34 butterflies were recorded flying in Illinois in March in our iNaturalist sample; 0 of the top 50 are at their peak this month. The list is ranked by number of research-grade observations.
Top butterflies in March
Eastern Comma
Mourning Cloak
Red Admiral
Spring Azure
Zebra Swallowtail
Small White
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Falcate Orangetip
Juvenal's Duskywing
Orange Sulphur
Gray Comma
Painted Lady
All butterflies flying in Illinois in March
| # | Species | Scientific name | Family | Obs. | Peak in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eastern Comma | Polygonia comma | Brush-footed Butterflies | 182 | Jul (rising) |
| 2 | Mourning Cloak | Nymphalis antiopa | Brush-footed Butterflies | 149 | Jun (rising) |
| 3 | Red Admiral | Vanessa atalanta | Brush-footed Butterflies | 110 | Jul (rising) |
| 4 | Spring Azure | Celastrina ladon | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 57 | Apr (rising) |
| 5 | Zebra Swallowtail | Eurytides marcellus | Swallowtails and Parnassians | 51 | Apr (rising) |
| 6 | Small White | Pieris rapae | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 40 | Jul (rising) |
| 7 | Eastern Tiger Swallowtail | Papilio glaucus | Swallowtails and Parnassians | 39 | Aug (rising) |
| 8 | Falcate Orangetip | Anthocharis midea | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 31 | Apr (rising) |
| 9 | Juvenal's Duskywing | Erynnis juvenalis | Skippers | 18 | Apr (rising) |
| 10 | Orange Sulphur | Colias eurytheme | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 16 | Sep (rising) |
| 11 | Gray Comma | Polygonia progne | Brush-footed Butterflies | 15 | Jul (rising) |
| 12 | Painted Lady | Vanessa cardui | Brush-footed Butterflies | 10 | Sep (rising) |
| 13 | Question Mark | Polygonia interrogationis | Brush-footed Butterflies | 9 | Jul (rising) |
| 14 | Goatweed Leafwing | Anaea andria | Brush-footed Butterflies | 7 | Apr (rising) |
| 15 | Pipevine Swallowtail | Battus philenor | Swallowtails and Parnassians | 5 | Jul (rising) |
| 16 | Black Swallowtail | Papilio polyxenes | Swallowtails and Parnassians | 5 | Jul (rising) |
| 17 | Pearl Crescent | Phyciodes tharos | Brush-footed Butterflies | 4 | Jul (rising) |
| 18 | Spicebush Swallowtail | Papilio troilus | Swallowtails and Parnassians | 4 | Jul (rising) |
| 19 | Eastern Tailed-Blue | Everes comyntas | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 4 | Jul (rising) |
| 20 | Gray Hairstreak | Strymon melinus | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 3 | Sep (rising) |
| 21 | Clouded Sulphur | Colias philodice | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 3 | Sep (rising) |
| 22 | Henry's Elfin | Callophrys henrici | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 3 | Apr (rising) |
| 23 | American Lady | Vanessa virginiensis | Brush-footed Butterflies | 2 | May (rising) |
| 24 | Harvester | Feniseca tarquinius | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 2 | Aug (rising) |
| 25 | Common Checkered-Skipper | Burnsius communis | Skippers | 2 | Oct (rising) |
| 26 | Common Buckeye | Junonia coenia | Brush-footed Butterflies | 1 | Aug (rising) |
| 27 | Horace's Duskywing | Erynnis horatius | Skippers | 1 | Jul (rising) |
| 28 | Wild Indigo Duskywing | Erynnis baptisiae | Skippers | 1 | Aug (rising) |
| 29 | Checkered White | Pontia protodice | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 1 | Aug (rising) |
| 30 | Red-spotted Admiral | Limenitis arthemis | Brush-footed Butterflies | 1 | Aug (rising) |
| 31 | Silver-spotted Skipper | Epargyreus clarus | Skippers | 1 | Jul (rising) |
| 32 | Juniper Hairstreak | Callophrys gryneus | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 1 | Apr (rising) |
| 33 | Northern Pearly-eye | Lethe anthedon | Brush-footed Butterflies | 1 | Jul (rising) |
| 34 | Great Spangled Fritillary | Argynnis cybele | Brush-footed Butterflies | 1 | Jun (rising) |