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 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 Lustrous Copper butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Sand Cr, Klamath Co, June 25 - female Lustrous Copper Lycaena cupreus Size: 0.75- 1.25 inches wingspan Key ID features: Above bold orange with bold black spots and borders, female with more and larger spots. Below HW gray or creamy gray with large black spots and orange submarginal line, sometimes segmented. FW below light orange with large black spots and grayish outer margin. Similar species: Lustrous is deeper orange than other Oregon coppers with black spots above. Host plant: Dock (Rumex ) species are suspected. Habitat: Wet and dry meadows, open areas along streams. Range: South Cascade Mtns, Ochoco Mtns, Wallowa Mtns, Steens Mtn. Season: Late May to late-August Abundance: Locally common Conservation Status: Secure

This page provides background on the Butterflies of Oregon website, and about the photography, the author/photographer, and the purpose and history of ButterfliesofOregon.com. This site will be updated periodically each year, so please visit often! The Project Butterflies of Oregon is both an online guide to Oregon's butterfly species and a record of my endeavor to photograph all of Oregon's regularly occurring and breeding described butterfly species inside the borders of the state. As I continue to pursue images of those remaining species that have as yet eluded me and my camera, I plan to use the website, the information I’ve collected, and the stories about the butterflies and the photos to educate interested folks about native butterflies in Oregon, their habitats, their ecology and their conservation. Public presentations, and educational publications are likely to come with time. Check back here for updates or sign up to be notified of new Blog entries. The Photos All of the photographs of live butterflies in this website were taken by myself, Neil Bjorklund, of wild, un-manipulated butterflies, within the borders of Oregon. These photos are the best images sifted from my library of more than 10,0 00 photos of butterflies in Oregon (as of fall 2023). Considering all the photos that weren't high enough quality to keep, it’s safe to say I’ve taken something like 12,000-15,000 photos of butterflies in Oregon to produce this set of about 300! The images of pinned butterflies from the Oregon State Arthropod Collection were taken by me and by Dana Ross, lepidopterist extraordinaire, with support from Paul Hammond who selected the specimens for us. Thank you, Dana and Paul! I took the live butterfly images primarily in the years 2002-2006 and 2014-2023, so over about 13 years (as of 2023). I have experimented with a variety of cameras and lenses over the years. I began the switch to digital photography in 2003 with my beloved Nikon CoolPix E995. The lion’s share of the photos were taken with these four digital set-ups: FujiFilm X-T1/X-T3 / X-T4 with a Fuji 80 mm F2.8 Macro Lens Sony RX10 Mark IV Canon PowerShot SX50 HS Nikon CoolPix E995 The Photographer I am an Oregon boy through and through, born and raised in SW Portland. The earliest I can remember attempting butterfly photos was on a family vacation in California in about 1968, and my images of Pipevine Swallowtails along the side of Highway 99 taken with my little plastic camera didn't come out very well. Eight years later (1976) I got my first "real" camera - a spiffy Nikormat FT3 SLR! With that camera I took my first decent photograph of a butterfly in Green Bay, Wisconsin in 1979—a Common Buckeye on the shore of Green Bay. Click the "More"button below to see that photo and read more history. More

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 Glaucon Blue butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Sand Creek, Klamath Co, July 1 Summit Blue Euphilotes glaucon AKA Glaucon Blue Size: Up to 1.0 inch wingspan Key ID features: Small. Male blue above with narrow dark wing borders, little or no orange along trailing edge of HW. Female dark brown above with prominent orange zigzag along trailing margin. Both sexes have checked fringe on FW. Below bluish-gray with bold black spots, larger on FW, and broad, connected orange submarginal line on HW. Similar species: Best told from other Euphilotes blues by host-plant association, location and flight period. Host plant: Eriogonum umbellatum (Sulphur-flower buckwheat). Habitat: Well-drained sites where host plant grows, including high plateaus, ridges and roadsides. Range: North Cascades, Curry Co, Jackson Co, Josephine Co, Klamath Co, Deschutes Co, Harney Co Season: Early May to mid-August Abundance: Common 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 Mountain Mahogany Hairstreak butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Crooked Cr, Lake Co, August 6 - male Mountain Mahogany Hairstreak Satyrium tetra Size: 1.0 - 1.25 inches wingspan Key ID features: Dark gray-brown above. Gray-brown below with median line, and submarginal band of black chevrons. Tail short on males, longer on females, with adjacent blue frosted patch, and one (or mare) of the chevrons with small orange patch. Similar species: Somewhat similar to Hedgerow HS, which has more defined median line on HW below. Gold-Hunter's HS is more brown below, with a less clear and defined median line on HW below. Host plant: Mountain Mahogany (Cercocarpus montanus, C. ledifolius ) . Habitat: Dry ridges and plateaus, oak-pine edges, shrubby areas with Mountain Mahogany. Range: Southern portion of Josephine, Jackson, Klamath and Lake counties. Season: Early July to late August Abundance: Uncommon Conservation Status: Secure

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Coronis Fritillary butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Hand Lake, Lane Co, August 4 Coronis Fritillary Argynnis coronis AKA Speyeria coronis Size: Up to 3 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. Below light tan-brown "disc" on HW with large silvery-white oval spots and warm tan submarginal band. Similar species: Callippe Fritillary is smaller, with silver spots showing through above more boldly. Host plant: Violet (Viola ) species, varying by region of state . Habitat: Open meadows, openings in oak-pine forest, lower slopes of mountains in eastern Oregon. Range: Cascade Range, Siskiyou Mtns, all of eastern Oregon except Gilliam, Morrow, Umatilla and Wallowa counties. Season: Early May to early October. Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure .

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Thicket Hairstreak butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Rock Creek Canyon, Baker Co, June 23 Thicket Hairstreak Callophrys spinetorum Size: 1.0 - 1.25 inches wingspan Key ID features: Above both sexes bright, steely blue. Below reddish-brown. White-tipped black tails on HW, with adjacent patches of gray-blue and orange. Bold white median line containing distinct "W" near tails, and submarginal row of black spots along the entire trailing margin of HW. Similar species: Johnson's HS lacks prominent "W" in white median line, is brown above, and submarginal spots on HW only run half way along the trailing margin. Host plant: Several species of mistletoe that grow on conifers (Arceuthobium sp.) . Habitat: Clearings in mature coniferous forest (Ponderosa pine, Douglas-fir, western hemlock, Grand fir). Range: East flank of Cascades Range, southern Cascades, Siskiyou Mtns, Ochocos, Blue Mtns. Season: Late April to mid-August Abundance: Uncommon Conservation Status: Secure

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Silver-spotted Skipper butterfly. Gallery Next Kinney Creek Rd, Jackson Co, May 29 Silver-spotted Skipper Epargyreus clarus Size: Up to 2 inch wingspan Key ID features: Our largest skipper. Above dark brown to almost black, with dull orange bars on FW. Below dark brown to black with shining white patch on HW and coppery orange patch on FW. Similar species: None in Oregon. Host plant: many legume species . Habitat: Open, flowery areas at middle to lower elevations. Range: Western Oregon, Columbia and Snake River basins. Season: Late April to early September Abundance: Common 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