47 butterflies were recorded flying in Rhode Island in May in our iNaturalist sample; 9 of the top 50 are at their peak this month. The list is ranked by number of research-grade observations.
Top butterflies in May
Spicebush Swallowtail
Zabulon Skipper
Red Admiral
American Lady
Eastern Pine Elfin
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Mourning Cloak
Small White
Juvenal's Duskywing
Brown Elfin
Eastern Tailed-Blue
Spring Azure
All butterflies flying in Rhode Island in May
| # | Species | Scientific name | Family | Obs. | Peak in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spicebush Swallowtail | Papilio troilus | Swallowtails and Parnassians | 47 | Aug (rising) |
| 2 | Zabulon Skipper | Lon zabulon | Skippers | 36 | Aug (rising) |
| 3 | Red Admiral | Vanessa atalanta | Brush-footed Butterflies | 35 | Jul (rising) |
| 4 | American Lady | Vanessa virginiensis | Brush-footed Butterflies | 29 | Sep (rising) |
| 5 | Eastern Pine Elfin | Callophrys niphon | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 20 | May (peak) |
| 6 | Eastern Tiger Swallowtail | Papilio glaucus | Swallowtails and Parnassians | 20 | Aug (rising) |
| 7 | Mourning Cloak | Nymphalis antiopa | Brush-footed Butterflies | 18 | Apr (past peak) |
| 8 | Small White | Pieris rapae | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 17 | Jul (rising) |
| 9 | Juvenal's Duskywing | Erynnis juvenalis | Skippers | 15 | May (peak) |
| 10 | Brown Elfin | Callophrys augustinus | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 15 | May (peak) |
| 11 | Eastern Tailed-Blue | Everes comyntas | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 15 | Sep (rising) |
| 12 | Spring Azure | Celastrina ladon | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 14 | Apr (past peak) |
| 13 | Little Wood Satyr | Megisto cymela | Brush-footed Butterflies | 14 | Jun (rising) |
| 14 | American Copper | Lycaena hypophlaeas | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 12 | Jul (rising) |
| 15 | Pearl Crescent | Phyciodes tharos | Brush-footed Butterflies | 10 | Jul (rising) |
| 16 | Question Mark | Polygonia interrogationis | Brush-footed Butterflies | 9 | Jul (rising) |
| 17 | Red-banded Hairstreak | Calycopis cecrops | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 7 | Aug (rising) |
| 18 | Clouded Sulphur | Colias philodice | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 6 | Sep (rising) |
| 19 | Peck's Skipper | Polites peckius | Skippers | 6 | Aug (rising) |
| 20 | Henry's Elfin | Callophrys henrici | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 5 | May (peak) |
| 21 | Painted Lady | Vanessa cardui | Brush-footed Butterflies | 4 | Sep (rising) |
| 22 | Monarch | Danaus plexippus | Brush-footed Butterflies | 4 | Aug (rising) |
| 23 | Tawny-edged Skipper | Polites themistocles | Skippers | 4 | Aug (rising) |
| 24 | Common Ringlet | Coenonympha california | Brush-footed Butterflies | 4 | Jun (rising) |
| 25 | Wild Indigo Duskywing | Erynnis baptisiae | Skippers | 3 | Jul (rising) |
| 26 | Viceroy | Limenitis archippus | Brush-footed Butterflies | 3 | Jul (rising) |
| 27 | Harvester | Feniseca tarquinius | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 3 | May (peak) |
| 28 | Long Dash | Limochores mystic | Skippers | 3 | Jun (rising) |
| 29 | Horace's Duskywing | Erynnis horatius | Skippers | 2 | Jul (rising) |
| 30 | Gray Hairstreak | Strymon melinus | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 2 | Aug (rising) |
| 31 | Eastern Comma | Polygonia comma | Brush-footed Butterflies | 2 | Apr (past peak) |
| 32 | Dreamy Duskywing | Erynnis icelus | Skippers | 2 | May (peak) |
| 33 | Sleepy Duskywing | Erynnis brizo | Skippers | 2 | May (peak) |
| 34 | Baltimore Checkerspot | Euphydryas phaeton | Brush-footed Butterflies | 2 | Jun (rising) |
| 35 | Red-spotted Admiral | Limenitis arthemis | Brush-footed Butterflies | 2 | Jun (rising) |
| 36 | Silver-spotted Skipper | Epargyreus clarus | Skippers | 2 | Jul (rising) |
| 37 | Summer Azure | Celastrina neglecta | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 2 | Aug (rising) |
| 38 | Juniper Hairstreak | Callophrys gryneus | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 2 | May (peak) |
| 39 | White M Hairstreak | Parrhasius m-album | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 2 | Sep (rising) |
| 40 | Common Buckeye | Junonia coenia | Brush-footed Butterflies | 1 | Sep (rising) |
| 41 | Canadian Tiger Swallowtail | Papilio canadensis | Swallowtails and Parnassians | 1 | Apr (past peak) |
| 42 | Least Skipper | Ancyloxypha numitor | Skippers | 1 | Aug (rising) |
| 43 | Orange Sulphur | Colias eurytheme | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 1 | Oct (rising) |
| 44 | Variegated Fritillary | Euptoieta claudia | Brush-footed Butterflies | 1 | Jul (rising) |
| 45 | Hobomok Skipper | Lon hobomok | Skippers | 1 | May (peak) |
| 46 | Huron Skipper | Atalopedes huron | Skippers | 1 | Sep (rising) |
| 47 | American Silver-bordered Fritillary | Boloria myrina | Brush-footed Butterflies | 1 | Aug (rising) |