Denver-Boulder Metro Area: Butterflies and Moths
This guide contains butterflies and moths that can be found in the Denver-Boulder Metro Area, including Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, and Jefferson Counties.
Phoebus Apollo
Parnassius phoebus, known as the Phoebus Apollo or Small Apollo, is a butterfly species of the family of Swallowtail butterflies (Papilionidae) found in Eurasia and North America.
Rocky Mountain Parnassian
The Rocky Mountain Parnassian or Mountain Parnassian (Parnassius smintheus) is a high-altitude butterfly which is found in the U.S. and Canada. It is a member of the Snow Apollo genus Parnassius of the Swallowtail (Papilionidae) family.
Indra Swallowtail
Papilio indra, the Indra swallowtail, short-tailed black swallowtail, or cliff swallowtail, is a western North American butterfly in the family Papilionidae.
Black Swallowtail
The (Eastern) Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes), also called the American Swallowtail or Parsnip Swallowtail, is a butterfly found throughout much of North America. It is the state butterfly of Oklahoma. An extremely similar-appearing species, Papilio joanae, occurs in the Ozark Mountains region, but it appears to be closely related to Papilio ...more ↓
Anise Swallowtail
The Anise Swallowtail, Papilio zelicaon, is a common swallowtail butterfly of western North America. Both the upper and lower sides of its wings are black, but the upper wing has a broad yellow stripe across it, which gives the butterfly an overall yellow appearance. There are striking blue spots on the rear edge of the rear wing, and the characteristic tails of the ...more ↓
Pale Swallowtail
Papilio eurymedon, the pale swallowtail or pallid swallowtail, is a relatively common swallowtail butterfly found throughout much of the western North America. It is found on the Pacific coast from northern Baja California to southernmost British Columbia and inland to New Mexico and the Black Hills of South Dakota. It is present from the coast to western Montana ...more ↓
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus, the eastern tiger swallowtail, is a species of swallowtail butterfly native to eastern North America. It is one of the most familiar butterflies in the eastern United States, where it is common in many different habitats. It flies from spring to fall, during which it produces two to three broods. Adults feed on the nectar of many species of flowers, ...more ↓
Two-tailed Swallowtail
The Two-tailed Swallowtail (Papilio multicaudata) is a species of the Papilionidae family found in western North America from British Columbia to Central America.
Western Tiger Swallowtail
The Western Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio rutulus) is a common swallowtail butterfly of western North America, frequently seen in urban parks and gardens as well as in rural woodlands and riparian areas. It is a member of the Papilio genus, of which Papilio appalachiensis and Papilio xuthus are also members. It is a large, brightly colored and active butterfly, ...more ↓
Pipevine Swallowtail
Battus philenor, the pipevine swallowtail or blue swallowtail, is a swallowtail butterfly found in North America and Central America. This butterfly is black with iridescent-blue hindwings. They are found in many different habitats, but are most commonly found in forests. Caterpillars are often black or red, and feed on compatible plants of the genus ...more ↓
Yucca Giant-skipper
Megathymus yuccae, commonly known as the Yucca Giant-Skipper, is a rare early season butterfly that is widespread across the southern United States. It belongs in the family Hesperiidae, subfamily Megathyminae.
Common Roadside-Skipper
Amblyscirtes vialis (the Common Roadside Skipper) is a butterfly of the Hesperiidae family. It is found from British Columbia east across southern Canada to Maine and Nova Scotia, south to central California, northern New Mexico, Texas, the Gulf states and northern Florida.
Oslar's Roadside-Skipper
The Oslar's roadside skipper (Amblyscirtes oslari) is a butterfly of the Hesperiidae family. It is found from southern Alberta, Saskatchewan, and North Dakota south through the high plains and Rocky Mountains to Arizona, New Mexico, and south Texas.
Orange-headed Roadside-Skipper
Amblyscirtes phylace (the Orange-headed Roadside-Skipper or Red-headed Roadside Skipper) is a species of butterfly of the Hesperiidae family. It is found from Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and western Texas to Mexico.
