Here you will find some history and background on the author of Butterflies of Oregon. A Bit More History Continued from "About" page... I had long paid attention to butterflies, ever since my childhood days of collecting butterflies with my Dad. When I was about 10 years old, Dad drove our family up the Steens Mountain Loop Road, and we stopped near the summit, at over 9,000 feet elevation. In the windswept, grassy meadows near the summit, there were hundreds of Milbert's Tortoiseshells flying up in the wind. I was captivated! That year, Dad bought me a butterfly net, a Golden Guide field identification guide, a killing jar, a pinning board, and a display case. The next summer, we spent several weekends driving and walking Forest Service Roads near Portland looking for butterflies with our nets in hand. Decades later, in 2001, my friend Eric Wold told me of his childhood love of butterflies, and we decided to go on a hike to Iron Mountain in Linn County to find some butterflies. On that hike I unsuccessfully attempted to photograph a bright green Sheridan's Hairstreak, and I got hooked! That first failure started me on a long and joyful journey of photographing butterflies. It was about 2014 when I realized that I had photographed around 100 species of native butterflies in Oregon. I thought to myself "I might actually be able to photograph all of them," meaning all of Oregon's regularly occurring 168 species (the exact number depends on whose taxonomic approach you follow, and how many species have been recently split or lumped). I decided that year to go to work on those remaining 68 or so species, just for fun, and to see what kind of progress I could make. In 2014 - 2017, I had a great time tromping around the wild spots in Oregon, and added several more species. In 2017, I posted a couple of butterfly photos to Facebook, and admitted to the world that I was going to try for all of Oregon's regularly breeding species. Seeing that post, my friend Lindsay Selzer inquired about where she could see all the ones I had already photographed. I sheepishly wrote her that I had never bothered to compile the collection and I actually wasn't even sure how many I had. Her question inspired me to find out the answer, which led me down the path toward creating this website to share these photos. Through that effort I realized that, of Oregon's regularly occurring and breeding species, at that time I only had about 15 more to photograph! I hadn't realized I was so close! Knowing I was so close lit a fire under me, and I began to get organized. See my blog for accounts of my most recent escapades, adventures and discoveries. Thanks for reading, and for your interest in the Butterflies of Oregon! Neil Bjorklund Eugene, Oregon

on iNaturalist Join the revolution! On the iNaturalist.org website, there is a Butterflies of Oregon Project that collects and displays all of the photos of butterflies submitted from Oregon. There are now over 30,000 photos of butterflies from Oregon, and the number of people submitting butterfly photos from Oregon is growing every year! You can view the most recent Oregon butterflies posted to iNaturalist at right, or go directly to the Butterflies of Oregon Project page. Note: the links at right to the individual iNaturalist posts only work if you right-click the link and select "open in a new tab" or "open in a new window." iNaturalist.org has the largest online collection of recent records of butterfly sightings, and the largest number of users, and has emerged as the best place to both share your sightings and get help identifying them. By contributing your photos of Oregon butterflies to iNaturalist, you are making them available to others for learning, study and pleasure. Being part of this community of naturalists benefits everyone involved. recent Oregon sightings: View additional recent Oregon butterfly sightings on iNaturalist.org.

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Peck's Skipper butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Rd 3925, Grant Co, June 30 Peck's Skipper Polites peckius Size: Up to 1.25 inch wingspan Key ID features: Above, dark brown (males darker) with clusters of orange bars, and males with orange-brown on leading edge . FW below dark brown with mustard yellow patches. HW below mottled reddish brown with mustard yellow patches in connected bands. Similar species: HW pattern below is unique. Host plant: Grass species, Kentucky bluegrass, saltgrass, and bromes. Habitat: Wet meadows, roadsides and riparian areas. Range: Wallowa and Blue Mtns. Season: Late June to early August Abundance: Uncommon Conservation Status: Secure

