Butterflies of North Carolina:
their Distribution and Abundance

New for county from iNaturalist

Cassius BlueDare -
Dainty SulphurWatauga - Guy McGrane
Oak HairstreakMcDowell; P - Bert Harris
Tropical Checkered-SkipperDurham - "gbtdurham"
White PeacockDare; Mainland -
Zebra LongwingDavidson -
carolinalepsiNaturalist - New to a county or a more recent date for a county.
Records added to the database from iNaturalist. We have 260,652 records in the database.
Cnamecountydateobservernumbercomments
Aaron's SkipperDare; Mainland2025-08-23Audrey Whitlock1time stamp on MST so recording 2 hrs earlier than it was iNat 308764368
American CopperAlleghany2025-09-13Greg Hays1iNat 313699958
American LadyDavidson2025-07-28Cameron Cooper1iNat 301902459
American SnoutAshe2025-09-20Kristin Wyatt1iNat 315372563
Aphrodite FritillaryWatauga2025-09-101iNat 313232632
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 dont really know what thats supposed to look like. I suppose this plant might be black cohosh, I didnt check it to make sure, but it doesnt 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 BrownRowan2025-09-14Joe Poston1iNat 314490456
Appalachian Tiger SwallowtailRutherford; M2025-06-19Dennis Kent1iNat 291054455
Baltimore CheckerspotMadison2025-06-09William Young1iNat 288266054
Banded HairstreakGraham2025-07-011iNat 296250972
Berry's SkipperDare; Mainland2024-08-28Josh Emm1iNat 238521432
Black SwallowtailAshe2025-09-18Kim H1iNat 315165022
Brazilian SkipperGuilford2025-07-31Grant Egbert1iNat 302770743
Broad-winged SkipperCurrituck2025-09-091iNat 313359308
Brown ElfinTransylvania2025-04-211iNat 272086120
Byssus SkipperChatham2025-09-13Laurie Hamon1iNat 314143279
Cabbage WhiteNash2025-08-24Jonathan Holmes1iNat 308737372
Carolina Roadside-SkipperDare; Mainland2025-08-24John and Nancy Crosby1Nectaring on Chinese Bush Clover, an invasive species. iNat 309320706
Carolina SatyrAlleghany2025-09-20Guy McGrane1There were several in this area, at least 4, so possibly a colony up on the blue ridge, where they are somewhat rare. iNat 315615396
Cassius BlueDare2025-09-181iNat 314918940
Checkered WhiteSwain2025-08-081iNat 304803493
Clouded SkipperEdgecombe2025-09-11Michael Snead1iNat 313204665
Clouded SulphurWatauga2025-07-311iNat 302709263
Cloudless SulphurCabarrus2025-09-14Becca1iNat 313900320
Cobweb SkipperMadison2025-04-14Kevin Metcalf1same individual photographed by @robvanepps iNat 270548809
Common BuckeyeEdgecombe2025-09-09Randy Emmitt1iNat 312905678
Common Checkered-SkipperRandolph2025-09-15ava!1iNat 314180657
Common Roadside-SkipperMadison2025-08-051iNat 304195885
Common SootywingMadison2025-08-251iNat 309371113
Common Wood-NymphOnslow2025-09-201iNat 315380111
Confused CloudywingBrunswick2025-07-17Ryan Chaffee1iNat 298869001
Coral HairstreakBurke; P2025-06-21Liza Hagey1iNat 291620496
Creole Pearly-eyeMecklenburg2025-09-13Ken Kneidel1iNat 313750143
Crossline SkipperOrange2025-08-031iNat 304251519
Crystal SkipperCarteret2025-08-061iNat 304520706
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 SkipperWilkes; P2025-09-14Rob Van Epps1iNat 315858635
Diana FritillaryHaywood2025-09-201iNat 316796244
Dion SkipperWake2025-09-191iNat 315412264
Dotted SkipperScotland2024-06-021NC lifer iNat 220241199
