Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia) is in the Brush-footed Butterflies family (Nymphalidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 109,044 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in September.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: summer visitor / breeder. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
When to photograph Common Buckeye: observations by month (U.S.)
About Common Buckeye
...From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Common Buckeye by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 32,706 | April | Apr–Jun |
| Florida | 8,208 | October | Sep–Nov |
| North Carolina | 6,407 | September | Jun–Oct |
| Virginia | 6,125 | September | Jul–Oct |
| Illinois | 5,679 | August | Jul–Oct |
| Maryland | 5,029 | September | Aug–Oct |
| Georgia | 4,477 | September | Apr–Oct |
| Tennessee | 3,377 | September | Jul–Oct |
| Missouri | 3,328 | September | Jul–Oct |
| Ohio | 3,276 | September | Aug–Oct |
| Alabama | 3,213 | September | Aug–Oct |
| Arkansas | 2,589 | August | Apr–Nov |
| New Jersey | 2,405 | September | Aug–Oct |
| South Carolina | 2,332 | September | Apr–Oct |
| Oklahoma | 2,260 | June | Apr–Oct |
| Indiana | 2,220 | September | Aug–Oct |
| Louisiana | 2,006 | October | Sep–Nov |
| Pennsylvania | 1,806 | September | Aug–Oct |
| Kentucky | 1,338 | September | Aug–Oct |
| Mississippi | 1,307 | October | Sep–Oct |
| Kansas | 1,297 | September | Jun–Oct |
| New York | 1,130 | September | Jul–Oct |
| Wisconsin | 983 | July | Jun–Oct |
| Delaware | 869 | September | Aug–Oct |
| Michigan | 790 | September | Jul–Oct |
| Nebraska | 537 | August | Jun–Oct |
| Massachusetts | 531 | September | Jul–Oct |
| Iowa | 503 | September | Jun–Oct |
| Colorado | 492 | October | Sep–Oct |
| Minnesota | 453 | July | Jun–Oct |
| Connecticut | 423 | August | Jul–Oct |
| District of Columbia | 401 | September | Aug–Oct |
| West Virginia | 174 | September | Aug–Oct |
| Maine | 97 | September | Jul–Sep |
| Rhode Island | 84 | September | Sep–Sep |
| New Hampshire | 70 | August | Jul–Oct |
| South Dakota | 42 | July | Jun–Sep |
| Vermont | 34 | August | Jul–Sep |
| New Mexico | 32 | October | Jul–Oct |
| North Dakota | 7 | August | Jun–Aug |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related butterflies (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Photography tips
- Butterflies are sluggish on cool mornings — the best time for close approaches.
- Keep the sensor parallel to the wings for edge-to-edge sharpness.
- Nectar plants in bloom are reliable places to wait.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Common Buckeye?
Nationally, September has the most observations, with the main season from April to October.
Where is Common Buckeye most often seen?
The most observations come from Texas, Florida, North Carolina.