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Mormon Fritillary butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Summit Meadows, Lane Co, August 13 Mormon Fritillary Argynnis mormonia AKA Speyeria mormonia Size: Up to 2 inch wingspan Key ID features: Small for a greater fritillary. Male bright orange above with fine black veins, black irregular markings inwardly, submarginal black spot band and black arrows that point inward. Female darker orange above with all black markings bolder. Below ground color of "disc" on HW light orange-tan with large oblong silvery-white spots with brown to dark maroon shadows. Similar species: Hesperis is larger and has reddish brown disc below. Hydaspe is larger and has dark red to maroon disc below. Hostplant: Violet (Viola ) species . Habitat: Openings, riparian areas and meadows in coniferous forests above 3,500 feet. Range: Found on east slope of Cascades, and in Warner Mtns, Steens Mtn, Ochocos, Wallowa Mtns and Blue Mtns. Season: Early June to mid-October. Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Tailed Copper butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Crane Cr, Lake Co, July 4 - male Tailed Copper Tharsalea arota AKA Lycaena arota Size: 0.75- 1.25 inches wingspan Key ID features: Male coppery brown above. Female FW above has broad dark brown marginal bands, dark patches around coppery-orange spots, and HW with similar pattern with scalloped orange band along trailing edge. Small white-tipped tails on HW, longer on females. Below HW is boldly marked with spots, chevrons, a submarginal white band and black spots circled with white, against gray-brown background (bolder in females). Similar species: No other coppers have tails. No hairstreaks in our area are similar. Host plant: Currants and gooseberries. Habitat: Moist meadows, canyons, mountain canyons. Range: Siskiyou Mtns, Central and Southern Cascade Mtns, Klamath Mtns, Warner Mtns, central Willamette Valley. Season: Mid-June to late September Abundance: Locally common Conservation Status: Secure

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Acmon Blue butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Gert Canyon, Wasco Co, May 4 - male Acmon Blue Icaricia acmon Size: 0.8 - 1.0 inch wingspan Key ID features: Male blue above with narrow black marginal band and white fringe, on HW orange band above marginal row of black spots. Female brown above with darker marginal line and white fringe, on HW broad orange band above row of dark brown marginal spots. Below, light bluish gray with black spots, on HW row of marginal spots that are black inwardly, then orange, and outwardly black with a center circle of iridescent blue. Similar species: Lupine Blue very similar, but tends to be larger, and on males, tends to have a dark border between red-orange band and blue on HW above (Acmon usually has pinkish-orange band transitioning directly to blue). Host plant: Several Buckwheat (Eriogonum ) species and many pea family species including Lotus, Melilotus, and Lupinus . Habitat: Wide range of habitats, from sea level lowlands to montane habitats. Range: Found in all of Oregon except the far NW corner. Season: Early April to early October Abundance: Widespread and common Conservation Status: Secure

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Western Tiger Swallowtail butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Royal Avenue, Lane Co, May 28 Western Tiger Swallowtail Papilio rutulus Size: 2.75 - 3.75 inches wingspan Key ID features: Upperside yellow with vertical black bands, prominent tails, blue chevrons above long single tail. Below, very similar to above, with red-orange shading in yellow marginal spots near the tail. Similar species: Anise Swallowtail has more black on forewing; Pale Swallowtail much paler; Two-tailed Swallowtail is larger, has double tails, broader yellow bands. Host plant: Willows, maples, and many other native trees. Habitat: Riparian areas, canyons, watersides, trail, parks, often near water. Range: Throughout Oregon, often lower than Pale Swallowtail, but sometimes up to 7,000 feet. Season: Mid-April - mid-August Abundance: Very common Conservation Status: Secure