Dreamy DuskywingBurke; P2025-06-301iNat 294128278
Dukes' SkipperDare; OBU2025-08-131Is this really a Dukes' ? iNat 306080069
Dun SkipperBuncombe2025-09-01Heather Rayburn, Asheville, NC1UNCA Woods iNat 312589861
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 CommaLincoln2025-09-201iNat 315545228
Eastern Giant SwallowtailTransylvania2025-09-17Michael W Plauché1iNat 314598771
Eastern Pine ElfinMecklenburg2025-05-06Dennis Kent1iNat 278980729
Eastern Tailed-BlueSwain2025-08-13Quintin Ellison1iNat 306118709
Eastern Tiger SwallowtailPerson2025-08-27Megan Carroll1iNat 309639266
Edwards' HairstreakHoke2025-05-22Nick Spigler1iNat 283506620
Eufala SkipperMecklenburg2025-09-02Greg Hays1iNat 311088216
European SkipperAshe2024-06-121iNat 222373471
Falcate OrangetipGraham2025-04-18Kevin Metcalf1iNat 271521525
Fiery SkipperMontgomery2025-09-021iNat 311156943
Gemmed SatyrAlleghany2025-09-20Guy McGrane1iNat 315613365
Georgia SatyrCarteret2025-09-01Kevin Metcalf1iNat 310933843
Golden Banded-SkipperMadison2025-05-311iNat 286173889
Gray HairstreakChowan2025-09-19Tyler Neitzey1iNat 315091328
Great Purple HairstreakOnslow2025-09-20Josh Emm1iNat 316221682
Great Spangled FritillaryGranville2025-08-271ecoEXPLORE Username: haven45 iNat 309430925
Green CommaYancey2024-07-31Alex Weemhoff1iNat 233007689
Gulf FritillaryMitchell2025-09-20Bob Schwartz1iNat 315938919
Hackberry EmperorGranville2025-09-141iNat 313870525
HarvesterForsyth2025-09-171iNat 314662813
Hayhurst's ScallopwingSurry2025-08-251iNat 310070626
Henry's ElfinDare; OBM2025-04-18Audrey Whitlock1iNat 271258174
Hessel's HairstreakRichmond; C2025-04-06Kevin Metcalf1iNat 270006550
Hickory HairstreakBuncombe2024-06-11Emily L. Stanley1iNat 222009073
Hoary EdgeOnslow2025-08-18Hunter Phillips1iNat 307421594
Hobomok SkipperAlleghany2025-06-04Ryan Chaffee1iNat 286958862
Horace's DuskywingOnslow2025-08-03M. Shields1iNat 303607887
Incognito CrescentJackson2025-08-24Cade1iNat 309366331
Indian SkipperWatauga2024-06-111female iNat 223150360
Intricate SatyrBrunswick2025-04-15Jayden Ward1iNat 270910477
Juniper HairstreakRandolph2025-08-301iNat 310331959
Juvenal's DuskywingCherokee2025-05-15Monica Hoel1iNat 281349420
King's HairstreakPitt2025-06-29railprof1iNat 293775547
Lace-winged Roadside-SkipperJackson2025-09-181iNat 315110168
Least SkipperRowan2025-09-17Joe Poston1iNat 314691087
Little GlassywingUnion2025-08-22Dennis Kent1iNat 308234270
Little MetalmarkOnslow2025-09-191iNat 319376186
Little Wood-SatyrCurrituck2025-06-121iNat 289078049
Little YellowHoke2025-09-11Steven Joyner1iNat 315006349
Long-tailed SkipperDurham2025-09-18Deborah Gibson1iNat 314991654
Meadow FritillaryAlleghany2025-09-131iNat 314177904
Meske's SkipperRichmond; C2024-10-13Will Stuart1Quite fresh looking for mid-October. iNat 247478887
MonarchCleveland2025-09-03Patrick Anderson1iNat 311339723
Mottled DuskywingRutherford; P2025-06-11Will Stuart1This butterfly is not well marked like the Mottled Duskywings I see in April but the markings on the hindwings, the size of the butterfly, the behavior, and the location all lead me to this species. iNat 288984786
Mourning CloakCurrituck2025-09-141iNat 314017479
Northern Broken-dashMitchell2025-07-24Wendy Sue Smith1iNat 301328384
Northern CloudywingOrange2025-07-31Randy Emmitt1iNat 302657243
