10 butterflies were recorded flying in Hawaii in May 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 May
Monarch
Gulf Fritillary
Small White
Fiery Skipper
Western Pygmy-Blue
Sleepy Orange
Large Orange Sulphur
Painted Lady
American Lady
Red Admiral
All butterflies flying in Hawaii in May
| # | Species | Scientific name | Family | Obs. | Peak in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monarch | Danaus plexippus | Brush-footed Butterflies | 154 | Jan (past peak) |
| 2 | Gulf Fritillary | Dione vanillae | Brush-footed Butterflies | 120 | Jan (past peak) |
| 3 | Small White | Pieris rapae | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 56 | Mar (past peak) |
| 4 | Fiery Skipper | Hylephila phyleus | Skippers | 37 | Jan (past peak) |
| 5 | Western Pygmy-Blue | Brephidium exilis | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 26 | Mar (past peak) |
| 6 | Sleepy Orange | Eurema nicippe | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 24 | Mar (past peak) |
| 7 | Large Orange Sulphur | Phoebis agarithe | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 19 | Jan (past peak) |
| 8 | Painted Lady | Vanessa cardui | Brush-footed Butterflies | 18 | Mar (past peak) |
| 9 | American Lady | Vanessa virginiensis | Brush-footed Butterflies | 9 | May (peak) |
| 10 | Red Admiral | Vanessa atalanta | Brush-footed Butterflies | 2 | Jul (rising) |