Arogos Skipper
The Arogos Skipper or Beard-grass Skipper (Atrytone arogos) is a butterfly of the Hesperiidae family. It is found in isolated colonies in Georgia peninsular Florida, the Gulf Coast, south-east North Dakota and central Minnesota south to southern Texas and the Colorado front range. Strays are found up to western Virginia, northern Arkansas and Illinois.
Fiery Skipper
The fiery skipper (Hylephila phyleus) is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae and is approximately 1 inch (2.5 cm) long. The males are orange or yellow with black spots while the females are dark brown with orange or yellow spots. The caterpillars are greenish pink with a black head. The caterpillars are often considered pests and can feed on Bermudagrass, creeping bentgrass, ...more ↓
Sachem
Atalopedes campestris (called the Sachem in the United States) is a small skipper. It is just over 1 inch long and has orange-and-brown adults. Females are slightly larger and have paler markings on their wings compared to males.
Woodland Skipper
The Woodland Skipper (Ochlodes sylvanoides) is a butterfly of the Hesperiidae family. It is found from British Columbia south to southern California, east to Montana, Colorado and Arizona.
Western Branded Skipper
The Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado) is a butterfly of the Hesperiidae family.
Common Branded Skipper
The Silver-spotted Skipper (Hesperia comma) is a butterfly of the Hesperiidae family. It is known as the Common Branded Skipper or Holarctic Grass Skipper in North America, where the butterfly Epargyreus clarus, a spread-winged skipper, also has the common name of "Silver-spotted Skipper".
Juba Skipper
The Juba Skipper, Yuba Skipper, or Jagged-border Skipper (Hesperia juba) is a butterfly of the Hesperiidae family. It is found from British Columbia, south to southern California, east to Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and north-western New Mexico.
Leonard's Skipper
The Leonard's Skipper (Hesperia leonardus) is a butterfly of the Hesperiidae family. There are three subspecies. Next to the nominate species, these are the Pawnee Skipper (ssp. pawnee), which is found from western Montana and south-eastern Saskatchewan east to Minnesota, south to central Colorado and Kansas. Leonard's Skipper ranges from Nova Scotia and Maine west ...more ↓
Nevada Skipper
The Juba Skipper, Yuba Skipper, or Jagged-border Skipper (Hesperia juba) is a butterfly of the Hesperiidae family. It is found from British Columbia, south to southern California, east to Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and north-western New Mexico.
Uncas Skipper
The Uncas Skipper or White-vein Skipper (Hesperia uncas) is a butterfly of the Hesperiidae family. It is found from US midwest to southern portions of the three Canadian Prairie provinces, north as far as Edmonton, Alberta.
Long Dash
The Long Dash or Long Dash Skipper (Polites mystic) is a species of butterfly. The species is commonly found in north of North America and in mountains in the south of North America, in grassy habitats. The grassy areas include meadows, marshes, streamsides, wood edges, and prairie swales. On the top, the species is dark brown reddish to yellowish orange markings. The ...more ↓
Crossline Skipper
The Crossline Skipper (Polites origenes) is a butterfly in the Hesperiidae family. It is found in the eastern United States, excepting Florida, southern Ontario, and Quebec.
Sonoran Skipper
The Sonoran Skipper or Western Long Dash (Polites sonora) is a butterfly in the Hesperiidae family. It is found along the Pacific coast of the U.S., reaching Canada only in the extreme southern interior of British Columbia.
Draco Skipper
The Draco Skipper, Rocky Mountain Skipper, or Dragon Skipper (Polites draco) is a butterfly in the Hesperiidae family. It is found on the Rocky Mountain states and provinces from Arizona to the Yukon Territory.
