
Leptotes marina

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Juniper Hairstreak
Callophrys gryneus

Variegated Fritillary
Euptoieta claudia

Common Checkered-Skipper
Burnsius communis

Queen
Danaus gilippus

Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme