32 butterflies were recorded flying in South Dakota in October in our iNaturalist sample; 3 of the top 50 are at their peak this month. The list is ranked by number of research-grade observations.
Top butterflies in October
Painted Lady
Red Admiral
Orange Sulphur
Common Checkered-Skipper
Monarch
Eastern Comma
Mourning Cloak
Melissa Blue
Variegated Fritillary
Dainty Sulphur
Small White
Black Swallowtail
All butterflies flying in South Dakota in October
| # | Species | Scientific name | Family | Obs. | Peak in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Painted Lady | Vanessa cardui | Brush-footed Butterflies | 82 | Sep (past peak) |
| 2 | Red Admiral | Vanessa atalanta | Brush-footed Butterflies | 64 | Sep (past peak) |
| 3 | Orange Sulphur | Colias eurytheme | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 32 | Aug (past peak) |
| 4 | Common Checkered-Skipper | Burnsius communis | Skippers | 24 | Aug (past peak) |
| 5 | Monarch | Danaus plexippus | Brush-footed Butterflies | 20 | Sep (past peak) |
| 6 | Eastern Comma | Polygonia comma | Brush-footed Butterflies | 20 | Sep (past peak) |
| 7 | Mourning Cloak | Nymphalis antiopa | Brush-footed Butterflies | 18 | Jun (past peak) |
| 8 | Melissa Blue | Plebejus melissa | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 15 | Aug (past peak) |
| 9 | Variegated Fritillary | Euptoieta claudia | Brush-footed Butterflies | 11 | Jul (past peak) |
| 10 | Dainty Sulphur | Nathalis iole | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 9 | Oct (peak) |
| 11 | Small White | Pieris rapae | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 9 | Aug (past peak) |
| 12 | Black Swallowtail | Papilio polyxenes | Swallowtails and Parnassians | 8 | Aug (past peak) |
| 13 | Silver-spotted Skipper | Epargyreus clarus | Skippers | 7 | Jun (past peak) |
| 14 | Pearl Crescent | Phyciodes tharos | Brush-footed Butterflies | 6 | Aug (past peak) |
| 15 | Question Mark | Polygonia interrogationis | Brush-footed Butterflies | 5 | Jul (past peak) |
| 16 | Fiery Skipper | Hylephila phyleus | Skippers | 4 | Sep (past peak) |
| 17 | Eastern Tiger Swallowtail | Papilio glaucus | Swallowtails and Parnassians | 4 | Aug (past peak) |
| 18 | Common Buckeye | Junonia coenia | Brush-footed Butterflies | 3 | Jul (past peak) |
| 19 | Clouded Sulphur | Colias philodice | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 3 | Jul (past peak) |
| 20 | Gray Comma | Polygonia progne | Brush-footed Butterflies | 3 | Jul (past peak) |
| 21 | Huron Skipper | Atalopedes huron | Skippers | 3 | Aug (past peak) |
| 22 | American Lady | Vanessa virginiensis | Brush-footed Butterflies | 2 | May (past peak) |
| 23 | Gray Hairstreak | Strymon melinus | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 2 | Aug (past peak) |
| 24 | Viceroy | Limenitis archippus | Brush-footed Butterflies | 2 | Aug (past peak) |
| 25 | California Tortoiseshell | Nymphalis californica | Brush-footed Butterflies | 1 | Oct (peak) |
| 26 | Common Sootywing | Pholisora catullus | Skippers | 1 | Aug (past peak) |
| 27 | Eastern Tailed-Blue | Everes comyntas | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 1 | Aug (past peak) |
| 28 | Northern Crescent | Phyciodes cocyta | Brush-footed Butterflies | 1 | Jul (past peak) |
| 29 | Checkered White | Pontia protodice | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 1 | Aug (past peak) |
| 30 | Marine Blue | Leptotes marina | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 1 | Sep (past peak) |
| 31 | Bordered Patch | Chlosyne lacinia | Brush-footed Butterflies | 1 | Oct (peak) |
| 32 | Bronze Copper | Tharsalea hyllus | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 1 | Aug (past peak) |