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Wildlife in West Virginia

Here’s what naturalists are spotting in West Virginia right now - pulled live from recent research-grade observations. Browse by group, explore the map, and identify what you find with Huck.

269,642
recent observations
30
species listed
13
plants
6
insects & arthropods
6
reptiles & amphibians

Naturalists have logged 269,642 research-grade observations across the 30 most-recorded species in West Virginia. The most frequently seen is the White-tailed Deer, with 18,664 recorded sightings.

Plants account for the largest share of what gets recorded there (13 of the species listed here), followed by insects & arthropods (6).

🖨️ Printable wildlife checklist

Most-observed species in West Virginia

White-tailed Deer
Odocoileus virginianus
18,664 observations
Spotted Lanternfly
Lycorma delicatula
12,953 observations
American Toad
Anaxyrus americanus
12,656 observations
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus
11,839 observations
Eastern Newt
Notophthalmus viridescens
11,800 observations
Eastern Red-backed Salamander
Plethodon cinereus
11,104 observations
Monarch
Danaus plexippus
10,889 observations
Christmas Fern
Polystichum acrostichoides
10,221 observations
Common Box Turtle
Terrapene carolina
10,127 observations
Common Eastern Bumble Bee
Bombus impatiens
9,710 observations
Asian Lady Beetle
Harmonia axyridis
9,367 observations
American Robin
Turdus migratorius
9,152 observations
Mayapple
Podophyllum peltatum
8,523 observations
Garlic Mustard
Alliaria petiolata
8,357 observations
Northern Cardinal
Cardinalis cardinalis
7,957 observations
Common Milkweed
Asclepias syriaca
7,810 observations
Western Honey Bee
Apis mellifera
7,552 observations
American Pokeweed
Phytolacca americana
7,551 observations
Multiflora Rose
Rosa multiflora
7,496 observations
Mountain Laurel
Kalmia latifolia
7,438 observations
Central Ratsnake
Pantherophis alleghaniensis
7,348 observations
Ground-ivy
Glechoma hederacea
7,180 observations · iNaturalist
Canada Goose
Branta canadensis
7,093 observations
American Tuliptree
Liriodendron tulipifera
7,083 observations
Eastern Gray Squirrel
Sciurus carolinensis
6,858 observations
Virginia Springbeauty
Claytonia virginica
6,670 observations
Common Garter Snake
Thamnophis sirtalis
6,642 observations
Large White Trillium
Trillium grandiflorum
6,627 observations
Bloodroot
Sanguinaria canadensis
6,496 observations
White Snakeroot
Ageratina altissima
6,479 observations

Built from recent research-grade iNaturalist observations. Identifications are community-sourced and may occasionally be wrong, and the ranking reflects where people record and photograph wildlife, so a species seen often here is not necessarily rare elsewhere. Some plants and animals are only out in certain seasons. Treat this as a lively snapshot of what people are finding, not a formal checklist.

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