29 butterflies were recorded flying in West Virginia in March 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 March
Eastern Comma
Mourning Cloak
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Zebra Swallowtail
Spring Azure
Falcate Orangetip
Small White
Juvenal's Duskywing
Summer Azure
Sleepy Duskywing
Spicebush Swallowtail
Red Admiral
All butterflies flying in West Virginia in March
| # | Species | Scientific name | Family | Obs. | Peak in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eastern Comma | Polygonia comma | Brush-footed Butterflies | 49 | Sep (rising) |
| 2 | Mourning Cloak | Nymphalis antiopa | Brush-footed Butterflies | 42 | Jun (rising) |
| 3 | Eastern Tiger Swallowtail | Papilio glaucus | Swallowtails and Parnassians | 34 | Aug (rising) |
| 4 | Zebra Swallowtail | Eurytides marcellus | Swallowtails and Parnassians | 15 | Jun (rising) |
| 5 | Spring Azure | Celastrina ladon | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 12 | Mar (peak) |
| 6 | Falcate Orangetip | Anthocharis midea | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 12 | Apr (rising) |
| 7 | Small White | Pieris rapae | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 9 | Jun (rising) |
| 8 | Juvenal's Duskywing | Erynnis juvenalis | Skippers | 8 | Apr (rising) |
| 9 | Summer Azure | Celastrina neglecta | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 6 | Jun (rising) |
| 10 | Sleepy Duskywing | Erynnis brizo | Skippers | 5 | Apr (rising) |
| 11 | Spicebush Swallowtail | Papilio troilus | Swallowtails and Parnassians | 4 | Aug (rising) |
| 12 | Red Admiral | Vanessa atalanta | Brush-footed Butterflies | 3 | Jul (rising) |
| 13 | Henry's Elfin | Callophrys henrici | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 3 | Mar (peak) |
| 14 | White M Hairstreak | Parrhasius m-album | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 3 | Aug (rising) |
| 15 | Silvery Blue | Glaucopsyche lygdamus | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 2 | Apr (rising) |
| 16 | Orange Sulphur | Colias eurytheme | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 2 | Jun (rising) |
| 17 | Question Mark | Polygonia interrogationis | Brush-footed Butterflies | 2 | Sep (rising) |
| 18 | Pipevine Swallowtail | Battus philenor | Swallowtails and Parnassians | 1 | Jul (rising) |
| 19 | Dreamy Duskywing | Erynnis icelus | Skippers | 1 | May (rising) |
| 20 | Wild Indigo Duskywing | Erynnis baptisiae | Skippers | 1 | Aug (rising) |
| 21 | Clouded Sulphur | Colias philodice | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 1 | Jun (rising) |
| 22 | Gray Comma | Polygonia progne | Brush-footed Butterflies | 1 | Jul (rising) |
| 23 | Checkered White | Pontia protodice | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 1 | Mar (peak) |
| 24 | Silvery Checkerspot | Chlosyne nycteis | Brush-footed Butterflies | 1 | Aug (rising) |
| 25 | Sleepy Orange | Eurema nicippe | Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs | 1 | Aug (rising) |
| 26 | Red-banded Hairstreak | Calycopis cecrops | Gossamer-winged Butterflies | 1 | Aug (rising) |
| 27 | Eastern Gemmed-Satyr | Cyllopsis gemma | Brush-footed Butterflies | 1 | Aug (rising) |
| 28 | Great Spangled Fritillary | Argynnis cybele | Brush-footed Butterflies | 1 | Jun (rising) |
| 29 | Atlantis Fritillary | Argynnis atlantis | Brush-footed Butterflies | 1 | Jun (rising) |