Butterflies of North Carolina:
their Distribution and Abundance

New for county from iNaturalist

American CopperDavidson -
Dainty SulphurWatauga - Guy McGrane
Hayhurst's ScallopwingGreene - Josh Emm
King's HairstreakHaywood - Lydia Pultorak
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 249,712 records in the database.
Cnamecountydateobservernumbercomments
Aaron's SkipperDare; Mainland2024-09-14Rob Van Epps1iNat 242127153
American CopperDavidson2024-08-061iNat 234175277
American LadyCherokee2025-03-18Alina Martin1iNat 266475004
American SnoutGuilford2025-03-25Attia Wadood1iNat 267089356
Aphrodite FritillaryBuncombe2024-09-081worn butterfly iNat 241018796
Appalachian AzureBuncombe2024-06-18Heather Rayburn, Asheville, NC1A great day in the yard! Found my first ever Appalachian Azure caterpillars on some of my Black Cohosh. 5 brown cats + 1 white cat. iNat 223669484
Appalachian BrownCatawba2024-07-28Thomas A Smith1Murry\'s Mill and Pond iNat 232333280
Appalachian Tiger SwallowtailTransylvania2024-05-20Paul Carter1iNat 219221695
Baltimore CheckerspotHalifax; P2024-05-191iNat 217561915
Banded HairstreakMacon2024-07-281iNat 232324020
Berry's SkipperDare; Mainland2024-08-28Josh Emm1iNat 238521432
Black SwallowtailCraven2025-03-30Nicole Kirch1iNat 267698663
Brazilian SkipperNew Hanover2024-09-221iNat 245133344
Broad-winged SkipperCurrituck2024-09-15Rob Van Epps1iNat 242138585
Brown ElfinScotland2025-03-291iNat 267609881
Byssus SkipperHarnett; C2024-09-04Karen Szafrajda1iNat 239725196
Cabbage WhiteAvery2025-03-28Rylee Boosinger1iNat 267901706
Carolina Roadside-SkipperDare; Mainland2024-08-311iNat 239317426
Carolina SatyrBrunswick2024-10-05Josh Emm1iNat 246245295
Checkered WhiteUnion2024-07-29Dennis Kent1iNat 232563220
Clouded SkipperCaldwell2024-11-12Larry Beane1I agree there’s three butterflies, 1 clouded skippy and two fiery skippers. I cropped one for the first ID. iNat 251479979
Cloudless SulphurHyde; OB2024-10-151iNat 247542105
Common BuckeyeHarnett; C2024-11-25Paul Hart1Harnett County Pollinator Meadow
Common Checkered-SkipperGuilford2025-03-18Alexis Dodd1iNat 265851038
Common Roadside-SkipperBurke; M2024-07-03jrcagle1iNat 227394233
Common SootywingMoore; C2024-08-19Brenda Kramar Rice1Bettering in a weedy area with a mix of small flowering plants and native and nonnative grasses off the driveway. Small, about an inch?, appears almost completely black from a distance. iNat 236729543
Common Wood-NymphAlamance2024-09-18Alexandra1iNat 242518957
Confused CloudywingBrunswick2024-07-18Lydia Pultorak1iNat 230225675
Coral HairstreakWilkes; P2024-06-19Thomas A. Driscoll1iNat 223793681
Creole Pearly-eyeTransylvania2024-09-20Owen Carson1iNat 242876501
Crossline SkipperSurry2024-08-261iNat 238311473
Crystal SkipperCarteret2024-08-10E Redick1iNat 236245298
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 SkipperSurry2024-08-261iNat 238311575
Diana FritillaryMacon2024-10-031iNat 245637969
Dion SkipperMecklenburg2024-08-27Will Stuart1An unexpected skipper joining the Fiery Skippers in the Lanatana in the flower beds bordering the parking lot at the Matthews NC Sportplex. iNat 238312496
Dotted SkipperScotland2024-06-021NC lifer iNat 220241199
Dreamy DuskywingJackson2024-05-21peter_r1iNat 217382413
Dukes' SkipperCurrituck2024-10-071total of 9 Dukes' iNat 246265082
Dun SkipperChowan2024-10-14Larry Chen1iNat 247388953
Dusky AzureGraham2024-04-251Female found ovipositing on goatsbeard. 3 females 5 males observed with males starting to get worn iNat 209534255
