Butterfly flight seasons in South Dakota from 6,832 research-grade iNaturalist observations. August has the most activity.
By month
South Dakota butterfly calendar (top 40)
Fewer More observations (relative to each row's peak month)
Activity by month (all species)
Most-photographed butterflies in South Dakota
Monarch
Painted Lady
Red Admiral
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Melissa Blue
Orange Sulphur
Silver-spotted Skipper
Small White
Common Checkered-Skipper
Black Swallowtail
Variegated Fritillary
Weidemeyer's Admiral
Viceroy
Eastern Comma
Common Wood-Nymph
Pearl Crescent
Where to photograph butterflies in South Dakota
State ParkCuster State Park
State ParkPalisades State Park
State ParkSpirit Mound Historic Prairie
State ParkHartford Beach State Park
State ParkLake Herman State Park
State ParkOakwood Lakes State Park
National Wildlife RefugeSand Lake National Wildlife Refuge
National Wildlife RefugeKarl E. Mundt National Wildlife Refuge