30 butterflies were recorded flying in Colorado in March in our iNaturalist sample; 1 of the top 50 are at their peak this month. The list is ranked by number of research-grade observations.
Top butterflies in March
Mourning Cloak
Hoary Comma
Small White
Painted Lady
Milbert's Tortoiseshell
Checkered White
Gray Hairstreak
Red Admiral
Western Pine Elfin
Western White
California Tortoiseshell
Orange Sulphur
All butterflies flying in Colorado in March
| # | Species | Scientific name | Family | Obs. | Peak in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mourning Cloak | Nymphalis antiopa | Brush-footed Butterflies | 119 | Apr (rising) |
| 2 | Hoary Comma | Polygonia gracilis | Brush-footed Butterflies | 73 | Jul (rising) |
| 3 | Small White | Pieris rapae | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 68 | Jul (rising) |
| 4 | Painted Lady | Vanessa cardui | Brush-footed Butterflies | 63 | Sep (rising) |
| 5 | Milbert's Tortoiseshell | Aglais milberti | Brush-footed Butterflies | 42 | Jul (rising) |
| 6 | Checkered White | Pontia protodice | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 25 | Jul (rising) |
| 7 | Gray Hairstreak | Strymon melinus | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 10 | Aug (rising) |
| 8 | Red Admiral | Vanessa atalanta | Brush-footed Butterflies | 8 | Jun (rising) |
| 9 | Western Pine Elfin | Callophrys eryphon | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 7 | May (rising) |
| 10 | Western White | Pontia occidentalis | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 6 | Jul (rising) |
| 11 | California Tortoiseshell | Nymphalis californica | Brush-footed Butterflies | 5 | Apr (rising) |
| 12 | Orange Sulphur | Colias eurytheme | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 5 | Jul (rising) |
| 13 | Brown Elfin | Callophrys augustinus | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 5 | Apr (rising) |
| 14 | Satyr Comma | Polygonia satyrus | Brush-footed Butterflies | 4 | Jul (rising) |
| 15 | Common Checkered-Skipper | Burnsius communis | Skippers | 4 | Aug (rising) |
| 16 | Two-tailed Swallowtail | Papilio multicaudata | Swallowtails and Parnassians | 3 | Jul (rising) |
| 17 | Becker's White | Pontia beckerii | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 3 | Jun (rising) |
| 18 | Silvery Blue | Glaucopsyche lygdamus | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 2 | Jun (rising) |
| 19 | Clouded Sulphur | Colias philodice | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 2 | Sep (rising) |
| 20 | Anise Swallowtail | Papilio zelicaon | Swallowtails and Parnassians | 1 | Jun (rising) |
| 21 | Echo Azure | Celastrina echo | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 1 | May (rising) |
| 22 | Eastern Comma | Polygonia comma | Brush-footed Butterflies | 1 | Mar (peak) |
| 23 | Sleepy Duskywing | Erynnis brizo | Skippers | 1 | Apr (rising) |
| 24 | Great Purple Hairstreak | Atlides halesus | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 1 | Apr (rising) |
| 25 | Western Tailed-blue | Everes amyntula | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 1 | Jun (rising) |
| 26 | Funereal Duskywing | Erynnis funeralis | Skippers | 1 | Jul (rising) |
| 27 | Variegated Fritillary | Euptoieta claudia | Brush-footed Butterflies | 1 | Jul (rising) |
| 28 | Green Comma | Polygonia faunus | Brush-footed Butterflies | 1 | Aug (rising) |
| 29 | Goatweed Leafwing | Anaea andria | Brush-footed Butterflies | 1 | Aug (rising) |
| 30 | Juniper Hairstreak | Callophrys gryneus | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 1 | Jun (rising) |