Directory with photos and links for all of Oregon's butterflies in the coppers, hairstreaks and blues families. Coppers, Hairstreaks & Blues Click photo for more details American Copper Lycaen a hypophlaeas Gorgon Copper Tharsalea gorgon Mariposa Copper Tharsalea mariposa Behr's Hairstreak Satyrium behrii Mountain Mahogany Hairstreak Satyrium tetra Cedar/Juniper Hairstreak Callophrys gryneus Hoary Elfin Callophrys polios Arrowhead Blue Glaucopsyche piasus Pacific Dotted Blue Euphilotes enoptes Eastern Tailed Blue Cupido comyntas Acmon Blue Icaricia acmon Sierra Nevada Blue Agriades podarce Lustrous Copper Lycaena cupreus Ruddy Copper Tharsalea rubidus Golden Hairstreak Habrodais grunus California Hairstreak Satyrium californica Hedgerow Hairstreak Satyrium saepium Thicket Hairstreak Callophrys spinetorum Western Pine Elfin Callophrys eryphon Silvery Blue Glaucopsyche lygdamus Columbian Blue Euphilotes columbiae Western Tailed Blue Cupido amyntula Lupine Blue Icaricia lupini Mormon Metalmark Apodemia mormo Tailed Copper Tharsalea arota Blue Copper Tharsalea heteronea Great Purple Hairstreak Atlides halesus Sylvan Hairstreak Satyrium sylvinus Western Green Hairstreak Callophrys affinis Johnson's Hairstreak Callophrys johnsoni Gray Hairstreak Strymon melinus Summit Blue Euphilotes glaucon Ancilla Blue Euphilotes ancilla Greenish Blue Icaricia saepiolus Northern Blue Plebejus idas Edith's Copper Tharsalea editha Purplish Copper Tharsalea helloides Sooty Hairstreak Satyrium fuliginosa Coral Hairstreak Satyrium titus Bramble Hairstreak Callophrys dumetorum Brown Elfin Callophrys augustinus Echo Azure Celastrina echo Cascadia Blue Euphilotes heracleoides Leona's Blue Philotiella leona Boisduval's Blue Icaricia icarioides Anna's Blue Plebejus anna Great Copper Tharsalea xanthoides Lilac-bordered Copper Tharsalea nivalis Half-moon Hairstreak Satyrium semiluna Gold-hunter's Hairstreak Satyrium auretorum Sheridan's Hairstreak Callophrys sheridanii Moss's Elfin Callophrys mossii Asher's Blue Celastrina asheri Bauer's Blue Euphilotes baueri Western Pygmy Blue Brephidium exilis Shasta Blue Icaricia shasta Melissa's Blue Plebejus melissa

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Columbian Skipper butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Kinney Cr Rd, Jackson Co, May 27 Columbian Skipper Hesperia columbia Size: Up to 1.4 inch wingspan Key ID features: Above, bright orange often with deeply toothed dark border, male with dark stigmata on FW, female with dark patch in same location. Below greenish tan with reduced disjointed white bands, inner band reduced to a couple of spots. Similar species: Other grass skippers have bolder, more extensive white bands below. Host plant: Various grass species. Habitat: Dry shrubby habitats. Range: Jackson County and southern Josephine County. Season: Early May to mid-October Abundance: Uncommon Conservation Status: Secure

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Two-banded Checkered Skipper. Gallery Prev Next W Boundary Rd, Lane Co, April 12 Two-banded Checkered Skipper Pyrgus ruralis Size: Up to 1 inch wingspan Key ID features: Above, Above very dark brown, with gray shading basally on FW, boldly checked fringes and bright white patches . White spots on FW in two rows that can look like an "x" to some. HW has bold spot bands, and a lone small white spot near the wing base (often covered). Below bands of brown, white and olive-gray on HW. Similar species: Common Checkered Skipper is much lighter above and below, with more and longer white patches above. Host plant: Checkermallows ( Sidalcea ) and wildflowers in the rose family like cinquefoil ( Potentilla ) and strawberry ( Fragaria ). Habitat: Mountain meadows and roadsides. Range: Cascade Range, Willamette Valley, Coast Range, Ochoco Mtns, Blue Mtns, Wallowa Mtns, Siskiyou Mtns, Klamath Mtns. Season: Early March to early September Abundance: Common 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 Edith's Copper butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Bristow Prairie, Lane Co, July 8 - female Edith's Copper Tharsalea editha AKA Lycaena editha Size: 1.1 - 1.25 inches wingspan Key ID features: Female above gray-brown with black spots and orange "arches" along upper HW trailing margin. Male above gray, with only a few small spots along HW trailing margin. Below HW grayish brown with brown spots outlined with darker brown, and submarginal white band. Female with darker, bolder spots on VFW and bolder orange line along VHW trailing margin. Similar species: Great Copper is larger, dorsal ground color often lighter, and HW spots smaller and further apart. Great Copper also often has a more noticeable tail. Tailed Copper has a prominent tail. Host plant: Dock (Rumex ) species and Knotweeds (Polygonum ). Habitat: Meadows, open areas along streams, roadsides. Range: Widespread in Siskiyou Mtns, Klamath Mtns, Warner Mtns, Southern Cascade Mtns, Ochoco Mtns, Blue Mtns. Wallowa Mtns. Season: Mid-June to early September Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Half-moon Hairstreak butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Three Creeks Lake, Deschutes Co, August 6 Half-Moon Hairstreak Satyrium semiluna AKA Sagebrush Sooty Hairstreak Size: 1.0 - 1.25 inches wingspan Key ID features: Both sexes dull gray above and below. Below, median band of small dark spots with white halos, and submarginal band of black spots with halos. No tails. Similar species: May be confused with a female Boisduval's blue, which has some blue below (Half-moon has no blue), white fringes, and usually one to three black basal spots on HW below. Range does not overlap with closely related Sooty Hairstreak. Host plant: Lupines (Lupinus ) . Habitat: Subalpine meadows, high ridges, sage steppe, open slopes. Range: East of the Cascades except Columbia basin in Gilliam, Morrow and Umatilla counties. Season: Mid-May to early September Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Hoary Elfin butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Undisclosed location, western Oregon Hoary Elfin Callophrys polios Size: 1.0 - 1.25 inches wingspan Key ID features: Above both sexes gray-brown. Below shades of dark brown. Light white median line, stronger on FW, with strong "frosted" look between HW median line and HW margin. No tails. Similar species: Moss's Elfin lacks strong frosted look between trailing margin and postmedian line. Hostplant: Kinnikinnick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi ) . Habitat: Open rocky areas in mountains, coastal bluffs and dunes, forest roadsides, always close to Kinnikinnick. Range: Isolated populations in Blue Mtns, coastal Lincoln and Curry counties, and in Linn, Morrow and Wallowa counties. Season: L ate April to late May Abundance: Uncommon Conservation Status: Coastal subspecies C. polios maritima is imperiled in OR

