Butterflies and Moths of New York

1855 Species Recorded in New York

Top 20 Species Checklist All Photographs

Featured Species

100 Most Recent Sightings in New York

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Most Recent Sightings in New York

See more recent sightings in New York

Eight-spotted Forester
Alypia octomaculata

Observed: Oct 29, 2024

Submitted by: Severino Carbone

Verified: Nov 03, 2024

Verified by: Sue Gregoire

Details

Common Buckeye
Junonia coenia

Observed: Oct 24, 2024

Submitted by: Bambi E. Friedman

Verified: Oct 25, 2024

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Triangle-backed Eucosma
Pelochrista dorsisignatana

Observed: Oct 01, 2024

Submitted by: Lutya

Verified: Oct 01, 2024

Verified by: Sue Gregoire

Details

White Furcula
Furcula borealis

Observed: Sep 30, 2024

Submitted by: KCorcoran

Verified: Sep 30, 2024

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Banded Tussock Moth or Pale Tiger Moth
Halysidota tessellaris

Observed: Sep 28, 2024

Submitted by: danhen000

Verified: Sep 29, 2024

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Bicolored Sallow
Sunira bicolorago

Observed: Sep 28, 2024

Submitted by: Lutya

Verified: Sep 29, 2024

Verified by: Sue Gregoire

Details

Youthful Underwing Moth
Catocala subnata

Observed: Sep 28, 2024

Submitted by: Jim Lowe

Verified: Sep 29, 2024

Verified by: Sue Gregoire

Details

Salt Marsh Moth or Acrea Moth
Estigmene acrea

Observed: Sep 28, 2024

Submitted by: Severino Carbone

Verified: Sep 29, 2024

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Observed: Sep 22, 2024

Submitted by: Safleming

Verified: Sep 28, 2024

Verified by: jmgesell

Details

Spotted Tussock Moth or Yellow-Spotted Tiger Moth
Lophocampa maculata

Observed: Sep 22, 2024

Submitted by: medtech2

Verified: Sep 24, 2024

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Orange-humped Mapleworm
Symmerista leucitys

Observed: Sep 21, 2024

Submitted by: SaratogaReese

Verified: Sep 22, 2024

Verified by: jwileyrains

Details

Gold-striped Leaftier Moth
Machimia tentoriferella

Observed: Sep 17, 2024

Submitted by: Lutya

Verified: Sep 18, 2024

Verified by: Sue Gregoire

Details

Top 10 Commonly Reported Butterflies and Moths of New York

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.

Butterflies and Moths of North America

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1855 Species Recorded in New York

Featured Species

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100 Most Recent Sightings in New York

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Most Recent Sightings in New York

Eight-spotted Forester
Alypia octomaculata

Common Buckeye
Junonia coenia

Triangle-backed Eucosma
Pelochrista dorsisignatana

White Furcula
Furcula borealis

Banded Tussock Moth or Pale Tiger Moth
Halysidota tessellaris

Bicolored Sallow
Sunira bicolorago

Youthful Underwing Moth
Catocala subnata

Salt Marsh Moth or Acrea Moth
Estigmene acrea

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Spotted Tussock Moth or Yellow-Spotted Tiger Moth
Lophocampa maculata

Orange-humped Mapleworm
Symmerista leucitys

Gold-striped Leaftier Moth
Machimia tentoriferella

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Black Swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Great Spangled Fritillary
Speyeria cybele

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Polyphemus moth
Antheraea polyphemus

Clouded Sulphur
Colias philodice

Cecropia silkmoth
Hyalophora cecropia

American Lady
Vanessa virginiensis

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Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Butterflies and Moths of New York

1855 Species Recorded in New York

Featured Species

100 Most Recent Sightings in New York

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in New York

Eight-spotted ForesterAlypia octomaculata

Common BuckeyeJunonia coenia

Triangle-backed EucosmaPelochrista dorsisignatana

White FurculaFurcula borealis

Banded Tussock Moth or Pale Tiger MothHalysidota tessellaris

Bicolored SallowSunira bicolorago

Youthful Underwing MothCatocala subnata

Salt Marsh Moth or Acrea MothEstigmene acrea

MonarchDanaus plexippus

Spotted Tussock Moth or Yellow-Spotted Tiger MothLophocampa maculata

Orange-humped MaplewormSymmerista leucitys

Gold-striped Leaftier MothMachimia tentoriferella

MonarchDanaus plexippus

Black SwallowtailPapilio polyxenes

Cabbage WhitePieris rapae

Red AdmiralVanessa atalanta

Great Spangled FritillarySpeyeria cybele

Eastern Tiger SwallowtailPapilio glaucus

Polyphemus mothAntheraea polyphemus

Clouded SulphurColias philodice

Cecropia silkmothHyalophora cecropia

American LadyVanessa virginiensis

Eight-spotted Forester
Alypia octomaculata

Common Buckeye
Junonia coenia

Triangle-backed Eucosma
Pelochrista dorsisignatana

White Furcula
Furcula borealis

Banded Tussock Moth or Pale Tiger Moth
Halysidota tessellaris

Bicolored Sallow
Sunira bicolorago

Youthful Underwing Moth
Catocala subnata

Salt Marsh Moth or Acrea Moth
Estigmene acrea

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Spotted Tussock Moth or Yellow-Spotted Tiger Moth
Lophocampa maculata

Orange-humped Mapleworm
Symmerista leucitys

Gold-striped Leaftier Moth
Machimia tentoriferella

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Black Swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes

Cabbage White
Pieris rapae

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Great Spangled Fritillary
Speyeria cybele

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus

Polyphemus moth
Antheraea polyphemus

Clouded Sulphur
Colias philodice

Cecropia silkmoth
Hyalophora cecropia

American Lady
Vanessa virginiensis