Butterflies and Moths of Montana

1078 Species Recorded in Montana

Top 20 Species Checklist All Photographs

Featured Species

100 Most Recent Sightings in Montana

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Most Recent Sightings in Montana

See more recent sightings in Montana

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Observed: Aug 24, 2024

Submitted by: srhflsmck

Verified: Aug 28, 2024

Verified by: J_Martineau

Details

Lined Quaker
Apamea inficita

Observed: Aug 18, 2024

Submitted by: NikkiM

Verified: Aug 29, 2024

Verified by: J_Martineau

Details

Yellow-dotted Alpine
Erebia pawlowskii

Observed: Aug 10, 2024

Submitted by: NikkiM

Verified: Aug 15, 2024

Verified by: J_Martineau

Details

Field Crescent
Phyciodes pulchella

Observed: Aug 10, 2024

Submitted by: NikkiM

Verified: Aug 15, 2024

Verified by: J_Martineau

Details

Clouded Sulphur
Colias philodice

Observed: Aug 10, 2024

Submitted by: NikkiM

Verified: Aug 15, 2024

Verified by: J_Martineau

Details

Mormon Fritillary
Speyeria mormonia

Observed: Aug 10, 2024

Submitted by: NikkiM

Verified: Aug 15, 2024

Verified by: J_Martineau

Details

Woodland Skipper
Ochlodes sylvanoides

Observed: Aug 03, 2024

Submitted by: srhflsmck

Verified: Aug 28, 2024

Verified by: J_Martineau

Details

Pale Crescent
Phyciodes pallida

Observed: Jul 31, 2024

Submitted by: ncrosbyrd

Verified: Aug 15, 2024

Verified by: J_Martineau

Details

Gnophaela vermiculata

Observed: Jul 29, 2024

Submitted by: Robert Gorman

Verified: Aug 13, 2024

Verified by: davidwdroppers

Details

Smerinthus ophthalmica

Observed: Jul 29, 2024

Submitted by: A. Buckley

Verified: Aug 16, 2024

Verified by: davidwdroppers

Details

Giant Sulphur
Colias gigantea

Observed: Jul 29, 2024

Submitted by: ncrosbyrd

Verified: Aug 29, 2024

Verified by: J_Martineau

Details

Clouded Sulphur
Colias philodice

Observed: Jul 29, 2024

Submitted by: Robert Gorman

Verified: Aug 15, 2024

Verified by: J_Martineau

Details

Top 10 Commonly Reported Butterflies and Moths of Montana

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.
Purplish Copper Lycaena helloides	Upperside of male brown with purple iridescence; female more orange. Hindwing of both sexes with broad orange band at margin.
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.
Melissa Blue (includes Karner Blue) Plebejus melissa	Upperside of male blue with narrow dark border; female brown with blue tinge. Underside with continuous black line along outer margin of both wings. Red-orange submarginal row is continuous in subspecies melissa and divided into separate spots in subspecies samuelis (Karner Blue).
Hoary Comma Polygonia gracilis	Upperside is dark red-orange, borders darker; hindwing with yellow submarginal spots. Underside is gray-brown; outer half much lighter, frosted white or silver-gray. Silver spot at center of hindwing is fishhook-shaped.
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.
Boisduval's Blue Plebejus icarioides	Upperside of male lilac-blue with dark borders. Female may be brown, or blue with wide dark borders. Below, black or white postmedian spots are larger on forewing than on hindwing.
Green Comma Polygonia faunus	Extremely ragged wing edges. Geographically variable. Upperside is reddish brown with wide dark borders; hindwing border contains yellow spots. Underside is brown, outer half lighter; submarginal spots are greenish; hindwing with L- or C-shaped silver spot in center.
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

1078 Species Recorded in Montana

Featured Species

Nymphalis antiopa

100 Most Recent Sightings in Montana

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Most Recent Sightings in Montana

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Lined Quaker
Apamea inficita

Yellow-dotted Alpine
Erebia pawlowskii

Field Crescent
Phyciodes pulchella

Clouded Sulphur
Colias philodice

Mormon Fritillary
Speyeria mormonia

Woodland Skipper
Ochlodes sylvanoides

Pale Crescent
Phyciodes pallida

Gnophaela vermiculata

Smerinthus ophthalmica

Giant Sulphur
Colias gigantea

Clouded Sulphur
Colias philodice

Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa

Milbert's Tortoiseshell
Aglais milberti

Purplish Copper
Lycaena helloides

Clouded Sulphur
Colias philodice

Melissa Blue (includes Karner Blue)
Plebejus melissa

Hoary Comma
Polygonia gracilis

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

Boisduval's Blue
Plebejus icarioides

Green Comma
Polygonia faunus

Satyr Comma
Polygonia satyrus

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Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Butterflies and Moths of Montana

1078 Species Recorded in Montana

Featured Species

100 Most Recent Sightings in Montana

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Most Recent Sightings in Montana

Red AdmiralVanessa atalanta

Lined QuakerApamea inficita

Yellow-dotted AlpineErebia pawlowskii

Field CrescentPhyciodes pulchella

Clouded SulphurColias philodice

Mormon FritillarySpeyeria mormonia

Woodland SkipperOchlodes sylvanoides

Pale CrescentPhyciodes pallida

Giant SulphurColias gigantea

Clouded SulphurColias philodice

Mourning CloakNymphalis antiopa

Milbert's TortoiseshellAglais milberti

Purplish CopperLycaena helloides

Clouded SulphurColias philodice

Melissa Blue (includes Karner Blue)Plebejus melissa

Hoary CommaPolygonia gracilis

Painted LadyVanessa cardui

Boisduval's BluePlebejus icarioides

Green CommaPolygonia faunus

Satyr CommaPolygonia satyrus

Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta

Lined Quaker
Apamea inficita

Yellow-dotted Alpine
Erebia pawlowskii

Field Crescent
Phyciodes pulchella

Clouded Sulphur
Colias philodice

Mormon Fritillary
Speyeria mormonia

Woodland Skipper
Ochlodes sylvanoides

Pale Crescent
Phyciodes pallida

Giant Sulphur
Colias gigantea

Clouded Sulphur
Colias philodice

Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa

Milbert's Tortoiseshell
Aglais milberti

Purplish Copper
Lycaena helloides

Clouded Sulphur
Colias philodice

Melissa Blue (includes Karner Blue)
Plebejus melissa

Hoary Comma
Polygonia gracilis

Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui

Boisduval's Blue
Plebejus icarioides

Green Comma
Polygonia faunus

Satyr Comma
Polygonia satyrus