Butterflies and Moths of Minnesota

1542 Species Recorded in Minnesota

Top 20 Species Checklist All Photographs

100 Most Recent Sightings in Minnesota

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Most Recent Sightings in Minnesota

See more recent sightings in Minnesota

Silvery Checkerspot
Chlosyne nycteis

Observed: Jun 25, 2024

Submitted by: AnnL

Verified: Jun 26, 2024

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Great Spangled Fritillary
Speyeria cybele

Observed: Jun 23, 2024

Submitted by: skageyama

Verified: Jun 23, 2024

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Hackberry Emperor
Asterocampa celtis

Observed: Jun 22, 2024

Submitted by: skswany

Verified: Jun 22, 2024

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Bog Fritillary
Boloria eunomia

Observed: Jun 17, 2024

Submitted by: Allison Barta

Verified: Jun 18, 2024

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

'Astyanax' Red-spotted Purple
Limenitis arthemis astyanax

Observed: Jun 13, 2024

Submitted by: relpeK

Verified: Jun 15, 2024

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Question Mark
Polygonia interrogationis

Observed: Jun 09, 2024

Submitted by: tbeltt

Verified: Jun 10, 2024

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Eastern Comma
Polygonia comma

Observed: Jun 08, 2024

Submitted by: relpeK

Verified: Jun 08, 2024

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Horrid Zale
Zale horrida

Observed: Jun 05, 2024

Submitted by: MarkSCitsay

Verified: Jun 08, 2024

Verified by: Tom Middagh

Details

Cattail Borer Moth
Bellura obliqua

Observed: Jun 04, 2024

Submitted by: MarkSCitsay

Verified: Jun 08, 2024

Verified by: Tom Middagh

Details

Western Tailed-Blue
Cupido amyntula

Observed: Jun 03, 2024

Submitted by: Allison Barta

Verified: Jun 06, 2024

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Silver-bordered Fritillary
Boloria selene

Observed: Jun 02, 2024

Submitted by: AnnL

Verified: Jun 06, 2024

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Pepper and Salt Skipper
Amblyscirtes hegon

Observed: Jun 01, 2024

Submitted by: Allison Barta

Verified: Jun 05, 2024

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Top 10 Commonly Reported Butterflies and Moths of Minnesota

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.
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.
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.
Polyphemus moth Antheraea polyphemus	Upperside is reddish to yellowish brown; forewing margin is usually lighter than the basal area; forewing submarginal line is pink, or black and pink. Clear oval eyespots are ringed with yellow, blue, and black; hindwing eyespot is separated from the basal area of the wing by a thin pink line. Underside has rust, brown, and pink markings.
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.
Mourning Cloak Nymphalis antiopa	Short projections on both wings, borders irregular. Upperside is purple-black with a wide, bright yellow border on outer margins, and a row of iridescent blue spots at the inner edge of the border.
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.
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.
Cecropia silkmoth Hyalophora cecropia	Body is red with a white collar and white bands on the abdomen. Wings are dark brown with white hairlike scales giving a frosted appearance; forewings are red at the base. Crescent spots and the area outside the postmedian line are red on all wings.

Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

1542 Species Recorded in Minnesota

100 Most Recent Sightings in Minnesota

Visit the BAMONA Shop

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in Minnesota

Silvery Checkerspot
Chlosyne nycteis

Great Spangled Fritillary
Speyeria cybele

Hackberry Emperor
Asterocampa celtis

Bog Fritillary
Boloria eunomia

'Astyanax' Red-spotted Purple
Limenitis arthemis astyanax

Question Mark
Polygonia interrogationis

Eastern Comma
Polygonia comma

Horrid Zale
Zale horrida

Cattail Borer Moth
Bellura obliqua

Western Tailed-Blue
Cupido amyntula

Silver-bordered Fritillary
Boloria selene

Pepper and Salt Skipper
Amblyscirtes hegon

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Polyphemus moth
Antheraea polyphemus

Great Spangled Fritillary
Speyeria cybele

Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

White-lined Sphinx
Hyles lineata

Eastern Tailed-Blue
Cupido comyntas

Cecropia silkmoth
Hyalophora cecropia

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Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Butterflies and Moths of Minnesota

1542 Species Recorded in Minnesota

100 Most Recent Sightings in Minnesota

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in Minnesota

Silvery CheckerspotChlosyne nycteis

Great Spangled FritillarySpeyeria cybele

Hackberry EmperorAsterocampa celtis

Bog FritillaryBoloria eunomia

'Astyanax' Red-spotted PurpleLimenitis arthemis astyanax

Question MarkPolygonia interrogationis

Eastern CommaPolygonia comma

Horrid ZaleZale horrida

Cattail Borer MothBellura obliqua

Western Tailed-BlueCupido amyntula

Silver-bordered FritillaryBoloria selene

Pepper and Salt SkipperAmblyscirtes hegon

Eastern Tiger SwallowtailPapilio glaucus

MonarchDanaus plexippus

Red AdmiralVanessa atalanta

Polyphemus mothAntheraea polyphemus

Great Spangled FritillarySpeyeria cybele

Mourning CloakNymphalis antiopa

Painted LadyVanessa cardui

White-lined SphinxHyles lineata

Eastern Tailed-BlueCupido comyntas

Cecropia silkmothHyalophora cecropia

Silvery Checkerspot
Chlosyne nycteis

Great Spangled Fritillary
Speyeria cybele

Hackberry Emperor
Asterocampa celtis

Bog Fritillary
Boloria eunomia

'Astyanax' Red-spotted Purple
Limenitis arthemis astyanax

Question Mark
Polygonia interrogationis

Eastern Comma
Polygonia comma

Horrid Zale
Zale horrida

Cattail Borer Moth
Bellura obliqua

Western Tailed-Blue
Cupido amyntula

Silver-bordered Fritillary
Boloria selene

Pepper and Salt Skipper
Amblyscirtes hegon

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Polyphemus moth
Antheraea polyphemus

Great Spangled Fritillary
Speyeria cybele

Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

White-lined Sphinx
Hyles lineata

Eastern Tailed-Blue
Cupido comyntas

Cecropia silkmoth
Hyalophora cecropia