Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Mustard White butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Plunkett Cr, Benton Co, July 31 Mustard White Pieris marginalis AKA Margined White Size: 1.25 - 1.5 inches wingspan Key ID features: Above milky-white, with black shading basally (near the thorax). Below, hindwing veins faintly lined with brownish back bands. Summer brood males usually nearly pure white. Similar species: Cabbage White has black spot in center of FW. Host plant: Cresses, toothworts and other mustard species. Habitat: Openings in moist forests, usually coniferous. Range: Throughout western Oregon west of the Cascades, and in Ochoco, Wallowa Blue, and Warner Mtns. Season: Late March to early October Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Brown Elfin butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Grassy Glade, Lane Co, June 25 Brown Elfin Callophrys augustinus Size: 1.0 - 1.25 inches wingspan Key ID features: Above both sexes brown or orangish brown (females), unmarked. Below HW violet to pink scaling over brown, usually two-toned with basal half somewhat darker, rarely with irregular median line, and sometimes light submarginal spot band. Similar species: Thicket HS has prominent "W" in white median line, is blue above, and submarginal spots on HW run entire length of trailing margin. Host plant: Wide range of plants including salal, madrone, manzanita, huckleberry, and many others . Habitat: Pine-oak woodlands, manzanita and salal thickets, sage-steppe, roadside seeps. Range: Most of Oregon except dry bottomlands east of the Cascade Range. Season: Mid-February to Late July Abundance: Uncommon Conservation Status: Secure

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Snowberry Checkerspot butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Rd 23 Meadows, Lane Co, July 8 Snowberry Checkerspot Euphydryas colon Size: Up to 2.25 inch wingspan Key ID features: Quite variable. Above black with red and ivory spots, marginal band of red spots, sometimes absent on HW. On HW above submarginal row of small ivory spots. On HW below bands of ivory and red spots edged in black, crossed by black veins. Pattern of bands (starting at margin) is red-white-red-white -white. Similar species: Edith's checkerspot has red-white-red-red -white band pattern on HW below (starting at margin). Chalcedona Checkerspot has larger and paler ivory spots in submarginal row on HW above. Host plant: Snowberry species (Symphoricarpos ), including S. albus , and members of the figwort family, including penstemons, paintbrushes, and honeysuckle . Habitat: Mountain meadows, riparian areas, open woodlands, roadsides. Range: Cascade Range, Siskiyou Mtns, Warner Mtns, Ochoco Mtns, Blue Mtns . Season: Late April to late August Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Western Pine Elfin butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Meadow Cr, Jefferson Co, May 29 Western Pine Elfin Callophrys eryphon Size: 1.0 - 1.25 inches wingspan Key ID features: Above both sexes dark chocolate brown. Very distinctive pattern of zigzags on HW below, in black, browns and lavenders, with thin white median line. HW has submarginal light frosted line. Checked fringes, no tails. Similar species: Pattern below not likely to be confused with other elfin species. Hostplant: Ponderosa, Lodgepole and other species of pine (Pinus ) . Habitat: Primarily in clearings in Ponderosa pine forest, also in Lodgepole pine forests and Shore pine stands. Range: Cascade Range, Siskiyou Mtns, Ochoco Mtns, Klamath Mtns, Blue Mtns, and narrow band along the coast. Season: Late February to late August Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Arctic Skipper. Gallery Prev Next Lookout Cr Rd, Lane Co, May 26 Arctic Skipper Carterocephalus skada Size: Up to 1 inch wingspan Key ID features: Small and boldly marked . Above dark brown with many light orange patches on both wings. Below FW light orange with brown patches, HW darker orange with white or pale yellow spots with dark rims. Similar species: No other similar species (small skipper with orange spots on brown wings) in Oregon. Host plant: Grass species. Habitat: Forest openings, grassy meadows, streambanks, riparian areas--usually near water. Range: NE Blue Mtns, Wallowa Mtns, Cascade Range, northern Coast Range, and isolated Coast Range populations in Coos and Benton counties. 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 Sheridan's Hairstreak butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Wolf Mtn, Lane Co, June 22 Sheridan's Hairstreak Callophrys sheridanii AKA Sheridan's Green Hairstreak Size: 0.8 - 1.0 inches wingspan Key ID features: Above both sexes light gray or brown. Below dark green when fresh, with black scaling, lighter green with gray when worn. Below, HW post median white band variable, sometimes bold. Below, FW mostly green. Often perches directly on the ground. Similar species: Bramble and Western Green primarily perch on shrubs or host plant. Bramble HS is usually found in more moist habitats, whereas Sheridan's is usually found in hotter, drier, well-drained sites. Host plant: Many buckwheat species (Eriogonum ), including Eriogonum umbellatum. Habitat: Washes, canyons, draws, high rocky-chutes, alpine swales. Range: Southern Cascades, Siskiyou Mtns, Warner Mtns, Steens Mtn, Ochoco Mtns, Blue Mtns, north central Oregon. Season: Early March to early August Abundance: Uncommon Conservation Status: Secure