Northern Pearly-eyeOrange2025-09-191ecoEXPLORE Username: wfredericksmithwick iNat 317187028
Oak HairstreakMcDowell; P2025-05-29Bert Harris1https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/290099466
Ocola SkipperOnslow2025-09-091iNat 312894802
Olympia MarbleMadison2025-03-28Dennis Kent1iNat 267419979
Orange SulphurCarteret2025-09-20Stephen1iNat 315331718
Painted LadyWake2025-09-20Amber Warren1iNat 315446482
Palamedes SwallowtailJones2025-09-011iNat 310801398
Palatka SkipperDare; Mainland2025-06-18andrew thornton1iNat 290682826
Pearl CrescentCatawba2025-07-261iNat 301322022
Peck's SkipperAlleghany2025-09-13Greg Hays1iNat 313699899
Pepper and Salt SkipperTransylvania2025-06-22Erin Price1iNat 294105668
Phaon CrescentBrunswick2025-08-25Daniel Farrell1iNat 309360560
Pipevine SwallowtailStokes2025-08-04Anakin Poikilos1iNat 303770133
QueenNew Hanover2025-09-20Cody Little1iNat 315780756
Question MarkTransylvania2025-08-07Claire Herzog1iNat 304478268
Red AdmiralAlexander2025-09-17Lonnie Johnson1iNat 314603769
Red-banded HairstreakOnslow2025-09-201iNat 316058693
Red-spotted PurpleAvery2025-09-19AylaWolf81iNat 315071950
Reversed Roadside-SkipperRichmond; C2025-06-29Dennis Kent1iNat 293869981
SachemMecklenburg2025-09-13Kevin Metcalf1iNat 313721475
Salt Marsh SkipperNew Hanover2025-08-181iNat 307504709
Silver-spotted SkipperStanly2025-08-291iNat 310057741
Silvery BlueMadison2025-03-191iNat 266030525
Silvery CheckerspotCherokee2025-08-251iNat 309393958
Sleepy DuskywingMadison2025-04-14Kevin Metcalf1iNat 270602688
Sleepy OrangeMontgomery2025-09-171iNat 314692834
Southern Broken-dashPerson2025-08-221iNat 310363236
Southern CloudywingCraven2025-08-07Jeff Pavlik1iNat 306046352
Southern Pearly-eyeCumberland2025-09-15Steven Joyner1iNat 316741202
Southern SkipperlingBrunswick2025-08-25Laurie Hamon1iNat 309243267
Spicebush SwallowtailColumbus2025-08-26Vanessa A Roberts1iNat 309297351
Spring AzureSwain2025-04-19Ziyu Wang1iNat 271540116
Striped HairstreakMacon2024-06-16Alina Martin1iNat 223259991
Summer AzureAvery2025-08-30Eric Johnson1iNat 311051728
Swarthy SkipperHertford2025-09-131iNat 313749902
Tawny CrescentClay2025-05-301iNat 285464167
Tawny EmperorMecklenburg2025-09-201iNat 315298026
Tawny-edged SkipperPender2025-05-30Tyler Ekholm1iNat 285806365
Tropical Checkered-SkipperDurham2024-11-18"gbtdurham"1https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/252170179; McKinley Street, Durham
Twin-spot SkipperCarteret2025-09-01Kevin Metcalf1iNat 310937423
Two-spotted SkipperBeaufort2024-05-211iNat 218889436
Variegated FritillaryGaston2025-09-20Tommy Butler1iNat 315286066
ViceroyCherokee2025-09-20Alanis Rose1iNat 315426440
West Virginia WhiteJackson2025-05-01Michael Weisensee1iNat 277703889
WhirlaboutNew Hanover2025-08-31Gail Lemiec1iNat 310569247
White PeacockDare; Mainland2025-09-071iNat 312233137
White-M HairstreakOrange2025-09-161iNat 314276136
Wild Indigo DuskywingWatauga2025-09-011iNat 310921557
Yehl SkipperOnslow2025-09-20Josh Emm1iNat 316228645
Yucca Giant-SkipperOnslow2025-04-181iNat 272107500
Zabulon SkipperSurry2025-08-251iNat 310069561
Zarucco DuskywingSurry2025-08-251iNat 310069560
Zebra LongwingDavidson2025-09-121iNat 316052999
Zebra SwallowtailMecklenburg2025-09-12Dennis Kent1iNat 313386176