Butterflies of North Carolina:
their Distribution and Abundance

New for county from iNaturalist

American CopperDavidson -
Dainty SulphurWatauga - Guy McGrane
Great Spangled FritillaryNorthampton - Kathy Richardson
Long-tailed SkipperSampson - J Nicholson
Tropical Checkered-SkipperDurham - "gbtdurham"
White PeacockRichmond; P - Ana Wohlgemuth
carolinalepsiNaturalist - New to a county or a more recent date for a county.
Records added to the database from iNaturalist. We have 251,090 records in the database.
Cnamecountydateobservernumbercomments
Aaron's SkipperDare; Mainland2025-05-15Kevin Metcalf1iNat 281968101
American CopperDavidson2024-08-061iNat 234175277
American LadyOnslow2025-05-291iNat 285132035
American SnoutBladen2025-05-311iNat 285807930
Aphrodite FritillaryBuncombe2024-09-081worn butterfly iNat 241018796
Appalachian AzureWatauga2025-05-031Appears to be the right timing for App, and the location has many black cohosh plants growing, so going with this ID on a tentative basis. See photo for what could be ovipositing, the little black trunk sticking out the rear end of the butterfly. I don\'t really know what thats supposed to look like. I suppose this plant might be black cohosh, I didn\'t check it to make sure, but it doesn\'t really look much like it to me from this photo. However, its certainly NOT Cherry or dogwood. - On second look that black thing is likely just a piece of plant material not a part of the butterfly. iNat 278185917
Appalachian BrownJackson2025-05-21Alina Martin1iNat 284149190
Appalachian Tiger SwallowtailGraham2025-05-19Jess Tremblay1iNat 282556243
Baltimore CheckerspotHalifax; P2024-05-191iNat 217561915
Banded HairstreakDare; OBU2025-05-31Audrey Whitlock1Dare Co lifer iNat 285911887
Berry's SkipperDare; Mainland2024-08-28Josh Emm1iNat 238521432
Black SwallowtailCatawba2025-05-221iNat 283197573
Brazilian SkipperNew Hanover2024-09-221iNat 245133344
Broad-winged SkipperBeaufort2025-05-301iNat 285376251
Brown ElfinTransylvania2025-04-211iNat 272086120
Byssus SkipperHarnett; C2024-09-04Karen Szafrajda1iNat 239725196
Cabbage WhiteBeaufort2025-05-221iNat 285641337
Carolina Roadside-SkipperGates2025-04-021iNat 269348353
Carolina SatyrLincoln2025-05-15Al Hooks1iNat 282942287
Checkered WhiteMadison2025-05-221iNat 283150573
Clouded SkipperCabarrus2025-05-241iNat 283951398
Cloudless SulphurHyde; OB2024-10-151iNat 247542105
Cobweb SkipperMadison2025-04-14Kevin Metcalf1same individual photographed by @robvanepps iNat 270548809
Common BuckeyeCaswell2025-05-23Randy Emmitt1iNat 283495697
Common Checkered-SkipperGuilford2025-05-07Erin Price1iNat 282619031
Common Roadside-SkipperMadison2025-04-17Dennis Kent1iNat 271109498
Common SootywingCabarrus2025-04-28Rob Van Epps1iNat 276246088
Common Wood-NymphAlamance2024-09-18Alexandra1iNat 242518957
Confused CloudywingScotland2025-04-26Jeff Clark1iNat 277242325
Coral HairstreakGuilford2025-05-29Heather Russell1iNat 285230980
Creole Pearly-eyeCabarrus2025-05-131iNat 285409509
Crossline SkipperMecklenburg2025-05-30Rob Van Epps1iNat 285435182
Crystal SkipperOnslow2025-04-28Anna1iNat 276561352
Dainty SulphurWatauga2024-07-27Guy McGrane1"There was at least one and likely two DAINTY SULPHURS at Brookshire Park in Boone NC, Watauga Co." Photos have been posted to iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/232106970
Delaware SkipperStokes2025-05-31Anakin Slinky1iNat 286185518
Diana FritillaryMacon2024-10-031iNat 245637969
Dion SkipperWake2025-05-301iNat 285414602
Dotted SkipperScotland2024-06-021NC lifer iNat 220241199
Dreamy DuskywingMadison2025-05-111iNat 280642652
