Butterflies and Moths of Iowa

1071 Species Recorded in Iowa

Top 20 Species Checklist All Photographs

Featured Species

Libytheana carinenta

100 Most Recent Sightings in Iowa

Use the Data Explorer to explore all sightings in Iowa.

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Most Recent Sightings in Iowa

See more recent sightings in Iowa

Eastern Comma
Polygonia comma

Observed: Feb 05, 2026

Submitted by: tsamuels

Verified: Feb 05, 2026

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Observed: Oct 01, 2025

Submitted by: SaraStreams

Verified: Oct 20, 2025

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Eastern Comma
Polygonia comma

Observed: Sep 26, 2025

Submitted by: SaraStreams

Verified: Oct 20, 2025

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Black Swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes

Observed: Sep 26, 2025

Submitted by: SaraStreams

Verified: Oct 20, 2025

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Observed: Sep 16, 2025

Submitted by: creekwalking

Verified: Oct 20, 2025

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Black Swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes

Observed: Sep 16, 2025

Submitted by: creekwalking

Verified: Oct 19, 2025

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Silver-spotted Skipper
Epargyreus clarus

Observed: Sep 16, 2025

Submitted by: creekwalking

Verified: Oct 20, 2025

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Giant Swallowtail
Papilio cresphontes

Observed: Aug 24, 2025

Submitted by: prairiegardenlady

Verified: Dec 20, 2025

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Pandorus Sphinx
Eumorpha pandorus

Observed: Aug 16, 2025

Submitted by: Lseaba

Verified: Aug 18, 2025

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Observed: Jul 28, 2025

Submitted by: creekwalking

Verified: Oct 20, 2025

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Laurel sphinx
Sphinx kalmiae

Observed: Jul 27, 2025

Submitted by: Deputy628

Verified: Jul 27, 2025

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Virginia creeper sphinx
Darapsa myron

Observed: Jul 24, 2025

Submitted by: saylorabs

Verified: Jul 27, 2025

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Top 10 Commonly Reported Butterflies and Moths of Iowa

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.
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.
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.
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.
Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta	Upperside is black with white spots near the apex; forewing with red median band, hindwing with red marginal band. The winter form is smaller and duller, summer form larger and brighter with an interrupted forewing band.
Clouded Sulphur Colias philodice	Upper surface of male wings bright, clear yellow with solid black edging; lower side of forewing with some dark submarginal spots; hindwing with silver cell spot rimmed with orange-pink, usually doubled. Female has 2 forms: yellow form with uneven black edging enclosing yellow spots, and a white form which is greenish-white rather than yellow. Spring and fall forms are smaller and less conspicuously marked.
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.
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.
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.

Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

1071 Species Recorded in Iowa

Featured Species

Libytheana carinenta

100 Most Recent Sightings in Iowa

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

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in Iowa

Eastern Comma
Polygonia comma

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Eastern Comma
Polygonia comma

Black Swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Black Swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes

Silver-spotted Skipper
Epargyreus clarus

Giant Swallowtail
Papilio cresphontes

Pandorus Sphinx
Eumorpha pandorus

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Laurel sphinx
Sphinx kalmiae

Virginia creeper sphinx
Darapsa myron

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Pearl Crescent
Phyciodes tharos

Black Swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes

Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Clouded Sulphur
Colias philodice

Eastern Tailed-Blue
Cupido comyntas

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Great Spangled Fritillary
Speyeria cybele

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Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Butterflies and Moths of Iowa

1071 Species Recorded in Iowa

Featured Species

100 Most Recent Sightings in Iowa

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in Iowa

Eastern CommaPolygonia comma

Red AdmiralVanessa atalanta

Eastern CommaPolygonia comma

Black SwallowtailPapilio polyxenes

MonarchDanaus plexippus

Black SwallowtailPapilio polyxenes

Silver-spotted SkipperEpargyreus clarus

Giant SwallowtailPapilio cresphontes

Pandorus SphinxEumorpha pandorus

Eastern Tiger SwallowtailPapilio glaucus

Laurel sphinxSphinx kalmiae

Virginia creeper sphinxDarapsa myron

MonarchDanaus plexippus

Eastern Tiger SwallowtailPapilio glaucus

Pearl CrescentPhyciodes tharos

Black SwallowtailPapilio polyxenes

Orange SulphurColias eurytheme

Red AdmiralVanessa atalanta

Clouded SulphurColias philodice

Eastern Tailed-BlueCupido comyntas

Cabbage WhitePieris rapae

Great Spangled FritillarySpeyeria cybele

Eastern Comma
Polygonia comma

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Eastern Comma
Polygonia comma

Black Swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Black Swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes

Silver-spotted Skipper
Epargyreus clarus

Giant Swallowtail
Papilio cresphontes

Pandorus Sphinx
Eumorpha pandorus

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Laurel sphinx
Sphinx kalmiae

Virginia creeper sphinx
Darapsa myron

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Pearl Crescent
Phyciodes tharos

Black Swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes

Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Clouded Sulphur
Colias philodice

Eastern Tailed-Blue
Cupido comyntas

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Great Spangled Fritillary
Speyeria cybele