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  • Anna's Blue | ButterfliesofOregon

    Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Anna's Blue butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Crescent Mtn, Linn Co, August 8 - male (L), female (R) Anna's Blue Plebejus anna Size: 1.0 - 1.25 inch wingspan Key ID features: Male shiny violet-blue above with black marginal band and white fringe. Female brown above with scalloped orange marginal band, clearer and bolder on HW. Below, light bluish gray with tiny black spots, with row of orange checks, bordered inwardly with black and a small, light patch of iridescent blue, lighter and less clear (or absent) on FW. Similar species: Male Acmon and Lupine Blues have orange band on HW above, and females of those species have no orange on FW above. Melissa Blue has much brighter orange borders and bolder iridescent patches on HW below. Northern Blues not found in Cascades. Host plant: Legumes, especially lupines and lotuses . Habitat: Moist, cool montane meadows and forest openings, and dry meadows among conifers, usually above 3000 ft. Range: Found in Cascade Range, Siskiyou Mtns, Klamath Mtns and Warner Mtns. Season: Early June to mid-October Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

  • Leanira Checkerspot | ButterfliesofOregon

    Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Leanira Checkerspot butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Alvord Basin, Harney Co, May 31 - ssp. basinensis Leanira Checkerspot Chlosyne leanira Size: Up to 2 inch wingspan Key ID features: Two distinct subspecies . Ssp. oregonensis is black above, with pale ivory spots, sometimes with red spots on FW tips. Below, FW orange with pale ivory spots, and submarginal band of ivory and black, often with a gap. HW below white with black veins and submarginal band of white spots surrounded by black. Ssp. basinensis is orange above with black veins, submarginal band of pale orange spots. Below similar to oregonensis , with bolder, wider black border to submarginal spot band. Similar species: Below, neither subspecies is similar to other Oregon butterfly species. Above, C. l. oregonensis is similar to some small, dark individuals of Snowberry Checkerspot, note pattern below. Host plant: Paintbrush species (Castilleja ) . Habitat/Range: Ssp oregonensis found in canyons and hillsides near streams in SW Oregon. Ssp. basinensis found in desert hills and sage flats in SE Oregon. Season: Early May to late July Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

  • Pale Swallowtail | ButterfliesofOregon

    Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Pale Swallowtail butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Hat Point Rd, Wallowa Co, June 25 Pale Swallowtail Papilio eurymedon Size: 2.75 - 3.25 inches wingspan Key ID features: Above pale, yellowish white with vertical bands of black on forewing, long single tails, blue chevrons on black band near hindwing margin. Similar pattern below, with red-orange shading in ivory marginal spots near the tail. Similar species: Western Tiger Swallowtail is brighter yellow and has slightly narrower black bands on forewing Host plant: Many shrubs and small trees including ceanothus, alder, cascara, and buckthorn. Habitat: Can be found in any forest or shrubby habitat, and especially on ridges, along roads and in riparian corridors Range: Throughout western Oregon, and in Ochoco Mtns, Strawberry Mtns, Blue Mtns, Wallowa Mtns. Season: Mid-April - early October Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

  • Gray Marble | ButterfliesofOregon

    Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Gray Marble butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Eight Dollar Mtn Rd, Josephine Co, June 4 Gray Marble Anthocaris lanceolata Size: Up to 2 inches wingspan Key ID features: White above, with small, sparse black markings on FW. Below, light gray marbling on HW and on FW tip. Outer margin of FW is concave, giving slightly hooked appearance to FW. Similar species: Much larger than other Marbles, lacks orange on forewing of Sara Orangetip. Host plant: Crucifers, including several rockcresses. Habitat: Often found on South-facing slopes, on wooded canyons, gullies, washes, steep-walled ravines. Range: Siskiyou Mtns and Warner Mtns. Season: Early May to early July Abundance: Uncommon Conservation Status: Secure

  • Dreamy Duskywing | ButterfliesofOregon

    Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Dreamy Duskywing butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Box Canyon Meadows, Lane Co, July 9 Dreamy Duskywing Erynnis icelus Size: Up to 1.5 inch wingspan Key ID features: Small for a Duskywing. Males have hump at leading edge of FW. Above, FW gray-brown with frosted band and spots, no hyaline (translucent) spots near FW tip as on other Duskywings. HW plainer gray-brown with vague light spots. Below brown with light spots and pale gray patch near FW tip. Similar species: Other duskywings are larger, and have translucent hyaline spots on FW. Host plant: Willows and aspens. Habitat: Open meadows and road cuts, up to mid-elevations. Range: Siskiyou Mtns, Cascade Range, Blue Mtns, Wallowa Mtns, northern Coast Range. Season: Early April to late July Abundance: Uncommon Conservation Status: Secure