Dukes' SkipperCurrituck2024-10-071total of 9 Dukes' iNat 246265082
Dun SkipperCraven2025-04-251iNat 274936489
Dusky AzureGraham2025-04-18Kevin Metcalf1Female repeatedly visiting and ovipositing on Goatsbeard (Aruncus dioicus), the larval food plant of Dusky Azure. In series of photos, note broad dark gray margins on upper side of wings, dark along wing veins, lack of bright blue on upper side of wings. Also, dark marks along the marginal and submarginal bands on the underside of the wings, especially the forewings, relatively prominent compared to Spring/Summer Azures seen in the same area on this date. One male Dusky Azure was also present, but never landed for good photos. It lacked bright blue on upper side of wings, and was instead a dark slaty gray. iNat 271452728
Early HairstreakSwain2025-03-29Jaimie Matzko1iNat 267764606
Eastern CommaNorthampton2025-05-07Zane Fish1iNat 279332333
Eastern Giant SwallowtailDare; OBU2025-05-07hagfish1Terrible pictures, but unmistakable - first spotted it dorsally iNat 279264726
Eastern Pine ElfinMecklenburg2025-05-06Dennis Kent1iNat 278980729
Eastern Tailed-BlueCatawba2025-05-241iNat 284348150
Eastern Tiger SwallowtailCatawba2025-05-291iNat 285158411
Edwards' HairstreakHoke2025-05-22Nick Spigler1iNat 283506620
Eufala SkipperDare; OBM2025-05-18Kevin Metcalf1iNat 282512799
European SkipperAshe2024-06-121iNat 222373471
Falcate OrangetipGraham2025-04-18Kevin Metcalf1iNat 271521525
Fiery SkipperWake2025-05-01Bo Abernethy1iNat 279994494
Gemmed SatyrOrange2025-05-04smoore1iNat 280670184
Georgia SatyrCarteret2024-09-15Josh Emm1iNat 241994451
Golden Banded-SkipperMadison2025-05-311iNat 286173889
Gray HairstreakPasquotank2025-05-31Conway Hawn1iNat 285826026
Great Purple HairstreakBurke; P2025-05-29Leighton Reid1iNat 285229947
Great Spangled FritillaryNorthampton2025-05-30Kathy Richardson1iNat 285345913
Green CommaYancey2024-07-31Alex Weemhoff1iNat 233007689
Gulf FritillaryHaywood2025-05-131iNat 280850059
Hackberry EmperorMadison2025-05-311iNat 286142150
HarvesterWake2025-05-221In native-focused suburban garden. On native lizard tail plant. iNat 283210107
Hayhurst's ScallopwingAnson2025-04-17Will Stuart1Pee Dee NWR near the Pee Dee River. iNat 271197875
Henry's ElfinDare; OBM2025-04-18Audrey Whitlock1iNat 271258174
Hessel's HairstreakRichmond; C2025-04-06Kevin Metcalf1iNat 270006550
Hickory HairstreakBuncombe2024-06-11Emily L. Stanley1iNat 222009073
Hoary EdgeMadison2025-05-311iNat 286380278
Hobomok SkipperAshe2025-05-25Brian Antczak1Feeding on Penstemon smallii. iNat 284926688
Horace's DuskywingUnion2025-05-22Dennis Kent1iNat 283219413
Incognito CrescentClay2025-05-271iNat 286894752
Indian SkipperWatauga2024-06-111female iNat 223150360
Intricate SatyrBrunswick2025-04-15Jayden Ward1iNat 270910477
Juniper HairstreakNew Hanover2025-04-281iNat 276021364
Juvenal's DuskywingCherokee2025-05-15Monica Hoel1iNat 281349420
King's HairstreakHoke2025-05-31Nick Spigler1iNat 286120084
Lace-winged Roadside-SkipperCraven2025-05-30Nicole Kirch1iNat 285389515
Least SkipperMadison2025-05-311iNat 286382390
Little GlassywingDurham2025-05-23Ryan Chaffee1iNat 283505834
Little MetalmarkPender2025-04-271iNat 274997445
Little Wood-SatyrHaywood2025-05-31Doug Bruce1iNat 287161293
Little YellowBrunswick2024-11-30ava!1iNat 253706624
Long-tailed SkipperSampson2024-10-25J Nicholson1iNat 249029268
Meadow FritillaryMadison2025-04-27Grace Croonenberghs1iNat 276741770
Meske's SkipperRichmond; C2024-10-13Will Stuart1Quite fresh looking for mid-October. iNat 247478887
MonarchHyde2025-05-21steve b1iNat 283244295
