28 butterflies were recorded flying in North Carolina in January 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 January
Cloudless Sulphur
American Lady
Monarch
Question Mark
Common Buckeye
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Red Admiral
Gulf Fritillary
Pipevine Swallowtail
Silver-spotted Skipper
Small White
Sleepy Orange
All butterflies flying in North Carolina in January
| # | Species | Scientific name | Family | Obs. | Peak in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cloudless Sulphur | Phoebis sennae | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 10 | Sep (rising) |
| 2 | American Lady | Vanessa virginiensis | Brush-footed Butterflies | 9 | Jun (rising) |
| 3 | Monarch | Danaus plexippus | Brush-footed Butterflies | 8 | Sep (rising) |
| 4 | Question Mark | Polygonia interrogationis | Brush-footed Butterflies | 6 | May (rising) |
| 5 | Common Buckeye | Junonia coenia | Brush-footed Butterflies | 5 | Sep (rising) |
| 6 | Eastern Tiger Swallowtail | Papilio glaucus | Swallowtails and Parnassians | 5 | Aug (rising) |
| 7 | Red Admiral | Vanessa atalanta | Brush-footed Butterflies | 4 | Jul (rising) |
| 8 | Gulf Fritillary | Dione vanillae | Brush-footed Butterflies | 4 | Sep (rising) |
| 9 | Pipevine Swallowtail | Battus philenor | Swallowtails and Parnassians | 4 | Jul (rising) |
| 10 | Silver-spotted Skipper | Epargyreus clarus | Skippers | 4 | Aug (rising) |
| 11 | Small White | Pieris rapae | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 3 | Jun (rising) |
| 12 | Sleepy Orange | Eurema nicippe | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 3 | Aug (rising) |
| 13 | Variegated Fritillary | Euptoieta claudia | Brush-footed Butterflies | 3 | Sep (rising) |
| 14 | American Snout | Libytheana carinenta | Brush-footed Butterflies | 2 | Jun (rising) |
| 15 | Hackberry Emperor | Asterocampa celtis | Brush-footed Butterflies | 2 | Sep (rising) |
| 16 | Red-banded Hairstreak | Calycopis cecrops | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 2 | Aug (rising) |
| 17 | Painted Lady | Vanessa cardui | Brush-footed Butterflies | 1 | Aug (rising) |
| 18 | Zebra Longwing | Heliconius charithonia | Brush-footed Butterflies | 1 | Oct (rising) |
| 19 | Pearl Crescent | Phyciodes tharos | Brush-footed Butterflies | 1 | Apr (rising) |
| 20 | Least Skipper | Ancyloxypha numitor | Skippers | 1 | Aug (rising) |
| 21 | Delaware Skipper | Anatrytone logan | Skippers | 1 | Aug (rising) |
| 22 | Spicebush Swallowtail | Papilio troilus | Swallowtails and Parnassians | 1 | Aug (rising) |
| 23 | Viceroy | Limenitis archippus | Brush-footed Butterflies | 1 | Sep (rising) |
| 24 | Carolina Satyr | Hermeuptychia sosybius | Brush-footed Butterflies | 1 | Aug (rising) |
| 25 | Silvery Checkerspot | Chlosyne nycteis | Brush-footed Butterflies | 1 | Jul (rising) |
| 26 | Palamedes Swallowtail | Papilio palamedes | Swallowtails and Parnassians | 1 | Aug (rising) |
| 27 | Huron Skipper | Atalopedes huron | Skippers | 1 | Aug (rising) |
| 28 | Diana Fritillary | Argynnis diana | Brush-footed Butterflies | 1 | Jun (rising) |