Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Nevada Skipper butterfly. Gallery Prev Next E Camp Cr Rd, Baker Co, June 22 Thank you to Dana Ross and Paul Hammond , volunteers at OSAC! Nevada Skipper Hesperia nevada Size: Up to 1.25 inch wingspan Key ID features: Above, bright tan-orange, dark wing borders fade into orange. Below dark gray-green with disjointed white spot band, with lowest white patch on outer band dramatically displaced inwardly. Similar species: Juba and Western Branded skippers also have the lowest white spot in the outer band displaced inwardly, but not nearly as much. Host plant: Grass species, including western needlegrass (Achnatherum occidentale ). Habitat: Sage-steppe plateaus, and ridge and peak summits, usually above 4500 feet. Range: Warner Mtns, Baker County, north end of Malheur County, south portion of Grant, Crook and Deschutes counties. Season: Early May to late July Abundance: Locally common Conservation Status: Secure

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for Great Arctic. Gallery Prev Frissell Ridge, Lane Co, July 18 Great Arctic Oeneis nevadensis Size: Up to 2.5 inch wingspan Key ID features: Above orangish tan with dark wing margins and black eyespots, one or more on FW, one or none on HW. Male has dark brown wash on inner half of FW. FW below similar to above, but with gray and black striations along FW leading margin and on wingtip. HW striated with white and brown, dark brown zigzag median lines, and darker band along margin. Similar species: None in Oregon. Host plant: Grasses, but no specific species identified in Oregon . Habitat: Grassy habitats including wet and dry meadows, roadsides, riparian zones. Range: Cascade Range, Siskiyou Mtns, Klamath Mtns, Warner Mtns, Coast Range in Curry County. Season: Late April to late September Abundance: Common in even numbered years in most of range. Conservation Status: Secure

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Mormon Metalmark butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Trout Cr Campground, Jefferson Co, Sep 2 Mormon Metalmark Apodemia mormo Size: 1.0 - 1.2 inch wingspan Key ID features: Males above dark charcoal gray with reddish brown on the FW, and white spots of various shapes, broadly checked wing fringes. Female above similar but darker overall. Below HW with bold white patches against dark brown. FW mirrors pattern of FW above. Similar species: Looks vaguely similar to a copper, but none closely resembles it. Host plant: Many buckwheat species (Eriogonum ) . Habitat: Arid canyons and flats. Range: West of the Cascades, in Columbia and Snake River drainages, and along California border in Klamath and Warner Mtns, and in Cascade-Siskiyou NM. Season: Late July to early October Abundance: Uncommon Conservation Status: Secure

Directory with photos and links for all of Oregon's butterflies in the skipper family.

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Greenish Blue butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Lincoln Cr Rd, Jackson Co, May 20 Greenish Blue Icaricia saepiolus Size: 0.85 - 1.25 inch wingspan Key ID features: Male bright blue above with narrow dark wing borders and white fringes. Female brown above with some blue scaling inwardly, and vague or no orange zigzag along trailing margin. Both sexes have distinct black cell end bars on FW above. Male blue-gray below with black spots and marginal row of black triangles. Female below brownish-gray with bold black spots, and orange edges to submarginal black spots on HW. HW below usually has two closely spaced black triangles edged with orange at anal angle of wing. Similar species: Boisduval's blues have black spots below with substantial white halos, and lack orange edged triangles at anal angle of HW. Hostplant: Several clover species (Trifolium ) . Habitat: Wet meadows and riparian areas with clover. Range: Irregular distribution pattern, in Cascades, Ochocos, Blues, Wallowas, Siskiyous, Klamaths and Warner Mtns, plus disjunct populations along the south and middle coast . Season: Late April to late August Abundance: Common inland, scarce along coast Conservation Status: coastal subspecies imperiled in Oregon.

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Chalcedona Checkerspot butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Kinney Cr Rd, Jackson Co, May 26 Chalcedona Checkerspot Euphydryas chalcedona Size: Up to 2.75 inch wingspan Key ID features: Above black with alternating red and white spot bands separated by black lines. HW below has red and white bands, which, from the margin run red-white-red-white-white. Submarginal spot band on dorsal HW has larger pale ivory spots than other similar species. Similar species: Edith's checkerspot has red-white-red-red-white band pattern on HW below. Snowberry Checkerspot has smaller spots in the submarginal band on the dorsal HW. Hostplant: Several species in the figwort family, including paintbushes (Castilleja ), penstemons, and monkeyflowers . Habitat: Mountains and high canyons. Range: Warner Mtns, southern Klamath Mtns and in Jackson and Josephine counties along the border with CA . Season: Late April to early August Abundance: Locally common Conservation Status: Secure

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for Northern Crescent butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Izee Rd, Grant Co, June 25 - male Northern Crescent Phyciodes cocyta Size: Up to 1 inch wingspan Key ID features: Small. Male above, orange with black spots, checks and borders, sometimes with large open orange area on FW with black patches at the four "corners." Female above orange and light orange bands, separated by black. HW above with submarginal band of small black dots circled with orange, often with wide orange band just above. Male HW below creamy yellow with light brown irregular lines, and bright marginal crescent below midpoint, surrounded with brown. Female HW often with darker irregular brown lines, and lighter brown patch around crescent. Similar species: Female Field Crescent has light vertical bar in cell at leading edge of FW above (Northern lacks this). Host plant: Aster species, likely including Cascade aster (Eucephalus ledophyllus ) and alkali aster (Symphyotrichum frondosum , in lower areas) . Habitat: Wetlands, meadows, streambanks, dry grasslands. Range: Snake River basin, Burnt River basin, Strawberry Mtns . Season: Late April to late September Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Clodius Parnassian butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Mule Mountain Ridge, Lane Co, August 5, male Clodius Parnassian Parnassius clodius Size: 2.25 - 3 inches wingspan Key ID features: Above, white, gray/translucent wings with red spots, and all-black or nearly all-black antennae. Same general pattern below, but HW below often has additional red patches basally, and red spots in the median area usually have pink centers. Similar species: Mountain Parnassian (Parnassius smintheus ), which is smaller, and has boldy black/white barred antennae. Host plant: Pacific Bleeding Heart (Dicentra formosa ). Habitat: Mountain meadows and moist, open mountain woodlands, occasionally in lowlands. Range: Western Oregon, Blue Mountains, Ochocos, Warner Mountains. Season: late May to late August Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Silver-Bordered Fritillary butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Williams Prairie, Crook Co, June 22 Silver-Bordered Fritillary Boloria myrina ( Was Boloria selene) Size: Up to 2 inch wingspan Key ID features: Above bright citrus orange with black veins, and black irregular lines, black bands of spots and chevrons that point inward. Checked fringe, light orange. Below HW is complex pattern of pearly silver/white patches, cream patches, burgundy patches and burgundy veins. Similar pattern on FW tip below, remainder of FW bright orange with black markings. Similar species: Pacific Fritillary has softer black submarginal markings above, and submarginal black triangles that point outward. Below Pacific has softer pattern of mauve, lavender and pale orange in the outer half of HW. Host plant: Violets, mostly Viola palustris (Marsh violet) and V. nephrophylla (Bog violet). Habitat: Marshy fields, riparian areas with willows. Range: Found in isolated colonies in Ochoco Mtns, Strawberry Mts, Wallowa Mtns. Season: Late May to mid-August (varies by site) Abundance: Locally common Conservation Status: Secure .

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Mariposa Copper butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Scott Lake, Lane Co, August 10 Mariposa Copper Tharsalea mariposa AKA Lycaena mariposa Size: 1 - 1.25 inches wingspan Key ID features: Male above brown with purple iridescence when fresh. Female above bright orange with black spots and borders. HW below silver-gray like weathered wood with black chevrons. FW below orange-brown with black spots, gray-brown border, submarginal row of black chevrons bordered in white. Similar species: Silver-gray HW below is distinctive, lacking spots or orange. Host plant: Huckleberries (Vaccinium ). Habitat: Mountain meadows, sunny roadsides, lake edges . Range: Cascade Range, Ochoco Mtns, Blue Mtns, Wallowas Mtns. Season: Late May to late September Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Boiduval's Blue butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Catherine Cr Rd, Wallowa Co, July 8 Boisduval's Blue Icaricia icarioides Size: 1.0 - 1.5 inch wingspan Key ID features: Male bright blue above with charcoal wing borders. Female brown above with orange-brown highlights on FW, often with blue shading basally and vague or no orange band along trailing margin of HW. Both sexes may have dark cell end bars on FW. Male blue-gray below with very small black spots with wide white halos and marginal row of small black triangles. Female below brownish-gray with similar spot pattern. Similar species: Separated from Greenish blues by tiny black spots below having broad white halos, especially on the hindwing, and lack of orange edged triangles at anal angle. Host plant: Many lupine species (Lupinus ) . Fender's Blue subspecies uses Kincaid's Lupine (Lupinus oreganus var. kincaidii ). Habitat: Mountain meadows and roadsides, subalpine slopes, and occasionally lower elevation meadows (Fender's), always near lupines. Range: All of eastern Oregon, plus central Coast Range, and southern Willamette Valley (ssp. I.i. fenderi ) . Season: Late May to early July Abundance: Common east of Cascade Range, locally common at scattered sites in Willamette Valley. Conservation Status: Fender's Blue listed as Endangered federally.

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Coral Hairstreak butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Beaver Cr, Wasco Co, July 1 Coral Hairstreak Satyrium titus Size: 1.0 - 1.25 inches wingspan Key ID features: Both sexes mousy-brown above. Below, same mousy-brown with median black spot band circled with white. HW below with submarginal band of orange spots edged inwardly with black and white. Similar species: No other Oregon butterfly has submarginal HW row of orange spots against light brown background below. Host plant: Primarily Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana ) . Habitat: Canyons, meadow edges, riparian creek edges. Range: Primarily NE Oregon, also Steens Mtn, Warner Mtns, Klamath Mtns. Season: Late May to early September Abundance: Uncommon Conservation Status: Secure