Mottled DuskywingRutherford; P2024-06-13Dennis Kent1iNat 222530201
Mourning CloakMacon2025-05-301iNat 285492349
Northern Broken-dashDare; Mainland2024-09-111wrote down SBD in field but not sure now iNat 241397841
Northern CloudywingGuilford2025-05-31Carole Bloom130-May-25 iNat 285512065
Northern Pearly-eyeBuncombe2025-05-311on a sandbank in a wetland iNat 285787572
Oak HairstreakWake2025-05-251iNat 283944768
Ocola SkipperWilson2024-10-20erica flory1iNat 248341085
Olympia MarbleMadison2025-03-28Dennis Kent1iNat 267419979
Orange SulphurPasquotank2025-05-31Conway Hawn1iNat 285747687
Painted LadyGuilford2025-05-23David B. Craft1iNat 285127247
Palamedes SwallowtailBladen2025-05-091iNat 280630072
Palatka SkipperHyde2025-05-25Kelly Davis1iNat 286366201
Pearl CrescentGaston2025-05-291iNat 285159910
Peck's SkipperClay2025-05-301iNat 286675574
Pepper and Salt SkipperOrange2025-04-221iNat 273117840
Phaon CrescentOnslow2025-04-25Anna1iNat 275729227
Pipevine SwallowtailMecklenburg2025-05-31Rob Van Epps1iNat 286366338
QueenNew Hanover2024-11-19John Lynch1iNat 252547195
Question MarkHyde2025-05-25Kelly Davis1iNat 286366204
Red AdmiralJackson2025-05-18Quintin Ellison1iNat 282150411
Red-banded HairstreakHenderson2025-05-22Steve O'Neil1iNat 284076721
Red-spotted PurpleTyrrell2025-05-301iNat 285401277
Reversed Roadside-SkipperPender2025-04-241iNat 272824232
SachemLincoln2025-05-301iNat 286285250
Salt Marsh SkipperCarteret2025-05-18jrcagle1iNat 282617740
Silver-spotted SkipperLenoir2025-05-29Megan Gertsch1iNat 285521361
Silvery BlueMadison2025-03-191iNat 266030525
Silvery CheckerspotYancey2025-05-25Kelly Sullivan1iNat 283946901
Sleepy DuskywingMadison2025-04-14Kevin Metcalf1iNat 270602688
Sleepy OrangeOnslow2025-05-151iNat 281333206
Southern Broken-dashCurrituck2025-05-251iNat 284073906
Southern CloudywingHoke2025-05-22Nick Spigler1iNat 283163542
Southern Pearly-eyeChatham2025-05-29Merry Conlin1On Arundinaria iNat 285184334
Southern SkipperlingWake2024-10-29Cynthia Darnell1lake crabtree iNat 250535886
Spicebush SwallowtailAshe2025-05-19Brian Antczak1Just emerged from chrysalis. iNat 282617471
Spring AzureSwain2025-04-19Ziyu Wang1iNat 271540116
Striped HairstreakMacon2024-06-16Alina Martin1iNat 223259991
Summer AzureBeaufort2025-05-24Peter Burka1iNat 283817772
Swarthy SkipperMecklenburg2025-05-30Rob Van Epps1iNat 285433582
Tawny CrescentClay2025-05-301iNat 285464167
Tawny EmperorMadison2025-05-311iNat 286157530
Tawny-edged SkipperPender2025-05-30Tyler Ekholm1iNat 285806365
Tropical Checkered-SkipperDurham2024-11-18"gbtdurham"1https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/252170179; McKinley Street, Durham
Twin-spot SkipperOnslow2025-05-17Josh Emm1iNat 281982494
Two-spotted SkipperBeaufort2024-05-211iNat 218889436
Variegated FritillaryStokes2025-05-241iNat 283710974
ViceroyGuilford2025-05-201iNat 284587254
West Virginia WhiteJackson2025-05-01Michael Weisensee1iNat 277703889
WhirlaboutPender2025-05-26Larry Chen1iNat 285506977
White PeacockRichmond; P2024-08-10Ana Wohlgemuth1iNat 235148630
White-M HairstreakDare; OBU2025-05-241iNat 283669729
Wild Indigo DuskywingRichmond; C2025-04-06Kevin Metcalf1I think. Very reduced white spots on forewings relative to Juvenal's. Seemed a bit small compared to Juvenal's. iNat 270033584
Yehl SkipperPitt2025-05-30Salman Abdulali1iNat 285436145
Yucca Giant-SkipperOnslow2025-04-181iNat 272107500
Zabulon SkipperUnion2025-05-191iNat 282443205
Zarucco DuskywingNew Hanover2025-05-30Gail Lemiec1iNat 285418846
Zebra LongwingCraven2024-10-12Alpha Wolf1iNat 247317672
Zebra SwallowtailNorthampton2025-05-30Kathy Richardson1iNat 285497787