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Melissa's Blue butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Millican Flats, Deschutes Co, June 21 Melissa's Blue Plebejus melissa Size: 1.0 - 1.25 inch wingspan Key ID features: Male shiny violet-blue above with black marginal line and white fringe. Female brown above with scalloped orange marginal band, clearer and bolder on HW. Below, brownish-gray with bold black spots, with submarginal row of orange patches, bordered inwardly with black and a row of black spots, which on HW have bold patch of iridescent blue bordered by black. Similar species: Male Acmon and Lupine Blues have orange band on HW above, and females of those species have no orange on FW above. Orange borders of Northern Blues below are less bold. Host plant: Legumes, including lupines, lotuses, milkvetches and many others . Habitat: Hot, low to mid-elevation prairies and meadows, as well as disturbed areas like agricultural fields. Range: Found throughout eastern Oregon and in southern Klamath County, and Jackson County. Season: Late April to late September Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Pale Crescent butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Gert Canyon, Wasco Co, May 4, male Pale Crescent Phyciodes pallida Size: Up to 2 inch wingspan Key ID features: Above, orange patches and bands separated by black, much lighter in males. FW fringes checked, HW fringes white. HW above with submarginal band of small black dots circled with orange. Males especially have squarish black bar at middle of FW trailing edge above . Below white, tan and brown bands and patches. Similar species: Pale Crescent is larger than Field or Mylitta. Mylitta lacks squarish black bar at trailing edge of FW above. Host plant: Thistles including Cirsium undulatum . Habitat: Dry foothill gullies, streamsides and canyons. Range: Lower Deschutes River basin, Snake River basin . 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 Red Admiral butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Sand Cr, Klamath Co, June 25 Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta AKA Red Admirable Size: Up to 2.5 inch wingspan Key ID features: Unmistakable. Above black with red-orange band across FW, and white bar and spots near FW tip. HW above black with orange-red marginal band with small black spots and two black ringed blue spots at the anal angle. HW below a mosaic of brown, gray and black, with a thin paleblue submarginal line. FW below bold pinkish orange band as above, below band mostly black, above band black with white bar and spots and blue ring, wingtip mottled grays and browns with small spots. Similar species: Unlike any other species. Hostplant: Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica ) . Habitat: May be found in any habitat. Range: Throughout Oregon . Season: Any time of year, but mostly May to October. Abundance: Uncommon Conservation Status: Secure

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Shasta Blue butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Wickiup Plain, Lane Co, August 12 Shasta Blue Icaricia shasta Size: 0.85 - 1.25 inch wingspan Key ID features: Male dark blue above with dark cell end bars and white fringes. Female brown above with some blue scaling inwardly, and vague or no orange zigzag along trailing margin. Both sexes have distinct black cell end bars on FW. Both sexes gray below with gray-rimmed black median spots, and submarginal black spots with iridescent eyes bordered inwardly with black, rimmed inwardly with orange. Similar species: Separated from other Icaricia blues by gray ground color below and HW spots with iridescent eyes. Host plant: Several pea family species including lupines, clovers, and milkvetches . Habitat: High rocky ridges, plateaus, and high pumice flats. Range: Found in central and south-central Oregon in Ochocos, east slope of Cascades, Warners, and on Steens Mtn. Season: Mid-June to mid-August Abundance: Locally common Conservation Status: Secure

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Oreas Comma butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Mt. Hebo, Tillamook Co, August 13, ssp. silenus Oreas Comma Polygonia oreas AKA Oreas Anglewing Size: Up to 2 inch wingspan Key ID features: Above orange with black blotches and spots, often with very jagged wing edges. FW above has yellow patches adjacent to dark marginal band. HW above has submarginal row of yellow/orange crescent-shaped chevrons within brown to black marginal band. Below dark chocolate or dark gray to black, with lighter gray striations, and prominent white flattened "v" with no hooks (usually pointed at the bottom, often looking like a gull in flight), in center of HW. Similar species: Darker below than other comma species, white "v" mark on HW below lacks barbs. Other comma species either have stronger green submarginal shading below or the "comma" mark on HW below is curved (not a pointed "v") or barbed or both. Other commas species have less jagged wing edges, often looking smooth between major points. Host plant: Currant species (Ribes ), including R. divericatum (straggly gooseberry), and R. lacustre (swamp gooseberry) . Habitat: Forest fringes, especially in older stands, riparian areas and ravines, subalpine meadows. Range: Coast Range, Willamette Valley, Western Cascades, east slope of Cascades, Wallowa Mtns, Blue Mtns . Season: Late February to mid-September Abundance: Uncommon Conservation Status: Secure

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Garita Skipperling butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Izzee Rd Meadow, Grant Co, June 29 Garita Skipperling Oarisma garita Size: Up to 1 inch wingspan Key ID features: Small and triangular . Above, dark brown with brassy sheen, and veins that look darker than wings. Below lighter orange-brown, veins lighter than ground color. Similar species: No other similar species in Oregon. Host plant: Grass and sedge species. Habitat: Montane mid-elevation grasslands, moist pastures, weedy marshes and fields. Range: Grassy areas north and west of Wallowa Mtns. Season: Early June to early August Abundance: Uncommon Conservation Status: Secure