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  • Ancilla Blue | ButterfliesofOregon

    Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Ancilla Blue butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Sage Hen Rest Stop, Harney Co, June 12 Ancilla Blue Euphilotes ancilla AKA Rocky Mountain Dotted Blue Size: Up to 0.85 inch wingspan Key ID features: Small. Male blue above with narrow dark wing borders. Female dark brown above with variable orange zigzag along trailing margin. Both sexes have checked fringe on FW. Below yellowish-gray with bold black spots, and orange edges to submarginal black spots on HW, often forming solid band. Similar species: Best told from other Euphilotes blues by host-plant association, location and flight period. Host plant: Eriogonum sphaerocephalum (rock buckwheat). Habitat: Well-drained sites where hostplant grows, including gravelly slopes and roadsides. Range: Harney County . Season: Late May to early July Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

  • Behr's Hairstreak | ButterfliesofOregon

    Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Behr's Hairstreak butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Sand Creek, Klamath Co, July 1 Behr's Hairstreak Satyrium behrii Size: 0.8 - 1.0 inches wingspan Key ID features: Both sexes orange-brown above. Below, gray-brown with white edged black markings against gray on HW. FW below mousy brown with small submarginal spot bands. Very short stubby tails or no tails. Similar species: May be confused with a Hedgerow HS, which has more prominent, white-tipped tails, with an adjacent blue patch and a darker brown ground color. Host plant: Antelope bitterbrush (Purshiana tridentata ) . Habitat: Shrub-steppe, canyons, riparian areas, canyons, oak-pine forests. Range: Siskiyou Mtns, east slope of Cascades, and most of Oregon east of the Cascades except for Blue Mtns. Season: Early May to early September Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

  • Coral Hairstreak | ButterfliesofOregon

    Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Coral Hairstreak butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Beaver Cr, Wasco Co, July 1 Coral Hairstreak Satyrium titus Size: 1.0 - 1.25 inches wingspan Key ID features: Both sexes mousy-brown above. Below, same mousy-brown with median black spot band circled with white. HW below with submarginal band of orange spots edged inwardly with black and white. Similar species: No other Oregon butterfly has submarginal HW row of orange spots against light brown background below. Host plant: Primarily Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana ) . Habitat: Canyons, meadow edges, riparian creek edges. Range: Primarily NE Oregon, also Steens Mtn, Warner Mtns, Klamath Mtns. Season: Late May to early September Abundance: Uncommon Conservation Status: Secure

  • Northern Checkerspot | ButterfliesofOregon

    Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Northern Checkerspot butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Crane Cr, Lake Co, May 30 - male Northern Checkerspot Chlosyne palla Size: Up to 1.75 inch wingspan Key ID features: Highly variable. Male above, bands of orange and sometimes yellow-orange, separated by black lines, crescents and checks . Female often darker than male above. Below bands of off-white and brick red with black veins and edges. Often on HW below, submarginal red band has yellowish centers in red spots. Similar species: Sagebrush Checkerspot pure white rather than off-white below. Hoffman's Checkerspot darker basally on HW above. Host plant: Not well-documented, but likely species in the aster family . Habitat: Sage desert, pinyon-juniper savanna, washes, gulches, canyons and brushy flats. Range: Meadows, roadsides, streambanks, clearings . Season: Late March to early August Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

  • Ruddy Copper | ButterfliesofOregon

    Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Ruddy Copper butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Williams Prairie, Crook Co, July 26 - male Ruddy Copper Tharsalea rubidus AKA Lycaena rubidus Size: 1.1 - 1.25 inches wingspan Key ID features: Male above very bright coppery orange, with few small dark spots . Female above brownish gray orange with black spots, and submarginal spot band, often with orange submarginal zigzag line. Female HW below white with orange wash with very light spots; FW below light orange with black spots. Male similar below with lighter ground color. Similar species: No other Oregon butterfly is as bright orange as the male. Female somewhat similar to Blue Copper, which lacks the orange zigzag above and the orange wash below. Host plant: Dock (Rumex ) species. Habitat: Riparian habitast (near water), including wet montane meadows. Range: Southeastern Oregon, and east of Cascade Mtns from Ochoco Mtns south. Season: Mid-May to late August Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

  • Zerene Fritillary | ButterfliesofOregon

    Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Zerene Fritillary butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Mt. Hebo, Tillamook Co, August 13, ssp. hippolyta Zerene Fritillary Argynnis zerene AKA Speyeria zerene Size: Up to 2.75 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. Variable below depending on subspecies and location. Often with light tan-brown "disc" on HW with large silvery-white oval spots and warm tan submarginal band. Can also have pinkish/purplish hindwing below, with smaller discal spots than Hydaspe. Similar species: Coronis Fritillary is usually paler above and larger. Callippe Fritillary has more elongated silver spots in the disc below. Hydaspe has larger, more rounded discal spots. Host plant: Violet (Viola ) species, varying by region of state . Habitat: Varies greatly by subspecies, from coastal headlands, to grassy summits, riparian areas and meadows. Range: Throughout mountainous areas of eastern and southwestern Oregon. Season: Early June to late September. Abundance: Uncommon Conservation Status: Coastal subspecies S. z. hippolyta critically imperiled in OR, Federally listed as Threatened.

