Butterflies and Moths of Alberta

285 Species Recorded in Alberta

Top 20 Species Checklist All Photographs

100 Most Recent Sightings in Alberta

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Most Recent Sightings in Alberta

See more recent sightings in Alberta

St. Lawrence Tiger Moth
Platarctia parthenos

Observed: Jun 23, 2024

Submitted by: Andrea.

Verified: Jun 23, 2024

Verified by: davidwdroppers

Details

Pyrausta nicalis

Observed: Jun 16, 2024

Submitted by: MomoButterfly

Verified: Jun 17, 2024

Verified by: davidwdroppers

Details

Hummingbird Clearwing
Hemaris thysbe

Observed: Jun 15, 2024

Submitted by: liliaceous

Verified: Jun 17, 2024

Verified by: davidwdroppers

Details

Columbia silkmoth
Hyalophora columbia

Observed: Jun 12, 2024

Submitted by: seaofbiscuits

Verified: Jun 14, 2024

Verified by: davidwdroppers

Details

Waved sphinx
Ceratomia undulosa

Observed: Jun 11, 2024

Submitted by: miranda.silk@hotmail.ca

Verified: Jun 14, 2024

Verified by: davidwdroppers

Details

Blinded sphinx
Paonias excaecata

Observed: Jun 06, 2024

Submitted by: Carrrrrrrooooo

Verified: Jun 09, 2024

Verified by: davidwdroppers

Details

Polyphemus moth
Antheraea polyphemus

Observed: Jun 04, 2024

Submitted by: Ashley3452

Verified: Jun 09, 2024

Verified by: davidwdroppers

Details

Columbia silkmoth
Hyalophora columbia

Observed: Jun 04, 2024

Submitted by: Lydia1966

Verified: Jun 14, 2024

Verified by: davidwdroppers

Details

Milbert's Tortoiseshell
Aglais milberti

Observed: Nov 22, 2023

Submitted by: Dangergirl67

Verified: Dec 13, 2023

Verified by: Paul Prappas

Details

Milbert's Tortoiseshell
Aglais milberti

Observed: Nov 02, 2023

Submitted by: Dangergirl67

Verified: Dec 13, 2023

Verified by: Paul Prappas

Details

Milbert's Tortoiseshell
Aglais milberti

Observed: Nov 02, 2023

Submitted by: Dangergirl67

Verified: Dec 13, 2023

Verified by: Paul Prappas

Details

Milbert's Tortoiseshell
Aglais milberti

Observed: Nov 02, 2023

Submitted by: Dangergirl67

Verified: Dec 15, 2023

Verified by: Paul Prappas

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.
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.
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.
Spurge hawkmoth Hyles euphorbiae	Forewing upperside is pale yellow-gray to lavender-gray, with a dark brown spot at the center of the costa and at the wing base, and a dark brown band running from the wing tip to the inner margin. The costal and outer margins may be dusted with pink or gray. Hindwing upperside is black with a pale greenish outer margin and a pinkish brown median band which becomes white at the inner margin.
Satyr Comma Polygonia satyrus	Upperside is bright yellow-orange; forewing with two black spots near center of bottom edge; hindwing lacks a dark border, has a black spot in center of wing. Underside is light and dark golden brown, median band relatively straight; hindwing with a silver comma in center.

Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

285 Species Recorded in Alberta

100 Most Recent Sightings in Alberta

Visit the BAMONA Shop

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in Alberta

St. Lawrence Tiger Moth
Platarctia parthenos

Pyrausta nicalis

Hummingbird Clearwing
Hemaris thysbe

Columbia silkmoth
Hyalophora columbia

Waved sphinx
Ceratomia undulosa

Blinded sphinx
Paonias excaecata

Polyphemus moth
Antheraea polyphemus

Columbia silkmoth
Hyalophora columbia

Milbert's Tortoiseshell
Aglais milberti

Milbert's Tortoiseshell
Aglais milberti

Milbert's Tortoiseshell
Aglais milberti

Milbert's Tortoiseshell
Aglais milberti

Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa

Milbert's Tortoiseshell
Aglais milberti

Polyphemus moth
Antheraea polyphemus

Bedstraw hawkmoth
Hyles gallii

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

Columbia silkmoth
Hyalophora columbia

Spotted Tussock Moth or Yellow-Spotted Tiger Moth
Lophocampa maculata

Canadian Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio canadensis

Spurge hawkmoth
Hyles euphorbiae

Satyr Comma
Polygonia satyrus

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Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Butterflies and Moths of Alberta

285 Species Recorded in Alberta

100 Most Recent Sightings in Alberta

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in Alberta

St. Lawrence Tiger MothPlatarctia parthenos

Hummingbird ClearwingHemaris thysbe

Columbia silkmothHyalophora columbia

Waved sphinxCeratomia undulosa

Blinded sphinxPaonias excaecata

Polyphemus mothAntheraea polyphemus

Columbia silkmothHyalophora columbia

Milbert's TortoiseshellAglais milberti

Milbert's TortoiseshellAglais milberti

Milbert's TortoiseshellAglais milberti

Milbert's TortoiseshellAglais milberti

Mourning CloakNymphalis antiopa

Milbert's TortoiseshellAglais milberti

Polyphemus mothAntheraea polyphemus

Bedstraw hawkmothHyles gallii

Painted LadyVanessa cardui

Columbia silkmothHyalophora columbia

Spotted Tussock Moth or Yellow-Spotted Tiger MothLophocampa maculata

Canadian Tiger SwallowtailPapilio canadensis

Spurge hawkmothHyles euphorbiae

Satyr CommaPolygonia satyrus

St. Lawrence Tiger Moth
Platarctia parthenos

Hummingbird Clearwing
Hemaris thysbe

Columbia silkmoth
Hyalophora columbia

Waved sphinx
Ceratomia undulosa

Blinded sphinx
Paonias excaecata

Polyphemus moth
Antheraea polyphemus

Columbia silkmoth
Hyalophora columbia

Milbert's Tortoiseshell
Aglais milberti

Milbert's Tortoiseshell
Aglais milberti

Milbert's Tortoiseshell
Aglais milberti

Milbert's Tortoiseshell
Aglais milberti

Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa

Milbert's Tortoiseshell
Aglais milberti

Polyphemus moth
Antheraea polyphemus

Bedstraw hawkmoth
Hyles gallii

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

Columbia silkmoth
Hyalophora columbia

Spotted Tussock Moth or Yellow-Spotted Tiger Moth
Lophocampa maculata

Canadian Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio canadensis

Spurge hawkmoth
Hyles euphorbiae

Satyr Comma
Polygonia satyrus