Photo Gallery: Butterflies and Moths
- American Lady Butterfly (Vanessa virginiensis) (Boothbay, Maine; 9/1/2008) (also called American Painted Lady and very similar to Vanessa cardui)
- Autumnal Moth (Epirrita autumnata) (Etna, ME; 10/11/2022)
- Banded Tussock Moth (Halysidota tessellaris) (Naples, ME; 6/18/2024) (Photo courtesy of M. Shepard)
- Bella Moth / Beautiful Utetheisa (Tiger Moth)
- Black-patched Clepsis Moth (Clepsis melaleucanus) (Host plant was a Rosa rugosa ‘Rubra’ rose; Etna, ME; 5/28/2024)
- Eastern Black Swallowtail Butterfly (male) — Papilio polyxenes (Etna, ME; 6/19/2019)
- Chrysalis of the Black Swallowtail, supported by two strands of silk called a silk girdle (‘brown’ form of chrysalis shown here; there is also a ‘green’ form which is green)
- Eastern Black Swallowtail Butterfly — Papilio polyxenes (Etna, ME; 6/19/2019)
- Browntail Moths; note the brown ‘tail’ at the end of the abdomen (Kennebec County, Maine, 7/1/2021)
- Browntail Moth (Etna, ME; 6/28/2021)
- Bruce Spanworm (Operophtera bruceata) (beneath a porch light) (Etna, ME; 11/5/2024)
- Bruce Spanworm (Operophtera bruceata) (Etna, ME; 11/5/2024)
- Cabbage White (Pieris rapae) (male) (adult stage of the Imported Cabbageworm)
- Cabbage White (Pieris rapae) (male) (central Maine; emerged indoors and photographed on 1/5/2023) (staff photo)
- Cecropia Moth
- Cecropia Moth (Hyalophora cecropia)
- Chain-dotted/Chainspotted Geometer Moth (Cingilia catenaria) (Grand Lake Stream, ME; 10/2/2022) (Photo courtesy of Downeast Lakes Land Trust)
- Case-bearing Clothes Moth (Tinea pellionella)
- Clouded Sulphur (Colias philodice) (Monhegan, ME; 9/12/2011)
- Clymene Moth (Haploa clymene) (Etna, ME; 8/2/2020)
- Codling Moth (Cydia pomonella)
- Common Ringlet (Coenonympha tullia) (Etna, Maine; 6/18/2008)
- Common Ringlet (Coenonympha tullia) (Etna, Maine; 6/18/2008)
- Corn Earworm
- Curve-toothed Geometer (Eutrapela clemataria) (highly resembles a dead leaf) (Stetson, ME; 5/17/2021)
- Curve-toothed Geometer (Eutrapela clemataria) (Stetson, ME; 5/17/2021)
- Curve-toothed Geometer (Eutrapela clemataria) resting on a lamp shade (Stetson, ME; 5/14/2021)
- Diamondback Moth
- Eastern Hemlock Looper (Lambdina fiscellaria) (resting by a porch light in Stetson, Maine; 9/15/2019)
- Eastern Hemlock Looper (Lambdina fiscellaria) (Farmington, Maine; 9/8/2020) (Photo courtesy of Hannah A.)
- Eastern Pine Elfin (Callophrys niphon) (Orono, ME; 5/9/2022) (Photo credit: courtesy of Edward S. Grew)
- Eastern Tailed-Blue Butterfly (Etna, ME; 5/18/2012)
- Eastern Tent Moth (Malacosoma americana) (Etna, ME; 6/29/2022)
- European Skipper / Essex Skipper (Thymelicus lineola) (North Anson, ME; 6/20/2024) (Photo courtesy of Carol Lehto)
- Little Glassywing Skipper (Pompeius verna) (North Anson, ME; 6/26/2024) (Photo courtesy of Carol Lehto)
- Fall Webworm Moth (see also an example of the spotted form of the fall webworm moth)
- Garden Tiger Moth / Great Tiger Moth (Arctia caja)
- Great Spangled Fritillary Butterfly (Boothbay, Maine; 8/26/2010) (very similar to the Aphrodite Fritillary)
- Great Spangled Fritillary Butterfly (Speyeria cybele; Boothbay, Maine; 8/26/2010)
- Great Spangled Fritillary Butterfly (Boothbay, Maine; 8/26/2010) (older specimen)
- Half-Wing (Phigalia titea) (Orono, ME; 4/14/2023)
- Hickory Tussock (Lophocampa caryae) (Etna, ME; 6/20/2021)
- Horned Spanworm Moth (a.k.a. Filament Bearer) (shown with the empty pupa from which it emerged) (Washington County, Maine; 9/29/2008)
- Hummingbird Clearwing Moth (Hemaris thysbe) getting nectar from Fireweed flowers (Columbia Falls, ME; 7/20/2005)
- Hummingbird Clearwing Moth (Hemaris thysbe) getting nectar from Fall Phlox flowers
- Io Moth (Automeris io) (St. George, ME; 6/25/2024) (Photo courtesy of B. Mroz)
- Pantry Moth / Flour Moth (Plodia interpunctella)
- Pantry Moth / Flour Moth (Plodia interpunctella) (newly-emerged; 4/23/2021)
- Large Tolype (Orono, ME; 9/23/2020)
- Luna Moth
- Luna Moth
- Meal Moth (Pyralis farinalis) (central Maine; 5/3/2021)
- Monarch Butterfly
- Monarch Butterfly feeding on a red clover blossom; 8/20/2018. Turner, Maine.
