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 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 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 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 Clouded Sulphur butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Gateway alfalfa fields, Jefferson Co, Sep 2 - male Thank you to Dana Ross and Paul Hammond , volunteers at OSAC! Clouded Sulphur Colias philodice AKA: Colias eriphyle Eriphyle's Sulphur Size: 2.0 - 2.5 inches wingspan Key ID features: Pale yellow above with black or dark gray border, lime-green or yellow below. Some females lack yellow pigment and are white with black border above. Forewing below has blackish submarginal spots, hindwing below has submarginal row of brown "eurytheme" spots. Discal spot usually enclosed by double red ring with satellite spot. Similar species: Male Orange Sulphur is shaded with orange. White females very difficult to separate, but in Orange Sulphur they tend to have a bolder dark border on the hindwing above. Western Sulphur has single red ring enclosing the discal spot. Host plant: Many species in the pea family. Habitat: Many types of habitats, both disturbed and undisturbed, but usually not along roads in deep forest. Range: All of eastern Oregon. Season: early May to mid-October Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Oregon Swallowtail butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Lower Deschutes Canyon, Sherman Co, June 25 Thank you to Dana Ross and Paul Hammond , volunteers at OSAC! Oregon Swallowtail Papilio machaon oregonia Size: 2.75 - 3.25 inches wingspan Key ID features: Upperside yellow with black bands, veins, and patches, long single tails, blue chevrons on black band near hindwing margin. On HW above, black "pupil" on red eyespot is at the edge of the red, not centered. Abdomen is yellow on sides with relatively narrow black bands on top and bottom. Below, similar pattern as above, with paler yellow ground color, with reddish-orange halos on some of the HW blue chevrons. Similar species: Anise Swallowtail somewhat smaller, black pupil on HW red eyespots is centered within the red, abdomen is mostly black, with narrow yellow bands on sides. Host plant: Wild tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus ). Habitat: Canyons, hillsides, where host plant is found, and on cliffs, ridges, plateaus and mountains above. Range: Throughout Deschutes, Columbia and Snake River basins. Season: Mid-March to mid-October Abundance: Uncommon 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 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 Hedgerow Hairstreak butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Crooked Cr, Lake Co, August 6 - female Hedgerow Hairstreak Satyrium saepium Size: 1.0 - 1.25 inches wingspan Key ID features: Coppery-brown above. Gray-brown below (darker when very fresh) with broken median line, and vague submarginal band of black chevrons on HW. Relatively short tails, with blue frosted patch just below. Similar species: Somewhat similar to Mtn Mahogany HS, which is more gray or gray-frosted over brown below. Gold-Hunter's HS has a less clear and less defined median line on HW below, and has a very restricted range. Host plant: Ceanothus species, including C. cuneatus (Buckbrush), C. velutinus (Snowbrush) and C. integerrimus (Deerbrush) . Habitat: Shrubby hillsides and canyons, oak scrub, chaparral where host plants grow. Range: NE Oregon, SW Oregon, Cascade Range. Season: Mid-May to late September Abundance: Common 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

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

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