35 butterflies were recorded flying in Michigan in April 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 April
Red Admiral
Mourning Cloak
Eastern Comma
Small White
American Lady
Spring Azure
Juvenal's Duskywing
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Question Mark
Gray Comma
Sleepy Duskywing
Black Swallowtail
All butterflies flying in Michigan in April
| # | Species | Scientific name | Family | Obs. | Peak in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Red Admiral | Vanessa atalanta | Brush-footed Butterflies | 579 | Jul (rising) |
| 2 | Mourning Cloak | Nymphalis antiopa | Brush-footed Butterflies | 404 | Apr (peak) |
| 3 | Eastern Comma | Polygonia comma | Brush-footed Butterflies | 169 | Jul (rising) |
| 4 | Small White | Pieris rapae | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 138 | Aug (rising) |
| 5 | American Lady | Vanessa virginiensis | Brush-footed Butterflies | 80 | Jul (rising) |
| 6 | Spring Azure | Celastrina ladon | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 74 | Apr (peak) |
| 7 | Juvenal's Duskywing | Erynnis juvenalis | Skippers | 39 | May (rising) |
| 8 | Eastern Tiger Swallowtail | Papilio glaucus | Swallowtails and Parnassians | 34 | Aug (rising) |
| 9 | Question Mark | Polygonia interrogationis | Brush-footed Butterflies | 21 | Jul (rising) |
| 10 | Gray Comma | Polygonia progne | Brush-footed Butterflies | 14 | Jul (rising) |
| 11 | Sleepy Duskywing | Erynnis brizo | Skippers | 10 | May (rising) |
| 12 | Black Swallowtail | Papilio polyxenes | Swallowtails and Parnassians | 9 | Jul (rising) |
| 13 | Brown Elfin | Callophrys augustinus | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 9 | May (rising) |
| 14 | Eastern Pine Elfin | Callophrys niphon | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 8 | May (rising) |
| 15 | Monarch | Danaus plexippus | Brush-footed Butterflies | 6 | Aug (rising) |
| 16 | Spicebush Swallowtail | Papilio troilus | Swallowtails and Parnassians | 6 | Aug (rising) |
| 17 | Checkered White | Pontia protodice | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 5 | Aug (rising) |
| 18 | Green Comma | Polygonia faunus | Brush-footed Butterflies | 5 | Jul (rising) |
| 19 | Gray Hairstreak | Strymon melinus | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 4 | Aug (rising) |
| 20 | Wild Indigo Duskywing | Erynnis baptisiae | Skippers | 4 | Jul (rising) |
| 21 | Meadow Fritillary | Boloria bellona | Brush-footed Butterflies | 4 | Jul (rising) |
| 22 | Painted Lady | Vanessa cardui | Brush-footed Butterflies | 3 | Aug (rising) |
| 23 | Orange Sulphur | Colias eurytheme | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 3 | Aug (rising) |
| 24 | Henry's Elfin | Callophrys henrici | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 3 | May (rising) |
| 25 | Satyr Comma | Polygonia satyrus | Brush-footed Butterflies | 2 | Apr (peak) |
| 26 | Gulf Fritillary | Dione vanillae | Brush-footed Butterflies | 1 | Apr (peak) |
| 27 | California Tortoiseshell | Nymphalis californica | Brush-footed Butterflies | 1 | Jul (rising) |
| 28 | Silvery Blue | Glaucopsyche lygdamus | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 1 | May (rising) |
| 29 | Canadian Tiger Swallowtail | Papilio canadensis | Swallowtails and Parnassians | 1 | Jun (rising) |
| 30 | Eastern Tailed-Blue | Everes comyntas | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 1 | Aug (rising) |
| 31 | Little Wood Satyr | Megisto cymela | Brush-footed Butterflies | 1 | Jun (rising) |
| 32 | Hackberry Emperor | Asterocampa celtis | Brush-footed Butterflies | 1 | Aug (rising) |
| 33 | Milbert's Tortoiseshell | Aglais milberti | Brush-footed Butterflies | 1 | Jul (rising) |
| 34 | White M Hairstreak | Parrhasius m-album | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 1 | Aug (rising) |
| 35 | Karner Blue | Plebejus samuelis | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 1 | Jul (rising) |