  • Pacific Fritillary | ButterfliesofOregon

    Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Pacific Fritillary butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Butte Disappointment, Lane Co, May 24 Pacific Fritillary Boloria selene AKA Western Meadow Fritillary Size: Up to 1.75 inch wingspan Key ID features: Above orange with thin black veins, black scaling near the body, black irregular lines inwardly, and bands of black spots and submarginal chevrons that point toward wing edge. Below HW has cream and orange patches edged in dark brown-orange on inner half, outer half is vague pattern of mauve, lavender, and brownish spots. Similar species: Silver-Bordered has very limited range, bolder black marginal pattern above with submarginal triangles pointing inward, bolder pattern on HW below. Host plant: Violets (Viola ) . Habitat: Meadows and lush open habitats, forest clearings, riparian areas. Range: Found throughout western Oregon, in Klamath Mtns, Warner Mtns, Wallowa Mtns and Blue Mtns. Season: Late March to L September. Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure .

  • Hoffman's Checkerspot | ButterfliesofOregon

    Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Hoffman's Checkerspot butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Bachelor Mtn, Linn Co, July 13 Hoffmann's Checkerspot Chlosyne hoffmanni Size: 1.25 to 1.75 inch wingspan Key ID features: Above, bands of orange and yellow-orange, separated by black lines and patches . Median band usually lighter. Basal 1/3 of HW above is mostly black with little orange. Below bands of off-white and brick red with black veins and edges. Red spots in postmedian band often longer than in similar species. Similar species: Northern Checkerspot often does not have the large black area on the basal HW above, and below post-median band spots are generally shorter than in Hoffman's. On Northern Checkerspot, the orange patches on the dorsal forewing are more distinct and smaller. On Hoffmann's, the orange bars in the middle of the forewing are much longer, and often have a "smeared" look, a gradient of shades of orange. Hostplant: Asters, including western showy aster (Eurybia conspicua ) and Cascade aster (Eucephalus ledophyllus ) . Habitat: Moist montane meadows, canyons, streamsides, clearings in conifer forests. Range: Cascade Range above 1000 feet. Season: Early May to early September Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

  • Pacuvius Duskywing | ButterfliesofOregon

    Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Pacuvius Duskywing butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Metolius River, Jefferson Co, June 30 Pacuvius Duskywing Erynnis pacuvius Size: Up to 1.5 inch wingspan Key ID features: Above, FW gray-brown with frosted band and spots, 3-5 tiny hyaline (glassy, translucent) spots on FW. W hen fresh, FW above often has noticeable brown patches. Female FW above often with gray scaling only outside of the dark brown patch in the FW cell area. HW plainer gray-brown sometimes with vague light spots. Below brown with light spots and hyaline spots on FW, few to no small vague spots on HW. Similar species: When fresh, FW above often has noticeable brown patches, which no other Oregon duskywings have. Host plant: Various ceanothus species. Habitat: Shrub lands, dry brushy areas, ponderosa pine/douglas-fir openings. Range: Cascade Range, Siskiyou Mtns, Klamath Mtns, NE Blue Mtns, Wallowa Mtns. Season: Late April to early August Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

  • Great Arctic | ButterfliesofOregon

    Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for Great Arctic. Gallery Prev Frissell Ridge, Lane Co, July 18 Great Arctic Oeneis nevadensis Size: Up to 2.5 inch wingspan Key ID features: Above orangish tan with dark wing margins and black eyespots, one or more on FW, one or none on HW. Male has dark brown wash on inner half of FW. FW below similar to above, but with gray and black striations along FW leading margin and on wingtip. HW striated with white and brown, dark brown zigzag median lines, and darker band along margin. Similar species: None in Oregon. Host plant: Grasses, but no specific species identified in Oregon . Habitat: Grassy habitats including wet and dry meadows, roadsides, riparian zones. Range: Cascade Range, Siskiyou Mtns, Klamath Mtns, Warner Mtns, Coast Range in Curry County. Season: Late April to late September Abundance: Common in even numbered years in most of range. Conservation Status: Secure

  • Western Pine Elfin | ButterfliesofOregon

    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

  • Northwestern Fritillary | ButterfliesofOregon

    Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Northwestern Fritillary butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Frissell Ridge, Lane Co, July 17 Northwestern Fritillary Argynnis hesperis AKA Hesperis Fritillary AKA Speyeria hesperis Size: Up to 2.5 inch wingspan Key ID features: Medium 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, bolder on female. Below ground color of "disc" on HW deep reddish to chocolate brown, with creamy to white elongated oval spots, and a distinct submarginal band of warm or pinkish tan, crossed by dark veins. Often with yellowish-tan "spashes" or rays within the discal area. The cream spot in the middle of the bottom of the ventral hindwing is usually "smeared" toward the outer edge. Similar species: Hydaspe has a submarginal band that is more pinkish and often less distinct, and the cream-colored spot on the bottom edge of the ventral hindwing is small and not smeared toward the outer edge. Host plant: Violet (Viola ) species . Habitat: Openings, riparian areas and meadows in pine and fir forests. Range: Found in southern Cascades, Siskiyou, Ochoco, Strawberry, Wallowa and Warner Mtns. Season: Mid-June to early September. Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

© 2018-25 by Neil Henning Björklund

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