Butterflies Near Me › West Virginia

Butterflies in West Virginia

The quickest way to know which butterflies live in West Virginia is to see what people are actually finding. The map below shows recent, verified butterflies sightings across West Virginia, 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 West Virginia.

Butterflies seen most often in West Virginia

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

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus
11,801 observations
Monarch
Danaus plexippus
10,830 observations
Silver-spotted Skipper
Epargyreus clarus
6,076 observations
Great Spangled Fritillary
Argynnis cybele
5,928 observations · iNaturalist
Red-spotted Admiral
Limenitis arthemis
5,897 observations
Huron Skipper
Atalopedes huron
5,475 observations · iNaturalist
Spicebush Swallowtail
Papilio troilus
5,373 observations
Pearl Crescent
Phyciodes tharos
4,671 observations
Small White
Pieris rapae
3,830 observations
Eastern Tailed-Blue
Everes comyntas
3,665 observations
Pipevine Swallowtail
Battus philenor
3,464 observations
Zabulon Skipper
Lon zabulon
3,095 observations · iNaturalist
Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta
2,909 observations
Eastern Comma
Polygonia comma
2,830 observations
Zebra Swallowtail
Eurytides marcellus
2,615 observations
Black Swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes
2,298 observations
Silvery Checkerspot
Chlosyne nycteis
2,222 observations · iNaturalist
Beautiful Wood-nymph
Eudryas grata
1,905 observations · iNaturalist
Common Buckeye
Junonia coenia
1,899 observations
Question Mark
Polygonia interrogationis
1,810 observations

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 West Virginia. Treat this as a live snapshot of what people are finding, not a formal checklist.

Found a butterfly in West Virginia?

Identify any butterfly from a photo in seconds, with its habitat, range and safety notes, and build your collection as you go.

Get Huck

More wildlife in West Virginia

All wildlife in West VirginiaSnakes in West VirginiaFrogs in West VirginiaTurtles in West VirginiaLizards in West VirginiaSalamanders in West VirginiaOwls in West VirginiaSpiders in West VirginiaWildflowers in West Virginia

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

Common questions

What butterflies live in West Virginia?

Commonly recorded butterflies in West Virginia include Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Monarch, Silver-spotted Skipper, Great Spangled Fritillary, Red-spotted Admiral, 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 West Virginia?

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

Get Huck field notes

Spotting tips, new species, and the best of what people are finding in the wild - straight to your inbox.

By subscribing you agree to receive Huck emails. No spam, unsubscribe anytime. See our Privacy Policy.