Early HairstreakSwain2025-03-29Jaimie Matzko1iNat 267764606
Eastern CommaBurke; P2025-03-261iNat 267173094
Eastern Giant SwallowtailChatham2024-10-02Susie Moffat1iNat 245264876
Eastern Pine ElfinOrange2025-03-31Janet Staats1iNat 267928881
Eastern Tailed-BlueIredell2025-03-311iNat 268161140
Eastern tailed-blueHarnett; C2024-03-22Paul Hart1Campbell Pollinator Meadows & River Park
Eastern Tailed-blueLincoln2020-09-10"teacherman1984"2https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/59142316
Eastern Tiger SwallowtailAlamance2025-03-29Tilghman Castelli1iNat 267506787
Edwards' HairstreakMoore; C2024-06-01Robert Gilson1iNat 219889586
Eufala SkipperDare; OBL2024-09-29Rob Van Epps1iNat 244929019
European SkipperAshe2024-06-121iNat 222373471
Falcate OrangetipWilkes; P2025-03-301iNat 267889325
Fiery SkipperHarnett; C2024-11-24Paul Hart1Harnett County Pollinator Meadow
Gemmed SatyrAnson2025-03-23Will Stuart1I could not get a decent angle without losing a chance for an ID photo. In the roadway at Thoroughfare Ford, Griffin Road, Pee Dee NWR. iNat 266780376
Georgia SatyrCarteret2024-09-15Josh Emm1iNat 241994451
Golden Banded-SkipperSwain2024-06-051iNat 220798400
Gray HairstreakDare; OBU2025-03-30andrew thornton1iNat 268280093
Great Purple HairstreakChowan2025-03-29Tyler Neitzey1iNat 270085451
Great Spangled FritillaryIredell2024-09-02Liza Hagey1iNat 239485201
Green CommaYancey2024-07-31Alex Weemhoff1iNat 233007689
Gulf FritillaryDurham2025-02-01Ethan1iNat 262284240
Hackberry EmperorMecklenburg2024-10-111iNat 246762428
HarvesterGuilford2025-03-30130-Mar-25 iNat 267822492
Hayhurst's ScallopwingGreene2024-07-30Josh Emm1iNat 234069564
Henry's ElfinCurrituck2025-03-291iNat 267569428
Hessel's HairstreakRichmond; C2025-03-28Will Stuart1At least 2 dodging the wasps and bees iNat 267542321
Hickory HairstreakBuncombe2024-06-11Emily L. Stanley1iNat 222009073
Hoary EdgeAlamance2024-08-22Alexandra1iNat 237392373
Hobomok SkipperAlleghany2024-06-191iNat 223871132
Horace's DuskywingCurrituck2024-08-021iNat 233352432
Incognito CrescentMacon2024-08-061iNat 234237096
Indian SkipperWatauga2024-06-111female iNat 223150360
Intricate SatyrJones2024-09-22Josh Emm1https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/243516541
Juniper HairstreakDurham2025-03-291iNat 269643949
Juvenal's DuskywingBeaufort2025-03-30Steve Taylor1iNat 267703037
King's HairstreakHaywood2024-07-14Lydia Pultorak1https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/229314079
Lace-winged Roadside-SkipperDare; Mainland2024-09-231iNat 243861419
Least SkipperAvery2024-09-10Maya Keller1iNat 240960730
Little GlassywingGuilford2024-09-041iNat 239854006
Little MetalmarkCarteret2024-10-191iNat 248303362
Little Wood-SatyrMitchell2024-06-161iNat 223139035
Little YellowBrunswick2024-11-30ava!1iNat 253706624
Long-tailed SkipperSampson2024-10-25J Nicholson1iNat 249029268
Meadow FritillaryMacon2024-10-02Cade1iNat 245395604
Meske's SkipperRichmond; C2024-10-13Will Stuart1Quite fresh looking for mid-October. iNat 247478887
MonarchCraven2025-03-28Alpha Wolf11st Monarch observation of the Spring migration season, a female. Sunny temp low 70s. Nectaring on dandelion weed. iNat 267516202
Mottled DuskywingRutherford; P2024-06-13Dennis Kent1iNat 222530201
Mourning CloakWake2025-03-281iNat 267422586
Northern Broken-dashDare; Mainland2024-09-111wrote down SBD in field but not sure now iNat 241397841
Northern CloudywingSwain2024-07-181iNat 230175594
Northern Pearly-eyeDurham2024-10-061iNat 246004071
Oak HairstreakCurrituck2024-06-05Conway Hawn1iNat 220759694