Peck's Skipper
The Peck's Skipper (Polites peckius) is a North American butterfly in the family Hesperiidae (skippers), subfamily Hesperiinae (grass skippers). This skipper ranges across Canada from British Columbia, as far north as Cartwright, Labrador; Moar Lake, Ontario; Leaf Rapids, Manitoba; and the Hay River area in Alberta. In the US, it ranges in most of the northern and central ...more ↓
Sandhill Skipper
The Sandhill Skipper or Saltgrass Skipper (Polites sabuleti) is a butterfly in the Hesperiidae family. It is found from southern British Columbia and eastern Washington, south through California and northern Arizona to Baja California and east to south-eastern Wyoming, central Colorado, and north-eastern New Mexico. It is an introduced species in Hawaii.
Tawny-edged Skipper
The Tawny-edged Skipper (Polites themistocles) is a North American butterfly in the family Hesperiidae.
Rhesus Skipper
The Rhesus Skipper or Plains Gray Skipper (Polites rhesus) is a butterfly in the Hesperiidae family. It is found from Texas to North Dakota, as far north, but infrequently, as Saskatchewan and Alberta.
Dun Skipper
The Dun Skipper, Sedge Witch or Dun Sedge Skipper (Euphyes vestris) is a species of butterfly of the Hesperiidae family. It is found from Nova Scotia west across southern Canada to southern Alberta, south to Florida, the Gulf Coast and eastern Texas. There are disjunct populations in the high plains and Rocky Mountains and along the Pacific Coast.
Dusted Skipper
Atrytonopsis hianna, the dusted skipper, is a butterfly of the Hesperiidae family. It is found in the United States from eastern Wyoming, central Colorado, northern New Mexico and central Texas east to New Hampshire and Massachusetts, south to peninsular Florida and the Gulf Coast.
Delaware Skipper
The Delaware Skipper (Anatrytone logan) is a North American butterfly in the family Hesperiidae (skippers), subfamily Hesperiinae (grass skippers). This skipper ranges from the southern Prairies in Canada and southern Ontario and southwards through the midwestern and eastern states in the US.
Least Skipper
Ancyloxypha numitor, the least skipper, is a North American butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. They have a weak, Satyrinae-like flight.
Garita Skipperling
The Garita Skipperling, Western Skipperling, or Garita Skipper (Oarisma garita) is a North American butterfly in the family Hesperiidae (skippers), subfamily Hesperiinae (grass skippers). This skipper ranges southeastern Manitoba to British Columbia and south through the American Midwest as far south as Mexico.
Mexican Cloudywing
The Mexican Cloudywing, Mountain Cloudy Wing or Nevada Cloudy Wing (Thorybes mexicana) is a butterfly of the Hesperiidae family. It is found in the high elevation mountains of the western United States south into Mexico.
Silver-spotted Skipper
The Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus) is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. It is claimed to be the most recognized skipper in North America.
Afranius Duskywing
Afranius Duskywing or Bald Duskywing (Erynnis afranius) is a butterfly of the Hesperiidae family. It is found from northern Mexico through central United States to southern Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.
Sleepy Duskywing
E. brizo is a species of Hesperiidae that occurs throughout North America and is commonly confused with E. juvenalis and E. lucilius.
Funereal Duskywing
The Funereal Duskywing (Erynnis funeralis) is a butterfly of the Hesperiidae family. It is found from southern California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, south to Argentina. Strays can be found north up to northern Illinois, north-eastern Nebraska, central Colorado, southern Nevada and central California.
Horace's Duskywing
Horace's Duskywing (Erynnis horatius) is a butterfly of the Hesperiidae family. It is found from Massachusetts, west to eastern South Dakota, south through most of the eastern United States to Florida, the Gulf Coast, and southern Texas, south in the west through south-eastern Utah, Colorado, north-eastern Arizona, and New Mexico. Fringes are brown. Upperside of male forewing is ...more ↓
Dreamy Duskywing
The Dreamy Duskywing or Aspen Dusky Wing (Erynnis icelus) is a butterfly of the Hesperiidae family. It is found in boreal North America, from the Northwest Territories east across southern Canada to Nova Scotia, south in the western mountains to southern Arizona and southern New Mexico, south in the east to Arkansas, north-eastern Alabama and northern Georgia.
