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Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Sara's Orangetip butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Illinois River, Josephine Co, May 7 - female Sara's Orangetip Anthocharis sara AKA Sara Orangetip Size: 1.25 - 1.5 inches wingspan Key ID features: Male white above, with bold orange FW tip. Female pale yellow-green above with smaller orange patch near FW tip. Below patchy marbling with light yellow veins. Similar species: Julia's Orangetip, which occurs throughout western Oregon and the Cascades is very similar and difficult to distinguish in the adult stage wherever they overlap. The two species are distinguished by several characteristics, including larval characteristics, number of overwintering cycles, and shape and color of the chrysalis. Host plant: Crucifers including several rockcresses. Habitat: Wide variety of open habitats. Range: Only found along the Oregon-California border in Jackson, Josephine and Curry counties. Season: Mid-March to mid-August Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Green Comma butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Lost Lake, Linn Co, August 1 Green Comma Polygonia faunus Size: Up to 2 inch wingspan Key ID features: Above deep orange with black blotches and spots, often with very jagged wing edges, submarginal row of yellow spots on brown to black marginal band. Below striated bands of gray-brown and gray, and prominent curved (not pointed) white comma in center of HW, often barbed on one end. Similar species: Satyr Comma has brown shades below, and barbed white comma on HW. Hoary comma lacks submarginal shading below. Oreas comma has pointed white "v" below. Host plant: Willows, aspen and alders . Habitat: Conifer forest openings, meadows, roadsides. Range: All of western Oregon , plus Warner Mtns, Ochoco Mtns, Wallowa Mtns and Blue Mtns . Season: Late February to late September Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Satyr Comma butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Winberry Cr Rd, Lane Co, March 15 Satyr Comma Polygonia satyrus AKA Satyr Anglewing Size: Up to 2.25 inch wingspan Key ID features: Above bright orange with black blotches and spots, jagged wing edges, and dark marginal band, bolder on FW. HW above has yellow patches adjacent to dark marginal band (sometimes missing), and a prominent triangular black spot in the center of the HW. Below jagged bands of striated brown, gray and tan, with prominent white comma mark (tipped on its side) in center of HW, often barbed at both ends. Similar species: Light brown tones below separate this from other comma species. Host plant: Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica ) . Habitat: In riparian areas, forest openings. Range: Throughout Oregon . Season: Late February to early November. Abundance: Common. Conservation Status: Secure

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Nevada Cloudywing butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Three Creeks Meadow, Jefferson Co, July 17 Nevada Cloudywing Thorybes nevada AKA Cecropterus nevada AKA Thorybes mexicana AKA Mexican Cloudywing Size: Up to 1.5 inch wingspan Key ID features: Above very dark brown with a few white bars and spots on FW, longer and wider than in other Oregon cloudywings. Below similar to above, dark brown with with a few narrow tan or off-white bars and spots on FW, HW darkly striated. Similar species: Northern Cloudywing has smaller sub-cell white bar on FW, and often the white bars are narrower. Western Cloudywing has narrower white bars on FW above. Host plant: Various clover (Trifolium ) species . Habitat: Damp hillsides, creeksides, clearings in coniferous forest. Range: East slope of Cascade Range from Lane County south to northern Klamath and Lake counties. Season: Mid-May to early July Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the California Crescent butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Lincoln Cr Rd, Jackson Co, May 20 California Crescent Phyciodes orseis Size: Up to 1.5 inch wingspan Key ID features: Above, rows of orange and light orange spots separated by black. FW margin slightly indented. HW above with submarginal band of small black dots circled with orange. Below, bands of orange, cream and white with brown patches, postmedian yellow-tan band with small brown dots . Knobs on anntennae mostly orange. Similar species: Range does not overlap with Pale Crescent, P. orseis is larger than Field or Mylitta. Host plant: Thistles including Cirsium cymosum and C. andersonii . Habitat: Dry hillsides, streamsides and canyons. Range: Southern Siskiyou Mtns, Warner Mtns . Season: Late March to early August Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