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Juba Skipper butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Rd 23, Lane Co, June 16 Juba Skipper Hesperia juba Size: Up to 1.5 inch wingspan Key ID features: Above, male brownish orange with jagged line of light orange spots, dark brown edges, like teeth pointing inward, dark stigmata. 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, lowest patch of white on outer band displaced inwardly (but not as strongly as Nevada Skipper). Similar species: On HW below Nevada Skipper has the lowest segment of the outer white spot band more strongly offset. Host plant: Bunchgrass species. Habitat: Sage habitats, roadsides, dry woodland openings. Range: All of Oregon except north Coast Range and coast. Season: Mid-April to early October Abundance: Uncommon Conservation Status: Secure

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Anise Swallowtail butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Hat Point Road, Wallowa Co, June 28 Anise Swallowtail Papilio zelicaon Size: 2.5 - 3.0 inches wingspan Key ID features: Black with broad buttery yellow bands, twisted tails, black abdomen with narrow yellow side-stripes. Below similar pattern, with paler yellow ground color and reddish-orange halos on some of the black-bordered blue chevrons. Similar species: Oregon Swallowtail, which is larger, more lemony yellow, abdomen yellow with narrow black stripe on top and bottom. On Anise, black spot inside red spot near tail is in the middle of the red, whereas on the Oregon Swallowtail, its on the edge of the red. Host plant: Many species in the parsley family, including many native Lomatium species. Habitat: Variety of open areas, including wetlands, dunes, mountaintops, roadsides, and disturbed areas Range: Throughout Oregon. Season: Late February - mid-September Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Western Pygmy Blue butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Umatilla NWR, Umatilla Co, September 4 Western Pygmy Blue Brephidium exilis Size: 0.5 - 0.75 inches wingspan Key ID features: Very small. Dark orangey-brown above, sometimes with blue patches next to body. HW above with white fringe and indistinct, variable submarginal band of blackish spots. FW below, disjointed white lines on orange-brown background. HW below with brown or blue bands edged in white, and marginal row of bold black spots with metallic blue or silver centers next to submarginal white band. Similar species: No similar species in Oregon. Host plant: Various species in the pigweed family, including Saltbush (Atriplex), Pigweed (chenopodium) and Russian thistle (Salsola kali) . Habitat: Desert lowlands and flats, including disturbed areas. Range: Primarily SE Oregon in Lake, Harney and Malheur counties, but expands north in some years. Season: Mid-July to late September Abundance: Uncommon Conservation Status: Secure

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Hydaspe Fritillary butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Catherine Cr Rd, Wallowa Co, July 8 Hydaspe Fritillary Argynnis hydaspe AKA Speyeria hydaspe Size: Up to 2.25 inch wingspan Key ID features: Male deep orange above with black veins, black shading near the body, black irregular lines inwardly, submarginal black spot band and black marking along margin like chain links. Female dark orange above with all black markings bolder. Below ground color of "disc" on HW usually deep maroon to purplish-brown, with creamy to white oval spots, and a submarginal pink or pinkish band, often vague or missing. Similar species: Hesperis has more reddish brown color below, and submarginal band is less pink, more distinct and usually crossed with bold veins. Zerene can have similar coloration, but would have smaller discal spots and more flattened marginal spots. Host plant: Violet (Viola ) species . Habitat: Openings, riparian areas and meadows in coniferous forests. Range: Found throughout Cascades and western Oregon, and in Klamath, Warner, Siskiyou, Ochoco, Wallowa and Blue Mtns. Season: Late May to late September. Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Rural Skipper butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Grave Creek Bridge, Josephine Co, June 29 Rural Skipper Ochlodes agricola Size: Up to 1 inch wingspan Key ID features: Above, small, tan-orange with graduated dark border . Male with black stigmata on FW, female with black patch in same location. HW below plain orange-tan in male, plain purplish brown in female which has vague lighter patches. Similar species: Unmarked orange-tan HW below on male distinct within its range. Host plant: Various grass species. Habitat: Forest edges and openings, riparian areas. Range: Josephine, Curry and Coos counties, small area along CA border at Jackson County/Josephine County border. Season: Late May to late July Abundance: Locally common Conservation Status: Secure