Mottled Duskywing
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Pacuvius Duskywing
Pacuvius Duskywing, Dyar's Duskywing, or Buckthorn Dusky Wing (Erynnis pacuvius) is a butterfly of the Hesperiidae family. It is found in most of the western United States and in southern British Columbia.
Persius Duskywing
Erynnis persius, the Persius duskywing, is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae that occurs in North America. It is a threatened species in Michigan and is protected by law.
Common Checkered-Skipper
Pyrgus communis, the common checkered-skipper, is a species of butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is known as the frequently seen Pyrginae species in the northern United States by collectors and watchers alike.
Northern Grizzled Skipper
The Northern Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus centaureae) is a species of skipper (family Hesperiidae). This is a species of the mountainous regions of Scandinavia, flying in June and July.
Two-banded Checkered Skipper
The Two-banded Checkered Skipper (Pyrgus ruralis) is a species of skipper (family Hesperiidae). Subspecies lagunae is known by the common name Laguna Mountains Skipper. This subspecies is on the Endangered Species list. It is found from the mountains from British Columbia and Alberta to southern California, Arizona and New Mexico.
Small Checkered Skipper
The Small Checkered Skipper (Pyrgus scriptura) is a species of skipper (family Hesperiidae). It is found from the Texas to Montana, southeastern Alberta, and southwestern Saskatchewan.
Common Sootywing
Pholisora catullus (the Common Sootywing or Roadside Rambler) is a butterfly of the Hesperiidae family. It is found from the central parts of the United States, south to central Mexico. Strays may colonizes up to southern British Columbia, northern Michigan, southern Quebec and southern Maine. It is not found on Peninsular Florida.
Hackberry Emperor
The Hackberry Emperor (Asterocampa celtis) is a North American butterfly that belongs to the family of brushfooted butterflies, Nymphalidae.
Viceroy
The viceroy (Limenitis archippus) is a North American butterfly that ranges through most of the contiguous United States as well as parts of Canada and Mexico. The westernmost portion of its range extends from the Northwest Territories along the eastern edges of the Cascade Range and Sierra Nevada mountains, southwards into central Mexico. Its easternmost range extends along the ...more ↓
Weidemeyer's Admiral
The Weidemeyer's Admiral (Limenitis weidemeyerii) is a butterfly from the Nymphalinae subfamily, in western North America.
Texan Crescent
Anthanassa texana, the Texan Crescentspot, is a species of butterfly in the Nymphalidae family. It is found from Guatemala north through Mexico to southern California, east across the southern United States to northern Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. Strays may be found up to Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, South Dakota and central Nevada. The habitat consists of ...more ↓
Variable Checkerspot
The Variable Checkerspot or Chalcedon Checkerspot (Euphydryas chalcedona) is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in western North America, where its range stretches from Alaska in the north to Baja California in the south and extends east through the Rocky Mountains into Colorado, Montana, New Mexico and Wyoming. The butterfly is usually brown or ...more ↓
Edith's Checkerspot
Edith's checkerspot (Euphydryas editha) is a species of butterfly in the Nymphalidae family. It is a resident species of western North America and among the subspecies, entomologists have long been intrigued by their many phenotypic variations in coloration, wing length, and overall body size. Most populations are monophagous and rely on plants including Plantago erecta ...more ↓
Northern Crescent
The Northern Crescent (Phyciodes cocyta) is a butterfly of the Nymphalidae family. It is found in the Nearctic ecozone.
Pale Crescent
The Pale Crescent or Pallid Crescentspot (Phyciodes pallida) is a butterfly of the Nymphalidae family. It is found in the western North America.
Field Crescent
The Field Crescent (Phyciodes pulchella) is a butterfly of the Nymphalidae family. It is found in the Nearctic ecozone.
Pearl Crescent
The Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos) is a butterfly of North America. It is found in all parts of the United States except the west coast, and throughout Mexico and parts of southern Canada, in particular Ontario. Its habitat is open areas such as pastures, road edges, vacant lots, fields, open pine woods. Its pattern is quite variable. Males usually have black antennal ...more ↓
Rockslide Checkerspot
Northern Checkerspot (Chlosyne palla) is a member of the Nymphalidae family that is found in North America. They range from southern British Columbia to Alberta, south to California, Utah, and Colorado, excluding Nevada.
Gorgone Checkerspot
The Gorgone Checkerspot (Chlosyne gorgone) is a species of Nymphalinae that occurs in North America.
Silvery Checkerspot
The Silvery Checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis) is a species of Nymphalinae that occurs in North America.
Northern Checkerspot
Northern Checkerspot (Chlosyne palla) is a member of the Nymphalidae family that is found in North America. They range from southern British Columbia to Alberta, south to California, Utah, and Colorado, excluding Nevada.
Sierra Nevada Checkerspot
Chlosyne whitneyi, the Rockslide Checkerspot or Sierra Nevada Checkerspot, is a butterfly of the Nymphalidae family. It is found from British Columbia and Alberta south, in the mountains, to California and Colorado.
Dotted Checkerspot
Poladryas is a monotypic genus of butterflies from USA and Central America in the family Nymphalidae that contains the species Dotted Checkerspot (Poladryas minuta).
West Coast Lady
The West Coast Lady (Vanessa annabella) is one of three North American species of brush-footed butterflies known colloquially as the "painted ladies". V. annabella occurs throughout much of the western US and south western Canada. The other two species are the cosmopolitan Vanessa cardui (Painted Lady) and the eastern Vanessa virginiensis (American ...more ↓
Red Admiral
The Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) is a well-known colourful butterfly, found in temperate Europe, Asia and North America. The Red Admiral has a 45–50 mm (1.8–2.0 in) wing span. The species is resident only in warmer areas, but migrates north in spring, and sometimes again in autumn.
Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui is a well-known colourful butterfly, known as the Painted Lady, or in North America as the Cosmopolitan. This butterfly has a strange pattern of flying in a sort of screw shape.
American Lady
The American Painted Lady or American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis) is a butterfly found throughout North America.
Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa, known as the Mourning Cloak in North America and the Camberwell Beauty in Britain, is a large butterfly native to Eurasia and North America. See also Anglewing butterflies.
California Tortoiseshell
The California Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis californica) is a butterfly of the Nymphalidae family.
Eastern Comma
The Eastern Comma (Polygonia comma) is a North American butterfly in the family Nymphalidae, subfamily Nymphalinae.
Green Comma
The Green Comma (Polygonia faunus) is a butterfly of the Nymphalidae family. It is found in North America.
Hoary Comma
The Hoary Comma (Polygonia gracilis) is a species of butterfly, common in boreal North America from Alaska, across southern Canada to New England and the Maritime Provinces and south to New Mexico from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean. The wings have a distinctive ragged edge.
Question Mark
The Question Mark (Polygonia interrogationis) is a North American nymphalid butterfly. They live in wooded areas and city parks, or generally in areas which feature trees and free spaces. The adult butterfly has a wingspan of 4.5–7.6 cm (1.8–3.0 in). Its flight period is from May to September. "The silver mark on the underside of the hindwing is broken into two parts, a curved ...more ↓
Satyr Comma
The Satyr Comma (Polygonia satyrus) is a North American butterfly of the species nymphalid, primarily found in Western Canada, where it is locally common. It bears a resemblance to the Eastern Comma, with which it is frequently confused.
Milbert's Tortoiseshell
Milbert's Tortoiseshell (Aglais milberti), also known as the Fire-rim Tortoiseshell, is the only species of Aglais that occurs in North America.
Common Buckeye
The common buckeye or simply, buckeye, (Junonia coenia) is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in southern Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia and all parts of the United States except the northwest, and is especially common in the south, the California coast, and throughout Central America and Colombia. The sub-species Junonia coenia bergi is ...more ↓