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 Western Sulphur butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Prairie Farm Springs, Jefferson Co, July 1 Western Sulphur Colias occidentalis Size: 1.5 - 2.0 inches wingspan Key ID features: Males above, bright lemony yellow with unbroken black border. Females above lighter yellow or cream, with less distinct black border. Below, central pearly "discal" spot in HW with single pinkish-brown ring, and few or no submarginal black or brown spots. HW below has black over-scaling, giving it a green cast. Similar species: Clouded Sulphurs have heavier submarginal spots on HW below. Queen Alexandra's Sulphurs are larger, greener below, and usually lack pink discal spot-rim below. Host plant: Many species in the pea family. Habitat: Meadows, roadsides, dry steppe slopes and forest glades. Range: Mountain ranges throughout Oregon, except Coast Range. Season: early March to early November Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Compton's Tortoiseshell butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Oregon State Arthropod Collection #0001093061- male Thank you to Dana Ross and Paul Hammond , volunteers at OSAC! Compton Tortoiseshell Nymphalis l-album Size: Up to 3 inch wingspan Key ID features: FW above rusty orange with black patches, dark mustard yellow border and marginal band with black line between. HW brown with broader mustard bands, and white bar at leading edge with dark patches on each side. Below two-toned brown or gray, with darker inner half and lighter striated outer half, blue-gray submarginal band. HW below with flattened silver "v," sometimes reduced or absent. Similar species: Above, white bar on leading edge of HW is unique. Host plant: Birches, willows, and aspens . Habitat: Typically found along streams in forested areas, and in mountain canyons. Range: Wallowa Mtns, and far NE Blue Mtns . Season: Early March to mid-October. Abundance: Scarce, may not breed in Oregon every year. Conservation Status: Secure

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Pacific Dotted Blue butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Frisselll Ridge, Lane Co, July 16 - male (L), female (R) Dotted Blue Euphilotes enoptes AKA Pacific Dotted Blue Size: Up to 0.85 inch wingspan Key ID features: Small. Male blue above with dark wing borders. Female dark brown above with vague orange zigzag along trailing margin. Both sexes have checked fringe on FW. Below bluish-gray with black spots, and orange edges to submarginal black spots on HW. Similar species: Euphilotes blues are often best told apart by host-plant association, location and flight period. Several other species have orange bands on the ventral hindwing, instead of separate orange spots. In the western Cascades, only this species has separate orange spots. Host plant: Eriogonum nudum (bare-stem buckwheat), E. elatum (tall woolly buckwheat) and E. compositum (arrowleaf buckwheat). Habitat: Well-drained sites where hostplant grows, including high plateaus, ridges, gravelly slopes and roadsides. Range: Western Cascade Range, Siskiyou Mtns, Klamath Mtns . Season: Mid-April to early August Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Cabbage White butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Lost Lake, Linn Co, August 21 Cabbage White Pieris rapae Size: 1.25 - 1.75 inches wingspan Key ID features: Males white with one black spot and black apex on FW. Female white with two black spots and black FW apex. Yellowish below. Similar species: Mustard White lacks black spots on FW. Host plant: Many species of mustards, including food plants in the cabbage family. Habitat: Found in most habitat types. Range: Introduced from Europe. Found throughout Oregon. Season: Early March to early November Abundance: Abundant 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

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Two-tailed Swallowtail butterfly. Mack's Canyon Boat Launch, Sherman Co, April 30 Gallery Prev Next Two-tailed Swallowtail Papilio multicaudata Size: Over 5 inches wingspan Key ID features: Very large. Upperside mostly yellow with wide bands of yellow on forewing separated by black lines, extra tails, blue chevrons on black band near hindwing margin. Below, very similar to above, with red-orange shading in yellow marginal spots near the tail. Similar species: Western Tiger Swallowtail is smaller and has broader black bands on forewing and single tails. Host plant: Primarily western choke cherry (Prunus virginiana var. demissa). Habitat: Riparian and road corridors, canyons and urban parks and gardens. Range: Throughout eastern and southwestern Oregon. Season: Late March - mid-September Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure