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  • Coral Hairstreak | ButterfliesofOregon

    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

  • Northern Checkerspot | ButterfliesofOregon

    Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Northern Checkerspot butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Crane Cr, Lake Co, May 30 - male Northern Checkerspot Chlosyne palla Size: Up to 1.75 inch wingspan Key ID features: Highly variable. Male above, bands of orange and sometimes yellow-orange, separated by black lines, crescents and checks . Female often darker than male above. Below bands of off-white and brick red with black veins and edges. Often on HW below, submarginal red band has yellowish centers in red spots. Similar species: Sagebrush Checkerspot pure white rather than off-white below. Hoffman's Checkerspot darker basally on HW above. Host plant: Not well-documented, but likely species in the aster family . Habitat: Sage desert, pinyon-juniper savanna, washes, gulches, canyons and brushy flats. Range: Meadows, roadsides, streambanks, clearings . Season: Late March to early August Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

  • Ruddy Copper | ButterfliesofOregon

    Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Ruddy Copper butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Williams Prairie, Crook Co, July 26 - male Ruddy Copper Tharsalea rubidus AKA Lycaena rubidus Size: 1.1 - 1.25 inches wingspan Key ID features: Male above very bright coppery orange, with few small dark spots . Female above brownish gray orange with black spots, and submarginal spot band, often with orange submarginal zigzag line. Female HW below white with orange wash with very light spots; FW below light orange with black spots. Male similar below with lighter ground color. Similar species: No other Oregon butterfly is as bright orange as the male. Female somewhat similar to Blue Copper, which lacks the orange zigzag above and the orange wash below. Host plant: Dock (Rumex ) species. Habitat: Riparian habitast (near water), including wet montane meadows. Range: Southeastern Oregon, and east of Cascade Mtns from Ochoco Mtns south. Season: Mid-May to late August Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

  • Zerene Fritillary | ButterfliesofOregon

    Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Zerene Fritillary butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Mt. Hebo, Tillamook Co, August 13, ssp. hippolyta Zerene Fritillary Argynnis zerene AKA Speyeria zerene Size: Up to 2.75 inch wingspan Key ID features: Orange above with thin black veins, black shading near the body, black irregular lines inwardly, submarginal black spot band and black marking along margin like chain links, bolder on female. Variable below depending on subspecies and location. Often with light tan-brown "disc" on HW with large silvery-white oval spots and warm tan submarginal band. Can also have pinkish/purplish hindwing below, with smaller discal spots than Hydaspe. Similar species: Coronis Fritillary is usually paler above and larger. Callippe Fritillary has more elongated silver spots in the disc below. Hydaspe has larger, more rounded discal spots. Host plant: Violet (Viola ) species, varying by region of state . Habitat: Varies greatly by subspecies, from coastal headlands, to grassy summits, riparian areas and meadows. Range: Throughout mountainous areas of eastern and southwestern Oregon. Season: Early June to late September. Abundance: Uncommon Conservation Status: Coastal subspecies S. z. hippolyta critically imperiled in OR, Federally listed as Threatened.

  • Pacific Fritillary | ButterfliesofOregon

    Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Pacific Fritillary butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Butte Disappointment, Lane Co, May 24 Pacific Fritillary Boloria selene AKA Western Meadow Fritillary Size: Up to 1.75 inch wingspan Key ID features: Above orange with thin black veins, black scaling near the body, black irregular lines inwardly, and bands of black spots and submarginal chevrons that point toward wing edge. Below HW has cream and orange patches edged in dark brown-orange on inner half, outer half is vague pattern of mauve, lavender, and brownish spots. Similar species: Silver-Bordered has very limited range, bolder black marginal pattern above with submarginal triangles pointing inward, bolder pattern on HW below. Host plant: Violets (Viola ) . Habitat: Meadows and lush open habitats, forest clearings, riparian areas. Range: Found throughout western Oregon, in Klamath Mtns, Warner Mtns, Wallowa Mtns and Blue Mtns. Season: Late March to L September. Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure .

  • Hoffman's Checkerspot | ButterfliesofOregon

    Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Hoffman's Checkerspot butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Bachelor Mtn, Linn Co, July 13 Hoffmann's Checkerspot Chlosyne hoffmanni Size: 1.25 to 1.75 inch wingspan Key ID features: Above, bands of orange and yellow-orange, separated by black lines and patches . Median band usually lighter. Basal 1/3 of HW above is mostly black with little orange. Below bands of off-white and brick red with black veins and edges. Red spots in postmedian band often longer than in similar species. Similar species: Northern Checkerspot often does not have the large black area on the basal HW above, and below post-median band spots are generally shorter than in Hoffman's. On Northern Checkerspot, the orange patches on the dorsal forewing are more distinct and smaller. On Hoffmann's, the orange bars in the middle of the forewing are much longer, and often have a "smeared" look, a gradient of shades of orange. Hostplant: Asters, including western showy aster (Eurybia conspicua ) and Cascade aster (Eucephalus ledophyllus ) . Habitat: Moist montane meadows, canyons, streamsides, clearings in conifer forests. Range: Cascade Range above 1000 feet. Season: Early May to early September Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