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Common Checkered Skipper. Gallery Prev Next Illinois River Rd, Josephine Co, April 23 Common Checkered Skipper Burnsius communis Size: Up to 1 inch wingspan Key ID features: Above, very dark brown, with gray shading basally on FW, boldly checked fringes and numerous bright white patches (longer than on Two-Banded) . Overall lighter than Two-Banded due to more white patches. Below large white patches, with jagged brown bands, edged in darker brown. Similar species: Two-Banded Checkered Skipper is darker, has fewer white spots above and less white below. Host plant: Various species in the mallow family. Habitat: Found in a wide variety of habitats, both disturbed and undisturbed. Range: All of Oregon except the far NW corner. Season: Mid-April to mid-September Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for Mylitta Crescent butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Hills Creek Rd, Lane Co, Aug 27, male Mylitta Crescent Phyciodes mylitta Size: Up to 1.5 inch wingspan Key ID features: Above, orange with black spots, checks and borders. Females have wider black border above. Fringes checked. HW above with submarginal band of small black dots circled with orange, on males this is below large unmarked orange patch. HW below cream, tan and brown bands and patches, and bright marginal crescent below midpoint, haloed with brown. Similar species: Pale Crescent is larger than Field or Mylitta. Mylitta lacks nearly rectangular black bar at trailing edge of FW above. Host plant: Mostly thistles, including Cirsium arvense (Canada thistle) . Habitat: Prairies, weedy fields, meadows, roadsides, marshes. Range: All of Oregon . Season: Late February to mid-October Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Western Branded Skipper butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Mtn Lakes Wilderness, Klamath Co, August 14 Western Branded Skipper Hesperia colorado Size: Up to 1.25 inch wingspan Key ID features: Above, male orange with very light jagged line of orange spots, narrow dark brown edges (not toothed), bold dark stigmata on FW. Above female brown with jagged row of light orange spots, some almost white spots near wing tip, also with dark brown edges, like teeth pointing inward . Below greenish gray with disjointed white bands, sometimes small or missing, lowest patch of white on outer band not displaced inwardly. Similar species: On HW below Nevada Skipper has the lowest segment of the outer white spot band strongly offset. Juba Skipper is larger, has dark jagged "teeth" on FW above. Uncas Skipper and Sandhill Skipper have prominent light veins below. Host plant: Various grass species. Habitat: Broad range of grass dominated habitats. Range: All of eastern and southwestern Oregon. Season: E arly May to late September Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Sachem butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Boardman, Morrow County, August 24 - male Sachem Atalopedes campestris Size: Up to 1.5 inch wingspan Key ID features: Larger and longer winged than other comparable Oregon skippers. Above orangish-brown, with dark brown borders. Male with large rectangular black patch around stigmata and vague light orange pattern on HW. Female above with dark patch on FW, with pale yellow spot band beyond that, and HW with light orange spot band. Male HW below with broad light yellowish patches sometimes nearly enclosing a darker rectangular patch . Female below, with darker HW ground color and curved band of smaller, more distinct spots. Similar species: Yuma Skipper and Juba Skipper are of similar size. Yuma Skipper is plain above and below. Juba Skipper has green gray ground color below with bold white spot bands. Host plant: Various grass species. Habitat: Pastures, gardens, roadsides and open prairie. Range: Cascade Range, Siskiyou Mtns, Willamette Valley, Columbia and Deschutes river drainages. Season: Late May to late August Abundance: Uncommon Conservation Status: Secure

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Yuma Skipper butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Ana Reservoir SP, Lake Co, August 1 Yuma Skipper Ochlodes yuma Size: Up to 1.75 inch wingspan Key ID features: Large and plain. Above, tan-orange with graduated dark border . Male with black stigmata on FW, female with light spot band on FW. HW below plain pale tan. Similar species: Large size and unmarked pale tan HW below distinct. Host plant: Primarily American common reed (Phragmites australis ssp. americanus ). Habitat: Near s tands of reeds along streams, seeps and marshes in alkaline lowlands. Range: Summer Lake area in Lake County, Imnaha River canyon in Wallowa County. Season: Early July to early September Abundance: Uncommon Conservation Status: Secure