- A Monarch chrysalis a few days away from butterfly emergence (8/29/2006)
- A Monarch chrysalis in an advanced stage (final minutes before adult emergence)
- A Monarch butterfly newly-emerged (Their wings are small at first but within a matter of minutes they slowly expand to full size as fluid from the body is pumped into the wings)
- Mourning Cloak Butterfly (Nymphalis antiopa)
- Mourning Cloak Butterfly (Nymphalis antiopa) (Etna, ME; 7/21/2020)
- Mustard White (Pieris oleracea) (Orono, ME; 5/15/2024) (Photo courtesy of Edward S. Grew)
- Pair of Northern Crescent butterflies (Phyciodes cocyta) (Denmark, ME; 7/13/2024) (Photo courtesy of Elaine Ambrose)
- Group of Northern Crescent butterflies (Phyciodes cocyta) (Denmark, ME; 7/16/2024) (Photo courtesy of Elaine Ambrose)
- Northern Pearly-eye Butterfly (Lethe anthedon) (7/6/2009; Etna, Maine)
- Northern Petrophora Moth (Petrophora subaequaria) (Old Town, ME; 5/10/2022) (Photo credit: courtesy of Edward S. Grew)
- One-eyed Sphinx Moth (Smerinthus cerisyi) (Stetson, Maine; 6/12/2012)
- Painted Lady Butterfly (Vanessa cardui) (Schoodic Point in Winter Harbor, Maine; 10/10/2017)
- Painted Lady Butterfly (Vanessa cardui) (Camden, Maine; 8/14/2017)
- Pearly Wood Nymph (Eudryas unio) (very similar to the Beautiful Wood Nymph, Eudryas grata) (Alfred, ME; 7/9/2024) (Photo courtesy of Judee Meyer)
- Pearly Wood Nymph (Eudryas unio) (Alfred, ME; 7/9/2024) (Photo courtesy of Judee Meyer)
- Pink-striped Oakworm Moth (Anisota virginiensis) (male) (Alfred, ME; 6/8/2024) (Photo courtesy of Judee Meyer)
- Polyphemus Moth (Etna, Maine; 6/30/2012)
- Powder Moth (Eufidonia notataria) (Etna, ME; 5/26/2021)
- Red Admiral Butterfly (Stetson, Maine; 6/12/2012)
- Red-fringed Emerald (Nemoria bistriaria) (2/6/2025 – emerged indoors; Gray, ME) (Photo courtesy of Jenni Cappello)
- Rosy Maple Moth (Dryocampa rubicunda) (Etna, ME; 6/19/2021)
- Rosy Maple Moth (older specimen) (Dryocampa rubicunda) (Etna, ME; 5/27/2021)
- Small-eyed Sphinx (Paonias myops) (Orono, ME; 6/26/2024)
- Small-eyed Sphinx (Paonias myops) (Orono, ME; 6/26/2024)
- Small Magpie Moth (Anania hortulata) (Etna, ME; 6/23/2009)
- Snowberry Clearwing (Hemaris diffinis) (Cape Elizabeth, ME; 7/23/2023) (Photo courtesy of Jeanne N.)
