45 butterflies were recorded flying in Kentucky in March in our iNaturalist sample; 4 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
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Zebra Swallowtail
Juvenal's Duskywing
Mourning Cloak
Falcate Orangetip
Red Admiral
Small White
Spring Azure
Question Mark
Sleepy Duskywing
Clouded Sulphur
All butterflies flying in Kentucky in March
| # | Species | Scientific name | Family | Obs. | Peak in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eastern Comma | Polygonia comma | Brush-footed Butterflies | 104 | Mar (peak) |
| 2 | Eastern Tiger Swallowtail | Papilio glaucus | Swallowtails and Parnassians | 99 | Aug (rising) |
| 3 | Zebra Swallowtail | Eurytides marcellus | Swallowtails and Parnassians | 85 | Apr (rising) |
| 4 | Juvenal's Duskywing | Erynnis juvenalis | Skippers | 53 | Apr (rising) |
| 5 | Mourning Cloak | Nymphalis antiopa | Brush-footed Butterflies | 52 | Mar (peak) |
| 6 | Falcate Orangetip | Anthocharis midea | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 40 | Apr (rising) |
| 7 | Red Admiral | Vanessa atalanta | Brush-footed Butterflies | 34 | Jul (rising) |
| 8 | Small White | Pieris rapae | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 29 | Jul (rising) |
| 9 | Spring Azure | Celastrina ladon | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 22 | Mar (peak) |
| 10 | Question Mark | Polygonia interrogationis | Brush-footed Butterflies | 17 | Aug (rising) |
| 11 | Sleepy Duskywing | Erynnis brizo | Skippers | 16 | Apr (rising) |
| 12 | Clouded Sulphur | Colias philodice | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 14 | Jul (rising) |
| 13 | Pipevine Swallowtail | Battus philenor | Swallowtails and Parnassians | 13 | Jul (rising) |
| 14 | Henry's Elfin | Callophrys henrici | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 11 | Apr (rising) |
| 15 | Orange Sulphur | Colias eurytheme | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 9 | Jul (rising) |
| 16 | Eastern Tailed-Blue | Everes comyntas | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 7 | Jul (rising) |
| 17 | Juniper Hairstreak | Callophrys gryneus | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 7 | Apr (rising) |
| 18 | Pearl Crescent | Phyciodes tharos | Brush-footed Butterflies | 6 | Sep (rising) |
| 19 | Checkered White | Pontia protodice | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 6 | Aug (rising) |
| 20 | Meadow Fritillary | Boloria bellona | Brush-footed Butterflies | 5 | Jul (rising) |
| 21 | Eastern Gemmed-Satyr | Cyllopsis gemma | Brush-footed Butterflies | 5 | Apr (rising) |
| 22 | Brown Elfin | Callophrys augustinus | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 4 | Apr (rising) |
| 23 | Silver-spotted Skipper | Epargyreus clarus | Skippers | 4 | Jul (rising) |
| 24 | White M Hairstreak | Parrhasius m-album | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 4 | Sep (rising) |
| 25 | American Lady | Vanessa virginiensis | Brush-footed Butterflies | 3 | May (rising) |
| 26 | Gray Hairstreak | Strymon melinus | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 3 | Sep (rising) |
| 27 | American Snout | Libytheana carinenta | Brush-footed Butterflies | 3 | Jul (rising) |
| 28 | Summer Azure | Celastrina neglecta | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 3 | Jul (rising) |
| 29 | Monarch | Danaus plexippus | Brush-footed Butterflies | 2 | Aug (rising) |
| 30 | Spicebush Swallowtail | Papilio troilus | Swallowtails and Parnassians | 2 | Jul (rising) |
| 31 | Variegated Fritillary | Euptoieta claudia | Brush-footed Butterflies | 2 | Sep (rising) |
| 32 | Gulf Fritillary | Dione vanillae | Brush-footed Butterflies | 1 | Sep (rising) |
| 33 | Wild Indigo Duskywing | Erynnis baptisiae | Skippers | 1 | Aug (rising) |
| 34 | Eastern Pine Elfin | Callophrys niphon | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 1 | Apr (rising) |
| 35 | Gray Comma | Polygonia progne | Brush-footed Butterflies | 1 | Mar (peak) |
| 36 | Viceroy | Limenitis archippus | Brush-footed Butterflies | 1 | Sep (rising) |
| 37 | Great Purple Hairstreak | Atlides halesus | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 1 | Sep (rising) |
| 38 | Red-spotted Admiral | Limenitis arthemis | Brush-footed Butterflies | 1 | Aug (rising) |
| 39 | Hackberry Emperor | Asterocampa celtis | Brush-footed Butterflies | 1 | Aug (rising) |
| 40 | Goatweed Leafwing | Anaea andria | Brush-footed Butterflies | 1 | Apr (rising) |
| 41 | Eastern Giant Swallowtail | Heraclides cresphontes | Swallowtails and Parnassians | 1 | Jul (rising) |
| 42 | Red-banded Hairstreak | Calycopis cecrops | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 1 | Sep (rising) |
| 43 | Northern Pearly-eye | Lethe anthedon | Brush-footed Butterflies | 1 | Aug (rising) |
| 44 | Huron Skipper | Atalopedes huron | Skippers | 1 | Sep (rising) |
| 45 | Great Spangled Fritillary | Argynnis cybele | Brush-footed Butterflies | 1 | Jun (rising) |