Butterflies and Moths of Alberta

371 Species Recorded in Alberta

Top 20 Species Checklist All Photographs

Featured Species

Hyles euphorbiae

100 Most Recent Sightings in Alberta

Use the Data Explorer to explore all sightings in Alberta.

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Most Recent Sightings in Alberta

See more recent sightings in Alberta

The Bruce Spanworm
Operophtera bruceata

Observed: Oct 24, 2025

Submitted by: Stu Adams

Verified: Nov 14, 2025

Verified by: davidwdroppers

Details

Fall Cankerworm Moth
Alsophila pometaria

Observed: Oct 19, 2025

Submitted by: Stu Adams

Verified: Nov 14, 2025

Verified by: davidwdroppers

Details

Autographa californica

Observed: Oct 03, 2025

Submitted by: SandraB

Verified: Oct 04, 2025

Verified by: davidwdroppers

Details

Hoary Pinion
Lithophane fagina

Observed: Sep 28, 2025

Submitted by: Stu Adams

Verified: Oct 12, 2025

Verified by: davidwdroppers

Details

Small Aspen Leaftier Moth
Acleris fuscana

Observed: Sep 23, 2025

Submitted by: Stu Adams

Verified: Dec 05, 2025

Verified by: davidwdroppers

Details

Linden Looper Moth
Erannis tiliaria

Observed: Sep 20, 2025

Submitted by: Stu Adams

Verified: Sep 24, 2025

Verified by: davidwdroppers

Details

Litholomia napaea

Observed: Sep 18, 2025

Submitted by: Stu Adams

Verified: Nov 26, 2025

Verified by: davidwdroppers

Details

Acleris maximana

Observed: Sep 13, 2025

Submitted by: Stu Adams

Verified: Nov 27, 2025

Verified by: davidwdroppers

Details

Bicolored Sallow
Sunira bicolorago

Observed: Sep 10, 2025

Submitted by: Stu Adams

Verified: Sep 29, 2025

Verified by: davidwdroppers

Details

Nameless Pinion
Lithophane innominata

Observed: Sep 08, 2025

Submitted by: Stu Adams

Verified: Sep 24, 2025

Verified by: davidwdroppers

Details

Brachylomia populi

Observed: Sep 06, 2025

Submitted by: Stu Adams

Verified: Sep 29, 2025

Verified by: davidwdroppers

Details

Acleris caliginosana

Observed: Sep 05, 2025

Submitted by: Stu Adams

Verified: Nov 16, 2025

Verified by: davidwdroppers

Details

Top 10 Commonly Reported Butterflies and Moths of Alberta

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.
Milbert's Tortoiseshell Aglais milberti	Forewing tip squared-off. Upperside is black with a wide orange submarginal band which grades to yellow at the inner edge of band. Narrow black marginal border on both wings; the hindwing border may contain some blue spots.
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.
Bedstraw hawkmoth Hyles gallii	Forewing upperside is dark olive brown with lighter brown along the outer margin and a tan band running from the wing tip to the inner margin. Hindwing upperside is dark brown with a pale narrow outer margin and a reddish median band which becomes white at the inner margin.
One-eyed sphinx Smerinthus cerisyi	Appearance is highly variable. Outer margin of forewing ranges from unevenly scalloped to almost straight. Upperside of forewing is light reddish brown to almost black, with dark and light markings. Hindwing is mostly red with a yellow-tan outer margin and a round or diamond-shaped black spot in the center of the blue eyespot. Underside of the forewing is deep rose on the basal half and usually has a well-defined postmedian line.
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.
Virginia Ctenucha Ctenucha virginica	The largest and most broad-winged of wasp moths in North America. Body metallic blue; head and sides of collar orange. Forewing deep grayish brown, metallic blue at base. Hindwing black. Fringes on all wings partly white.
Columbia silkmoth Hyalophora columbia	Wings are dark brown to red-brown. The gray area outside the white postmedian band does not contain any red. Crescent spots on the forewings and hindwings are white, although occasionally the spots on the forewing may be reduced or absent.
Spotted Tussock Moth or Yellow-Spotted Tiger Moth Lophocampa maculata	Forewing deep yellow with four brown bands (usually merged); partial fifth band extends inward from costa. Partial band darkest where reniform spot normally occurs. Hindwing paler yellow, translucent, unmarked.
Canadian Tiger Swallowtail Papilio canadensis	Smaller than Eastern or Western Tiger Swallowtails. Upperside of forewing with relatively broad black stripes; underside with marginal yellow spots merged into continuous band. Hindwing with numerous orange scales. Extremely rare black female form.

Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

371 Species Recorded in Alberta

Featured Species

Hyles euphorbiae

100 Most Recent Sightings in Alberta

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

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in Alberta

The Bruce Spanworm
Operophtera bruceata

Fall Cankerworm Moth
Alsophila pometaria

Autographa californica

Hoary Pinion
Lithophane fagina

Small Aspen Leaftier Moth
Acleris fuscana

Linden Looper Moth
Erannis tiliaria

Litholomia napaea

Acleris maximana

Bicolored Sallow
Sunira bicolorago

Nameless Pinion
Lithophane innominata

Brachylomia populi

Acleris caliginosana

Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa

Milbert's Tortoiseshell
Aglais milberti

Polyphemus moth
Antheraea polyphemus

Bedstraw hawkmoth
Hyles gallii

One-eyed sphinx
Smerinthus cerisyi

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

Virginia Ctenucha
Ctenucha virginica

Columbia silkmoth
Hyalophora columbia

Spotted Tussock Moth or Yellow-Spotted Tiger Moth
Lophocampa maculata

Canadian Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio canadensis

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Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Butterflies and Moths of Alberta

371 Species Recorded in Alberta

Featured Species

100 Most Recent Sightings in Alberta

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in Alberta

The Bruce SpanwormOperophtera bruceata

Fall Cankerworm MothAlsophila pometaria

Hoary PinionLithophane fagina

Small Aspen Leaftier MothAcleris fuscana

Linden Looper MothErannis tiliaria

Bicolored SallowSunira bicolorago

Nameless PinionLithophane innominata

Mourning CloakNymphalis antiopa

Milbert's TortoiseshellAglais milberti

Polyphemus mothAntheraea polyphemus

Bedstraw hawkmothHyles gallii

One-eyed sphinxSmerinthus cerisyi

Painted LadyVanessa cardui

Virginia CtenuchaCtenucha virginica

Columbia silkmothHyalophora columbia

Spotted Tussock Moth or Yellow-Spotted Tiger MothLophocampa maculata

Canadian Tiger SwallowtailPapilio canadensis

The Bruce Spanworm
Operophtera bruceata

Fall Cankerworm Moth
Alsophila pometaria

Hoary Pinion
Lithophane fagina

Small Aspen Leaftier Moth
Acleris fuscana

Linden Looper Moth
Erannis tiliaria

Bicolored Sallow
Sunira bicolorago

Nameless Pinion
Lithophane innominata

Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa

Milbert's Tortoiseshell
Aglais milberti

Polyphemus moth
Antheraea polyphemus

Bedstraw hawkmoth
Hyles gallii

One-eyed sphinx
Smerinthus cerisyi

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

Virginia Ctenucha
Ctenucha virginica

Columbia silkmoth
Hyalophora columbia

Spotted Tussock Moth or Yellow-Spotted Tiger Moth
Lophocampa maculata

Canadian Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio canadensis