Butterflies and Moths of Massachusetts

1785 Species Recorded in Massachusetts

Top 20 Species Checklist All Photographs

100 Most Recent Sightings in Massachusetts

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Most Recent Sightings in Massachusetts

See more recent sightings in Massachusetts

Bicolored Sallow
Sunira bicolorago

Observed: Oct 20, 2024

Submitted by: dlister

Verified: Oct 21, 2024

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Hemina Pinion Moth
Lithophane hemina

Observed: Oct 10, 2024

Submitted by: ruby_charlotte

Verified: Oct 13, 2024

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Isabella Tiger Moth or Banded Woolybear
Pyrrharctia isabella

Observed: Oct 05, 2024

Submitted by: HDempsey

Verified: Oct 05, 2024

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Observed: Oct 01, 2024

Submitted by: yxsaturniid

Verified: Oct 01, 2024

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Hickory Tussock Moth or Hickory Tiger Moth
Lophocampa caryae

Observed: Oct 01, 2024

Submitted by: Lady Vine

Verified: Oct 14, 2024

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Peck's Skipper
Polites peckius

Observed: Sep 28, 2024

Submitted by: jfkoza

Verified: Sep 29, 2024

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

American Copper
Lycaena phlaeas

Observed: Sep 27, 2024

Submitted by: jfkoza

Verified: Sep 29, 2024

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Arge Tiger Moth
Apantesis arge

Observed: Sep 23, 2024

Submitted by: oh_hi_thererrr

Verified: Sep 24, 2024

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Dejected Underwing
Catocala dejecta

Observed: Sep 20, 2024

Submitted by: towlefarmguy

Verified: Sep 29, 2024

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Red-fringed Emerald
Nemoria bistriaria

Observed: Sep 16, 2024

Submitted by: ruby_charlotte

Verified: Sep 19, 2024

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Xestia badicollis

Observed: Sep 13, 2024

Submitted by: TJ in Derry

Verified: Sep 14, 2024

Verified by: rogerdowner

Details

Silver-spotted Skipper
Epargyreus clarus

Observed: Sep 05, 2024

Submitted by: regina rochefort

Verified: Sep 05, 2024

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Top 10 Commonly Reported Butterflies and Moths of Massachusetts

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.
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.
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.
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.
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 Copper Lycaena phlaeas	Upper surface of forewing shiny, fiery orange-red with black spots; hindwing gray with orange-red outer margin. Underside gray; hindwing with submarginal row of orange-red zigzags.
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.
Spring Azure Celastrina ladon	Seasonally variable and sexually dimorphic. Upperside of males blue, females with some black at outer edge of forewing. Late spring and summer forms with white above. Underside hindwing gray-white with faded small black dots, darker gray with larger black spots, or with blotches and black margins in the center.
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.
Peck's Skipper Polites peckius	Upperside of male is brown with reddish-orange patches; forewing has a sinuous stigma. Female is darker with no stigma. Underside of the hindwing of both sexes has a patch of large yellow spots in the center surrounded by dark brown.

Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

1785 Species Recorded in Massachusetts

100 Most Recent Sightings in Massachusetts

Visit the BAMONA Shop

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in Massachusetts

Bicolored Sallow
Sunira bicolorago

Hemina Pinion Moth
Lithophane hemina

Isabella Tiger Moth or Banded Woolybear
Pyrrharctia isabella

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Hickory Tussock Moth or Hickory Tiger Moth
Lophocampa caryae

Peck's Skipper
Polites peckius

American Copper
Lycaena phlaeas

Arge Tiger Moth
Apantesis arge

Dejected Underwing
Catocala dejecta

Red-fringed Emerald
Nemoria bistriaria

Xestia badicollis

Silver-spotted Skipper
Epargyreus clarus

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Clouded Sulphur
Colias philodice

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme

Pearl Crescent
Phyciodes tharos

American Copper
Lycaena phlaeas

American Lady
Vanessa virginiensis

Spring Azure
Celastrina ladon

Eastern Tailed-Blue
Cupido comyntas

Peck's Skipper
Polites peckius

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Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Butterflies and Moths of Massachusetts

1785 Species Recorded in Massachusetts

100 Most Recent Sightings in Massachusetts

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in Massachusetts

Bicolored SallowSunira bicolorago

Hemina Pinion MothLithophane hemina

Isabella Tiger Moth or Banded WoolybearPyrrharctia isabella

MonarchDanaus plexippus

Hickory Tussock Moth or Hickory Tiger MothLophocampa caryae

Peck's SkipperPolites peckius

American CopperLycaena phlaeas

Arge Tiger MothApantesis arge

Dejected UnderwingCatocala dejecta

Red-fringed EmeraldNemoria bistriaria

Silver-spotted SkipperEpargyreus clarus

Cabbage WhitePieris rapae

Clouded SulphurColias philodice

MonarchDanaus plexippus

Orange SulphurColias eurytheme

Pearl CrescentPhyciodes tharos

American CopperLycaena phlaeas

American LadyVanessa virginiensis

Spring AzureCelastrina ladon

Eastern Tailed-BlueCupido comyntas

Peck's SkipperPolites peckius

Bicolored Sallow
Sunira bicolorago

Hemina Pinion Moth
Lithophane hemina

Isabella Tiger Moth or Banded Woolybear
Pyrrharctia isabella

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Hickory Tussock Moth or Hickory Tiger Moth
Lophocampa caryae

Peck's Skipper
Polites peckius

American Copper
Lycaena phlaeas

Arge Tiger Moth
Apantesis arge

Dejected Underwing
Catocala dejecta

Red-fringed Emerald
Nemoria bistriaria

Silver-spotted Skipper
Epargyreus clarus

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Clouded Sulphur
Colias philodice

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme

Pearl Crescent
Phyciodes tharos

American Copper
Lycaena phlaeas

American Lady
Vanessa virginiensis

Spring Azure
Celastrina ladon

Eastern Tailed-Blue
Cupido comyntas

Peck's Skipper
Polites peckius