- Spongy Moth (female) (Dixmont, ME; 7/12/2021)
- A pair of Spongy Moth pupae
- Spongy Moth (Lymantria dispar) (male)
- Spruce Budworm (pupal stage)
- Spruce Budworm
- Venerable Dart (male) (Agrotis venerabilis) (Stetson, Maine; 9/14/2021)
- Venerable Dart (male) (Agrotis venerabilis) (Stetson, Maine; 9/14/2021)
- Virgin Tiger Moth (Etna, ME; 7/24/2020) (very similar to a Parthenice Tiger Moth)
- Virginia Ctenucha (Ctenucha virginica) on Valerian flowers (Orono, ME; 7/7/2022) (Photo credit: courtesy of Edward S. Grew)
- Virginia Ctenucha (Ctenucha virginica) (Pittston, ME; 6/24/2022)
See also: Butterflies and Moths of North America (The Butterflies and Moths of North America project)
Additional Photos and Information:
- American Lady / American Painted Lady (BugGuide.net) (Comparison with a Painted Lady)
- Autumnal Moth (BugGuide.net)
- Banded Tussock Moth (BugGuide.net)
- Bella Moth / Beautiful Utetheisa
- Black-patched Clepsis Moth (BugGuide.net)
- Black Swallowtail / Eastern Black Swallowtail (University of Florida)
- Browntail Moth
- Bruce Spanworm (BugGuide.net)
- Cabbage White (BugGuide.net)
- Cecropia Moth
- Chain-dotted/Chainspotted Geometer Moth (BugGuide.net)
- Clothes Moths
- Clouded Sulphur (BugGuide.net)
- Clymene Moth (BugGuide.net)
- Codling Moth
- Common Ringlet (BugGuide.net)
- Corn Earworm
- Curve-toothed Geometer (BugGuide.net)
- Diamondback Moth
- Eastern Hemlock Looper
- Eastern Pine Elfin (BugGuide.net)
- Eastern Tailed-Blue (BugGuide.net)
- Eastern Tent
- European Skipper / Essex Skipper (BugGuide.net)
- Fall Webworm
- Flour Moth / Indian Meal Moth
- Garden Tiger Moth (Butterflies and Moths of North America Project)
- Great Spangled Fritillary (Butterflies and Moths of North America Project)
- G**** Moth — find it now by its new name of Spongy Moth
- Half-Wing (BugGuide.net)
- Hemlock Looper
- Horned Spanworm (Butterflies and Moths of North America Project)
- Hummingbird Clearwing Moth (BugGuide.net)
- Imported Cabbageworm (butterfly) (known as Small White or Small Cabbage White)
- Indian Meal Moth
- Io Moth (Butterflies and Moths of North America Project)
- Large Tolype (BugGuide.net)
- Little Glassywing Skipper (BugGuide.net)
- Luna Moth
- Lymantria dispar / Spongy Moth
- Meal Moth (BugGuide.net)
- Monarch Butterfly
- Mourning Cloak (The Butterflies and Moths of North America project)
- Mustard White (BugGuide.net)
- Northern Crescent (BugGuide.net)
- Northern Pearly-eye (BugGuide.net)
- Northern Petrophora Moth (BugGuide.net)
- One-eyed Sphinx Moth (BugGuide.net)
- Painted Lady (Butterflies and Moths of North America Project)
- Parthenice Tiger Moth
- Pearly Wood Nymph (BugGuide.net)
- Pink-striped Oakworm Moth (BugGuide.net)
- Polyphemus Moth (Butterflies and Moths of North America Project)
- Powder Moth (BugGuide.net)
- Red Admiral (BugGuide.net)
- Red-fringed Emerald (BugGuide.net)
- Rosy Maple Moth (BugGuide.net)
- Small-eyed Sphinx Moth (BugGuide.net)
- Small Magpie Moth (BugGuide.net)
- Small White / Small Cabbage White
- Snowberry Clearwing (BugGuide.net)
- Sphinx Moths (USGS)
- Spongy Moth
- Spruce Budworm (BugGuide.net)
- Venerable Dart (BugGuide.net)
- Virgin Tiger Moth (BugGuide.net)
- Virginia Ctenucha (Butterflies and Moths of North America project)
- Virginian Tiger Moth (often mistaken in Maine for the Browntail Moth) (BugGuide.net)
- Winter Moth (Maine Forest Service)
- Woollybear Moths (BugGuide.net): Banded Woollybear (Isabella Tiger Moth) and Yellow Woollybear (Virginian Tiger Moth)