36 butterflies were recorded flying in Maryland 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
Eastern Comma
Mourning Cloak
Summer Azure
Small White
Question Mark
Falcate Orangetip
Henry's Elfin
Zebra Swallowtail
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Spring Azure
Orange Sulphur
American Snout
All butterflies flying in Maryland in March
| # | Species | Scientific name | Family | Obs. | Peak in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eastern Comma | Polygonia comma | Brush-footed Butterflies | 278 | Apr (rising) |
| 2 | Mourning Cloak | Nymphalis antiopa | Brush-footed Butterflies | 256 | Mar (peak) |
| 3 | Summer Azure | Celastrina neglecta | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 151 | Jun (rising) |
| 4 | Small White | Pieris rapae | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 105 | Jun (rising) |
| 5 | Question Mark | Polygonia interrogationis | Brush-footed Butterflies | 45 | Aug (rising) |
| 6 | Falcate Orangetip | Anthocharis midea | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 40 | Apr (rising) |
| 7 | Henry's Elfin | Callophrys henrici | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 40 | Apr (rising) |
| 8 | Zebra Swallowtail | Eurytides marcellus | Swallowtails and Parnassians | 27 | Jun (rising) |
| 9 | Eastern Tiger Swallowtail | Papilio glaucus | Swallowtails and Parnassians | 22 | Aug (rising) |
| 10 | Spring Azure | Celastrina ladon | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 18 | Apr (rising) |
| 11 | Orange Sulphur | Colias eurytheme | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 12 | Sep (rising) |
| 12 | American Snout | Libytheana carinenta | Brush-footed Butterflies | 12 | Jul (rising) |
| 13 | White M Hairstreak | Parrhasius m-album | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 11 | Sep (rising) |
| 14 | Gray Hairstreak | Strymon melinus | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 10 | Sep (rising) |
| 15 | Sleepy Duskywing | Erynnis brizo | Skippers | 10 | Apr (rising) |
| 16 | Spicebush Swallowtail | Papilio troilus | Swallowtails and Parnassians | 7 | Aug (rising) |
| 17 | Sleepy Orange | Eurema nicippe | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 7 | Aug (rising) |
| 18 | Monarch | Danaus plexippus | Brush-footed Butterflies | 6 | Aug (rising) |
| 19 | Silvery Blue | Glaucopsyche lygdamus | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 6 | Apr (rising) |
| 20 | Black Swallowtail | Papilio polyxenes | Swallowtails and Parnassians | 5 | Aug (rising) |
| 21 | Pearl Crescent | Phyciodes tharos | Brush-footed Butterflies | 4 | Sep (rising) |
| 22 | Juvenal's Duskywing | Erynnis juvenalis | Skippers | 4 | Apr (rising) |
| 23 | Eastern Tailed-Blue | Everes comyntas | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 4 | Sep (rising) |
| 24 | American Lady | Vanessa virginiensis | Brush-footed Butterflies | 3 | May (rising) |
| 25 | Variegated Fritillary | Euptoieta claudia | Brush-footed Butterflies | 3 | Sep (rising) |
| 26 | Silver-spotted Skipper | Epargyreus clarus | Skippers | 3 | Aug (rising) |
| 27 | Juniper Hairstreak | Callophrys gryneus | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 3 | Apr (rising) |
| 28 | Common Buckeye | Junonia coenia | Brush-footed Butterflies | 2 | Sep (rising) |
| 29 | Clouded Sulphur | Colias philodice | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 2 | Jul (rising) |
| 30 | Great Purple Hairstreak | Atlides halesus | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 2 | Jun (rising) |
| 31 | Harvester | Feniseca tarquinius | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 2 | Aug (rising) |
| 32 | Cloudless Sulphur | Phoebis sennae | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 1 | Sep (rising) |
| 33 | Red Admiral | Vanessa atalanta | Brush-footed Butterflies | 1 | Jul (rising) |
| 34 | Gray Comma | Polygonia progne | Brush-footed Butterflies | 1 | Jul (rising) |
| 35 | Checkered White | Pontia protodice | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 1 | Sep (rising) |
| 36 | Great Spangled Fritillary | Argynnis cybele | Brush-footed Butterflies | 1 | Jun (rising) |