Ocola SkipperWilson2024-10-20erica flory1iNat 248341085
Olympia MarbleMadison2025-03-28Dennis Kent1iNat 267419979
Orange SulphurCurrituck2024-10-11Rick Guyot1iNat 246922889
Painted LadyWake2024-10-19Christopher Boyce1iNat 248162060
Palamedes SwallowtailNew Hanover2025-03-19tuck tu1At Ogden park, butterfly was feeding on henbit purple flowers. Sorry for poor pictures iNat 265972001
Palatka SkipperDare; Mainland2024-09-291iNat 244846201
Pearl CrescentWake2025-03-29Mariana Hernandez Mendoza1iNat 267573633
Peck's SkipperHenderson2024-09-03E.J. Dwigans1iNat 239727759
Pepper and Salt SkipperMadison2024-06-171iNat 224618104
Phaon CrescentDare; OBM2024-10-24Kenn Kaufman1iNat 249047577
Pipevine SwallowtailChatham2025-03-29Candice1iNat 268835690
QueenNew Hanover2024-11-19John Lynch1iNat 252547195
Question MarkOrange2025-03-25David Vandermast1iNat 266939360
Red AdmiralMecklenburg2025-03-21Kevin Metcalf1iNat 266297099
Red-banded HairstreakBuncombe2024-10-20Anna Vess1iNat 248625699
Red-spotted PurpleGaston2024-11-17Johnathan Matheson1iNat 252015303
Reversed Roadside-SkipperCarteret2024-07-03Josh Emm1iNat 227037776
SachemCaldwell2024-09-08Larry Beane1iNat 240691334
Salt Marsh SkipperNew Hanover2024-10-14Dennis Kent1iNat 247386711
Silver-spotted SkipperWake2025-03-311iNat 268647068
Silvery BlueMadison2025-03-191iNat 266030525
Silvery CheckerspotCabarrus2024-09-02Dennis Kent1iNat 239480874
Sleepy DuskywingMadison2025-03-28Dennis Kent1iNat 267421163
Sleepy OrangeCurrituck2025-03-291iNat 267569656
Southern Broken-dashPender2024-09-20Josh Emm1iNat 243249316
Southern CloudywingRichmond; C2025-03-291iNat 267606475
Southern Pearly-eyeBladen2024-11-04Josh Emm1iNat 250508995
Southern SkipperlingWake2024-10-29Cynthia Darnell1lake crabtree iNat 250535886
Spicebush SwallowtailCarteret2025-03-29Anna1iNat 267616828
Spring AzureMacon2024-04-20Michael Wall1https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/254517093
Striped HairstreakMacon2024-06-16Alina Martin1iNat 223259991
Summer AzureStanly2025-03-20Rene Kimray1iNat 266171622
Swarthy SkipperAlamance2024-10-031iNat 245480964
Tawny EmperorRandolph2024-09-18H.Barnhardt1iNat 242596210
Tawny-edged SkipperDare; Mainland2024-09-14Kevin Metcalf1Fairly certain on the ID, but welcome comments or corrections. iNat 242220474
Tropical Checkered-SkipperDurham2024-11-18"gbtdurham"1https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/252170179; McKinley Street, Durham
Twin-spot SkipperDare; Mainland2024-09-211092124 never saw bug\'s ventral but iNat suggested this and it seems spot on looking at the newest Bfs of NC, SC, VA & GA field guide by LeGrand, Pippen, Carter & Howard; excellent addition to library iNat 243229333
Two-spotted SkipperBeaufort2024-05-211iNat 218889436
Variegated FritillaryWake2025-03-19Bo Abernethy1iNat 266779518
ViceroyDare; Mainland2024-10-30Rick Guyot1iNat 249884633
West Virginia WhiteSwain2025-03-29China Whitmire1iNat 267774398
WhirlaboutPender2024-09-27Josh Emm1iNat 244809375
White PeacockRichmond; P2024-08-10Ana Wohlgemuth1iNat 235148630
White-M HairstreakOrange2025-03-12Lior Carlson1iNat 265045701
Wild Indigo DuskywingOrange2024-09-12Anne1iNat 241343634
Yehl SkipperDare; Mainland2024-09-29Rob Van Epps1iNat 244962400
Yucca Giant-SkipperRichmond; C2024-04-05Kevin Metcalf1iNat 205778831
Zabulon SkipperAvery2024-09-20Laura Kimberly1iNat 243220567
Zarucco DuskywingDare; OBL2024-10-26Audrey Whitlock1iNat 249554960
Zebra LongwingCraven2024-10-12Alpha Wolf1iNat 247317672
Zebra SwallowtailDurham2025-03-311iNat 267908938