20 butterflies were recorded flying in Maryland in December 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 December
Orange Sulphur
Common Buckeye
Small White
Variegated Fritillary
Eastern Comma
Cloudless Sulphur
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
American Lady
Monarch
Red Admiral
Question Mark
Painted Lady
All butterflies flying in Maryland in December
| # | Species | Scientific name | Family | Obs. | Peak in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Orange Sulphur | Colias eurytheme | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 11 | Sep (past peak) |
| 2 | Common Buckeye | Junonia coenia | Brush-footed Butterflies | 8 | Sep (past peak) |
| 3 | Small White | Pieris rapae | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 7 | Jun (past peak) |
| 4 | Variegated Fritillary | Euptoieta claudia | Brush-footed Butterflies | 7 | Sep (past peak) |
| 5 | Eastern Comma | Polygonia comma | Brush-footed Butterflies | 6 | Apr (past peak) |
| 6 | Cloudless Sulphur | Phoebis sennae | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 4 | Sep (past peak) |
| 7 | Eastern Tiger Swallowtail | Papilio glaucus | Swallowtails and Parnassians | 4 | Aug (past peak) |
| 8 | American Lady | Vanessa virginiensis | Brush-footed Butterflies | 3 | May (past peak) |
| 9 | Monarch | Danaus plexippus | Brush-footed Butterflies | 3 | Aug (past peak) |
| 10 | Red Admiral | Vanessa atalanta | Brush-footed Butterflies | 3 | Jul (past peak) |
| 11 | Question Mark | Polygonia interrogationis | Brush-footed Butterflies | 3 | Aug (past peak) |
| 12 | Painted Lady | Vanessa cardui | Brush-footed Butterflies | 2 | Sep (past peak) |
| 13 | Sleepy Orange | Eurema nicippe | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 2 | Aug (past peak) |
| 14 | Huron Skipper | Atalopedes huron | Skippers | 2 | Sep (past peak) |
| 15 | Fiery Skipper | Hylephila phyleus | Skippers | 1 | Sep (past peak) |
| 16 | Spicebush Swallowtail | Papilio troilus | Swallowtails and Parnassians | 1 | Aug (past peak) |
| 17 | Clouded Sulphur | Colias philodice | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 1 | Jul (past peak) |
| 18 | American Snout | Libytheana carinenta | Brush-footed Butterflies | 1 | Jul (past peak) |
| 19 | White M Hairstreak | Parrhasius m-album | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 1 | Sep (past peak) |
| 20 | Common Checkered-Skipper | Burnsius communis | Skippers | 1 | Oct (past peak) |