Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Sara Orangetip butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Little Groundhog Mtn, Lane Co, July 8 - male Julia's Orangetip Anthocharis julia AKA Julia 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: Sara's Orangetip, which occurs only along the California border is very similar and difficult to distinguish in the field where 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: Found throughout Oregon. 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 Leona's Little Blue butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Doral View Sand Cr drainage, Klamath Co, July 6 Leona's Little Blue Philotiella leona AKA: Euphilotes leona Leona Blue Size: Up to 0.75 inches wingspan Key ID features: Small. Males dusky blue above with darker wing borders. Female dark brown. Below white or off-white with bold black spots, larger on FW, boldly checked fringes on FW. Similar species: No other similar species in Oregon. Host plant: Eriogonum spergulinum (Spurry buckwheat). Habitat: Pumice lands east of Crater Lake near host plant. Range: 6 square mile area east of Crater Lake. Season: Mid-June to late July Abundance: Uncommon Conservation Status: USFS Sensitive Species. Was proposed to be listed as Endangered under Federal Endangered Species Act, but after a 5-year review, listing was judged to be "not warranted."

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 Patined Lady butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Marys Peak, Benton Co, August 21 Painted Lady Vanessa cardui Size: Up to 3 inch wingspan Key ID features: Larger than other ladies. Above salmon orange with black FW tips with a thick s-curved white bar at the leading edge and a few small white spots. HW above orange with submarginal row of black spots, some with blue centers. Below, HW brown with submarginal row of four small eye spots, and web of white lines and white patches. FW below has bright salmon orange crossed by black, wingtip similar to HW. Similar species: American Lady has two large eye spots below. West Coast lady has orange bar at leading edge of FW above (instead of white). Host plant: Thistles (Caruus, Cirsium ), and many others where thistles don't occur . Habitat: Found in every habitat type. Range: Throughout Oregon. Season: Early March to early November Abundance: Abundant in most years. Conservation Status: Secure

This page acknowledges the many people who have contributed to the Butterflies of Oregon project over the years, and how they contributed. Acknowledgments So many people to thank, so little time... First, I want to thank my Dad, the late Norm Bjorklund, who instilled in me a love of nature, and who took me out to see and catch my first Oregon butterflies. Thanks to Eric Wold for helping to re-kindle my love of butterflies back in 2001, and for our joint (and fun!) project of starting the Eugene-Springfield Chapter of the North American Butterfly Association (NABA-ES). Thanks to Paul Severns and Andy Warren, who have taught me a great deal about the distribution, phenology, taxonomy, and ecology of butterflies. They introduced me to many of the sites where I took these photos. Many thanks also to Paul Hammond, Gary Pearson, Sue Anderson, Dan Thackaberry, Bill Neill, Dave McCorkle, Bob Pyle, Vern Covlin, Harold Rice, Eric Runquist, Bruce Newhouse, Dana Ross, Lori Humphreys, Dennis Deck, Rob Santry, Tanya Harvey, and Greg Sigrist, all of whom shared very helpful information on butterfly sites I wasn't familiar with. Their information led to new photos of many Oregon species! Without Andy Warren's essential text "Butterflies of Oregon, Their Taxonomy, Distribution and Biology," I would not have been able to make it this far. Andy's book and his detailed emails with descriptions of where to find many of these butterflies in Oregon have made my endeavor so much easier! Bob Pyle and Caitlin LaBar's excellent field guide Butterflies of the Pacific Northwest (2018) has also been a godsend, with its updated taxonomy, species descriptions and range maps. Andy Warren, Bob Pyle, Jonathon Pelham, Ernst Dornfeld, and John Hinchliff are the giants on whose shoulders this work stands. They each wrote key works on butterflies in the Northwest, and without the foundation of their work, I wouldn't know enough to even get started. Thanks also to Jonathon Pelham and Caitlin LaBar for sharing their great work compiling known county occurrences of butterfly species in Oregon into a single document. They helped me identify some new county records with their effort! Thank you to Paul Hammond at the Oregon State Arthropod Collection (OSAC) for repeatedly helping me with identifications and setting up specimens for photos. A huge thanks to Dana Ross for spending hours helping me get photos of pinned specimens for all the described Oregon species that I haven't photographed live in the field, and for reviewing my photos of some of the tough to ID species--I really appreciate your support! The website www.butterfliesofamerica.com has also been a great help in this endeavor, and I appreciate the BOA team of authors for all their work on that website. Thank you to Pollyanna Lind and Todd Simmler for inspiring me with a snowstorm of great ideas on how I could share my Oregon butterfly photos and put them to good use. And likewise thank you Adam Klein, at New Ventures West in SF for giving me the coaching assignment of sharing my photography with others. Check! A tip of my hat is in order to Lindsay Selser, for her surprisingly motivating question "so where can we see the photos of all the butterflies you've already photographed?" To all these, and any others I may have forgotten, a hearty and deeply-felt thank you! That's me on Dad's lap, up on Mt. Hood, c 1959.

