Butterfly Identifier – Identify Any Butterfly by Photo
Spotted a butterfly you can't name? Upload a photo for an instant AI identification with species, range, and host plants.
Upload Your Image
Drag and drop your image here, or click to browse
Supports JPG, PNG, HEIC formats up to 10MB. Your images are processed securely and not stored.
How to Identify a Butterfly
Three quick steps to an instant, AI-powered identification.
Photograph the butterfly with its wings visible — open or closed both help. A steady, close shot of the wing pattern is ideal.
Our AI examines wing shape, color, spots, and margins, comparing them against a broad database of butterfly and moth species.
Receive the likely species, its range, host plants, flight season, and similar look-alikes so you can confirm the identification.
Other Ways to Identify a Butterfly
Field Guides
Regional butterfly guides organize species by family and color, useful for offline reference once you've narrowed it down.
iNaturalist & eButterfly
Citizen-science platforms let experts verify your sighting and map local species, though answers aren't instant.
Local Butterfly Groups
Nature centers and butterfly societies can identify tricky species and point you to nearby habitats.
Photo Quality
- ✓Get as close as you can while keeping the wings in sharp focus.
- ✓Capture the upper (dorsal) and under (ventral) wing if the butterfly opens and closes.
- ✓Shoot in soft, even light to show true colors without glare.
- ✓Fill the frame with the butterfly for maximum detail.
Best Practices
- •Photograph early morning when butterflies are slower and easier to approach.
- •Note the host plant or flower it's on — a useful ID clue.
- •Take several shots as it moves to catch the clearest wing view.
- •Include the whole butterfly rather than cropping wing tips.
Butterflies & Moths Our AI Recognizes
Our AI recognizes a wide range of types — here are some of the most common.
The largest family, including many familiar garden visitors.
Large, showy butterflies with tailed hindwings.
Common white and yellow butterflies of open fields.
Small, delicate butterflies with brilliant blue or metallic scales.
Fast, moth-like butterflies with hooked antennae.
Night-flying relatives, from giant silk moths to sphinx moths.
Why Choose IdentifyThis?
Fast, detailed, private, and affordable — for this and every other identifier.
IdentifyThis works entirely in your browser on any device — phone, tablet, or desktop. No installs, no clutter, just instant results.
You don't just get a name. Our AI explains the key features, common look-alikes, and what to do next, so you actually understand what you're looking at.
Your subscription unlocks plants, animals, insects, rocks, and dozens of other identifiers — not just this one. One affordable tool for every curiosity.
Your uploaded photos are processed for identification and are not stored or sold. What you photograph stays yours.
Your first identification is free, then unlimited access is just $6.99/year — a fraction of what single-purpose apps charge.
Because it's web-based, IdentifyThis runs the same on iPhone, Android, Windows, and Mac. Open your browser and go.
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