Butterflies Near Me › North Dakota

Butterflies in North Dakota

The quickest way to know which butterflies live in North Dakota is to see what people are actually finding. The map below shows recent, verified butterflies sightings across North Dakota, and the list beneath it is the butterflies recorded most often there lately. Which species are flying changes through the season, so recent sightings tell you more than a range map. Warm, still, sunny days near flowers are best.

Recent research-grade sightings from the iNaturalist community, filtered to butterflies across North Dakota.

Butterflies seen most often in North Dakota

Ranked by recent research-grade observations. Tap any species Huck has catalogued for how to identify it, its habitat, and its safety notes.

Monarch
Danaus plexippus
794 observations
Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui
405 observations
Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta
309 observations
Melissa Blue
Plebejus melissa
287 observations
Common Wood-Nymph
Cercyonis pegala
201 observations
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus
194 observations
Small White
Pieris rapae
168 observations
Clouded Sulphur
Colias philodice
145 observations
Common Ringlet
Coenonympha california
137 observations
Variegated Fritillary
Euptoieta claudia
117 observations
Common Checkered-Skipper
Burnsius communis
116 observations · iNaturalist
Viceroy
Limenitis archippus
110 observations
White-lined Sphinx
Hyles lineata
86 observations · iNaturalist
Eastern Comma
Polygonia comma
83 observations
Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme
81 observations
Aphrodite Fritillary
Argynnis aphrodite
76 observations · iNaturalist
Meadow Fritillary
Boloria bellona
75 observations
Black Swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes
70 observations
Sagebrush Checkerspot
Chlosyne acastus
61 observations · iNaturalist
Regal Fritillary
Argynnis idalia
61 observations · iNaturalist

Built from recent research-grade iNaturalist observations. Identifications are community-sourced and the ranking reflects where people record wildlife, so a species seen often here is not necessarily common everywhere in North Dakota. Treat this as a live snapshot of what people are finding, not a formal checklist.

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More wildlife in North Dakota

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Looking more widely? See butterflies near you anywhere in the country.

Common questions

What butterflies live in North Dakota?

Commonly recorded butterflies in North Dakota include Monarch, Painted Lady, Red Admiral, Melissa Blue, Common Wood-Nymph, based on recent research-grade iNaturalist observations. The full list below is ranked by how often each has been seen lately.

When is the best time to see butterflies in North Dakota?

Which species are flying changes through the season, so recent sightings tell you more than a range map. Recent verified sightings across North Dakota are the most reliable guide to what is active right now.

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