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 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 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 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 Viceroy butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Warehouse Beach Rec Area, Umatilla Co, August 24 Viceroy Limenitis archippus Size: Up to 3.25 inch wingspan Key ID features: At first glance looks like small Monarch. Bright orange above with black veins, bold black margins with single row of submarginal white spots, curving black line through HW. Below, lighter orange with black veins and borders, black line through HW more bold. Similar species: Monarch is notably larger and lacks black line through middle of HW, has double row of white spots in black marginal band above. Host plant: Willow (Salix ) species . Habitat: Near water and willows. Range: Found in Columbia River and Snake River drainages. Season: Early April to late September. Abundance: Uncommon Conservation Status: Secure

Butterflies of Oregon Blog Sign up for notices of new blog posts: Subscribe Thanks for submitting! All Posts Neil Björklund Nov 16, 2023 9 min The Lone Wanderer It was wicked-hot, dry, desolate, and extraordinarily beautiful in the desert near the Owyhee River in Malheur County, where I spent a... 237 views 2 comments 8 likes. Post not marked as liked 8 Neil Björklund Sep 22, 2023 7 min A Very Little Big Deal Last summer, I wrote about a visit I made to the pumice desert east of Crater Lake, to check up on our population of Leona's Little Blue,... 236 views 1 comment 3 likes. Post not marked as liked 3 Neil Björklund Aug 17, 2023 12 min The Great Butterfly Scrounge Maybe I could blame it on iNaturalist. Well, maybe a little on my friend John, too. Although John and I are probably about even, since I... 276 views 2 comments 4 likes. Post not marked as liked 4 Neil Björklund Apr 4, 2023 2 min The iNat Revolution Welcome to my first Blog post of the year! I can't wait to share some updates from this new butterfly season with you. In the meantime,... 235 views 1 comment Post not marked as liked Neil Björklund Sep 21, 2022 6 min Yes, We have Volcanos! I've been known to describe my avocation of chasing butterflies in Oregon as a game played on the huge game board of the state of... 175 views 1 comment 6 likes. Post not marked as liked 6 Neil Björklund Sep 15, 2022 7 min Wave the Checkered Flag! I first started looking for the enigmatic Checkered White (Pontia protodice) back in 2004, at Picture Rock Pass, in Lake County. It was,... 122 views 0 comments 3 likes. Post not marked as liked 3 Neil Björklund Sep 9, 2022 7 min Let's Go Dutch! Nope, I'm not talking about coffee--I'm talking about the peak in southern Oregon. You know, Dutchman Peak, in the Siskiyous. It was... 137 views 2 comments 5 likes. Post not marked as liked 5 Neil Björklund Aug 28, 2022 5 min Loving Leona Leona's Blue (Philotiella leona) is Oregon's only known endemic butterfly. It has been found only in the pumice flats created by the... 234 views 0 comments 5 likes. Post not marked as liked 5 Neil Björklund Aug 18, 2022 8 min The Bigfoot of Butterflies We humans tend to love stories about mysterious critters that may or may not exist or persist out in the wild places. The Northwest's... 235 views 0 comments 5 likes. Post not marked as liked 5 Neil Björklund Aug 12, 2022 7 min A Double Scoop of Rocky Road Back in May I visited a few of the sites where Andy Warren had studied azure blues back in the early 2000's. At several sites, mostly in... 114 views 0 comments 5 likes. Post not marked as liked 5 Neil Björklund Aug 3, 2022 8 min The Art of Waiting The Nevada Skipper flies very fast and low in treeless habitats on windswept ridges. When the wind is gusting they can just disappear... 167 views 0 comments 3 likes. Post not marked as liked 3 Neil Björklund Jun 7, 2022 11 min A Boy and His Butterfly Earlier this spring, I learned in an unexpected way about an obscure disease called 4H Leukodystrophy. It is an inherited genetic... 405 views 4 comments 6 likes. Post not marked as liked 6 Neil Björklund Apr 29, 2022 9 min Searching for Spring This year, just when we seemed to be heading for the most severe drought in Oregon history, winter seemed to wake up and say "oh, wait... 170 views 0 comments 6 likes. Post not marked as liked 6 Neil Björklund Aug 15, 2021 5 min Silverspotting The Oregon Silverspot (Argynnis zerene hippolyta) is a subspecies of the Zerene Fritillary (Argynnis zerene), found along the Oregon... 353 views 0 comments 6 likes. Post not marked as liked 6 Neil Björklund Aug 8, 2021 12 min Puttin' on the Frits Here in Oregon, as summer pushes on into July and early August, we get into smoke season, but we also get into the season of nymphalids... 226 views 0 comments 5 likes. Post not marked as liked 5 Neil Björklund Jul 14, 2021 10 min The Mysterious Case of the Vanishing Checkerspot I was packing for a trip to the southern Blue Mountains to (hopefully) photograph Garita Skipperlings for the first time, when I got the... 252 views 2 comments 3 likes. Post not marked as liked 3 Neil Björklund Jul 10, 2021 9 min The Tao of Skipperlings The Taoist Masters of old speak of the principle of Wu wei, or non-doing, as being central to their way of understanding how the world is... 159 views 0 comments 3 likes. Post not marked as liked 3 Neil Björklund Jun 27, 2021 13 min Heat Zombie and the Bakeoven Butterflies As a second generation native Oregonian, I have always felt some kind of civic duty to photograph the Oregon Swallowtail, our state insect.. 320 views 0 comments 1 like. Post not marked as liked 1 Neil Björklund Jun 6, 2021 6 min Hunting for the Gold Isn't it curious how sometimes when we are looking for one thing, we often find something else that is equally satisfying? 193 views 2 comments 4 likes. Post not marked as liked 4 Neil Björklund May 3, 2021 5 min Chasing Our Swallowtail My 2021 field season started quite a bit later than I'd planned, and sadly I had to skip a trip to the Illinois River in April in search... 211 views 3 comments 5 likes. Post not marked as liked 5