  • Mariposa Copper | ButterfliesofOregon

    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

  • Common Alpine | ButterfliesofOregon

    Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for Common Alpine. Gallery Prev Next Coyle Cr Rd, Crook Co, June 29 Common Alpine Erebia epipsodea AKA Butler's Alpine Size: Up to 2 inch wingspan Key ID features: Above very dark brown with orange patches containing small black eyespots with white centers--two closely spaced eyespots and sometime two or more additional smaller eyespots on FW, three to five eyespots on HW. Below similar to above, but with HW having a slightly grizzled or rough look compared to clean dark brown above. Similar species: None. Host plant: Grasses including Foxtail bristlegrass (Setaria italica ) . Habitat: Grassy habitats including sage-steppe, plateaus, montane meadows and dry hillsides. Range: Northeastern Oregon in Ochoco Mtns, Wallowa Mtns, Blue Mtns. Season: Early May to early August Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

  • Mardon Skipper | ButterfliesofOregon

    Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Mardon Skipper butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Soda Mtn Rd, Jackson Co, July 5 - ssp. klamathensis Mardon Skipper Polites mardon Size: Up to 1 inch wingspan Key ID features: Compact, rounded wings. Above orange and brown, males with small stigmata. HW below brown with neat arc of yellow bars forming a curved band, and one or two additional light spots near wing base . Similar species: HW pattern below is somewhat similar to Sonoran Skipper, which has longer, narrower wings and HW spots that are more rounded and less distinct. Host plant: Grass species, especially fescues, including Idaho fescue (Festuca idahoensis ), red fescue (Festuca rubra ) and Roemer's fescue (Festuca roemeri ). Habitat: Ponderosa pine openings, Ceanothus patches. Range: Coastal Curry County, Cascade Siskiyou National Monument. Season: Mid-May to early August Abundance: Rare Conservation Status: Federal Species of Concern; designated Imperiled in Oregon

  • Lupine Blue | ButterfliesofOregon

    Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Lupine Blue butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Frissell Ridge, Lane Co, July 18 - male Lupine Blue Icaricia lupini Size: 1.0 - 1.25 inch wingspan Key ID features: Male blue above with narrow black marginal band and white fringe, on HW red-orange band above marginal row of black spots, often with narrow darker band between orange and blue. Female brown above with darker marginal line and white fringe on FW, on HW broad orange band above row of dark brown marginal spots. Below, male light bluish gray, female brownish gray, with black spots. HW has row of marginal spots that are black inwardly, then orange, and outwardly black with a circle of iridescent blue. Similar species: Acmon Blue very similar, but tends to be smaller, and on males, tends to lack dark border between pinkish-orange band and blue on HW above. Note shorter flight season of Lupine Blue below. Host plant: Several Buckwheat (Eriogonum ) species . Habitat: Wide range of habitats, from sea level lowlands to montane habitats. Range: Found in all of eastern Oregon and SW Oregon and on Rickreall Ridge in Polk County. The high elevation segregate (AKA Volcano Blue) is found in high elevation pumice habitat near its host plant, Shasta Buckwheat. Season: Late May to early August Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

  • Anna's Blue | ButterfliesofOregon

    Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Anna's Blue butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Crescent Mtn, Linn Co, August 8 - male (L), female (R) Anna's Blue Plebejus anna Size: 1.0 - 1.25 inch wingspan Key ID features: Male shiny violet-blue above with black marginal band and white fringe. Female brown above with scalloped orange marginal band, clearer and bolder on HW. Below, light bluish gray with tiny black spots, with row of orange checks, bordered inwardly with black and a small, light patch of iridescent blue, lighter and less clear (or absent) on FW. Similar species: Male Acmon and Lupine Blues have orange band on HW above, and females of those species have no orange on FW above. Melissa Blue has much brighter orange borders and bolder iridescent patches on HW below. Northern Blues not found in Cascades. Host plant: Legumes, especially lupines and lotuses . Habitat: Moist, cool montane meadows and forest openings, and dry meadows among conifers, usually above 3000 ft. Range: Found in Cascade Range, Siskiyou Mtns, Klamath Mtns and Warner Mtns. Season: Early June to mid-October Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

  • Mustard White | ButterfliesofOregon

    Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Mustard White butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Plunkett Cr, Benton Co, July 31 Mustard White Pieris marginalis AKA Margined White Size: 1.25 - 1.5 inches wingspan Key ID features: Above milky-white, with black shading basally (near the thorax). Below, hindwing veins faintly lined with brownish back bands. Summer brood males usually nearly pure white. Similar species: Cabbage White has black spot in center of FW. Host plant: Cresses, toothworts and other mustard species. Habitat: Openings in moist forests, usually coniferous. Range: Throughout western Oregon west of the Cascades, and in Ochoco, Wallowa Blue, and Warner Mtns. Season: Late March to early October Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

© 2018-25 by Neil Henning Björklund

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