  • Becker's White | ButterfliesofOregon

    Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Becker's White butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Summer Lake, Lake County, August 5 Becker's White Pontia beckerii Size: 1.5 - 2.0 inches wingspan Key ID features: Above, white with black markings near tip of forewing. Below, bold greenish borders along veins especially on hindwing. Similar species: Western White is smaller and much less green along veins below. Host plant: A large number of arid land mustards. Habitat: Arid habitats, both disturbed and undisturbed. Range: Primarily east of the Cascade Mtns, with a few records in the Willamette Valley. Season: Mid-March to mid-September Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

  • American Copper | ButterfliesofOregon

    Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the American Copper butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Oregon State Arthropod Collection #0000819569 - male Thank you to Dana Ross and Paul Hammond , volunteers at OSAC! American Copper Lycaena hypophlaeas Size: 0.75- 1.25 inches wingspan Key ID features: Above FW coppery orange with black spots and dark brown borders. Above HW gray-brown with wide orange band along most of trailing margin. Below HW gray with black spots, orange wavy submarginal line. Similar species: Upperside is unlike any other copper. Separated from Purplish Copper by location and habitat. Host plant: Suspected to be Mountain Sorrel (Oxyria digyna) . Habitat: Steep high-elevation talus slopes. Range: High peaks in the Wallowa Mtns. Season: Mid-August to mid-September Abundance: Uncommon Conservation Status: Secure

  • Clodius Parnassian | ButterfliesofOregon

    Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Clodius Parnassian butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Mule Mountain Ridge, Lane Co, August 5, male Clodius Parnassian Parnassius clodius Size: 2.25 - 3 inches wingspan Key ID features: Above, white, gray/translucent wings with red spots, and all-black or nearly all-black antennae. Same general pattern below, but HW below often has additional red patches basally, and red spots in the median area usually have pink centers. Similar species: Mountain Parnassian (Parnassius smintheus ), which is smaller, and has boldy black/white barred antennae. Host plant: Pacific Bleeding Heart (Dicentra formosa ). Habitat: Mountain meadows and moist, open mountain woodlands, occasionally in lowlands. Range: Western Oregon, Blue Mountains, Ochocos, Warner Mountains. Season: late May to late August Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

  • 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

  • Gold-hunters Hairstreak | ButterfliesofOregon

    Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Gold-hunters Hairstreak butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Kinney Cr Rd, Jackson Co, May 26 Thank you to Dana Ross and Paul Hammond, volunteers at OSAC! Gold-hunter's Hairstreak Satyrium auretorum Size: 1.0 - 1.25 inches wingspan Key ID features: Light brown above. Slightly darker brown below with variable uneven spot bands, and submarginal band of black chevrons, female more strongly marked. Tail barely noticeable, with adjacent blue frosted patch, and one or two of the chevrons with a small orange patch. Similar species: Somewhat similar to Hedgerow HS, which has more defined median line on HW below. Mountain Mahogany HS is more grayish below, often with a more frosted look. Host plant: Oaks (Quercus ), primarily Oregon White Oak (Quercus garryana ) . Habitat: Oak-pine stands and shrubby habitats near oaks. Range: Along California border in Jackson County and SE Klamath County. Season: Early June to mid-July Abundance: Uncommon Conservation Status: Secure

  • Eastern Tailed Blue | ButterfliesofOregon

    Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Eastern Tailed Blue butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Doral View Little Groundhog Mtn, Lane Co, July 22 - female Eastern Tailed-Blue Cupido comyntas Size: 0.75 - 1.0 inches wingspan Key ID features: Male bright blue above, female dark gray or gray-brown, with coppery-green iridescence when fresh. HW with white fringe and marginal band of black spots with gray borders. Below, gray or bluish-gray, with black spots rimmed with white, variable marginal band of spots and chevrons, orange patches next to small white-tipped tails. Usually shows black cell-end bar on FW above and below. Similar species: Western Tailed-Blue tends to be whiter below and usually lacks black cell end bar on the FW above. Host plant: Many species in the pea family including lupines, vetches and clovers . Habitat: Often in weedy, disturbed habitats, but also in native wet meadows and riparian areas. Range: West of the Cascade Range, Wallowa Mtns and NE Blue Mtns. Season: Early April to early August Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

  • Boiduval's Blue | ButterfliesofOregon

    Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Boiduval's Blue butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Catherine Cr Rd, Wallowa Co, July 8 Boisduval's Blue Icaricia icarioides Size: 1.0 - 1.5 inch wingspan Key ID features: Male bright blue above with charcoal wing borders. Female brown above with orange-brown highlights on FW, often with blue shading basally and vague or no orange band along trailing margin of HW. Both sexes may have dark cell end bars on FW. Male blue-gray below with very small black spots with wide white halos and marginal row of small black triangles. Female below brownish-gray with similar spot pattern. Similar species: Separated from Greenish blues by tiny black spots below having broad white halos, especially on the hindwing, and lack of orange edged triangles at anal angle. Host plant: Many lupine species (Lupinus ) . Fender's Blue subspecies uses Kincaid's Lupine (Lupinus oreganus var. kincaidii ). Habitat: Mountain meadows and roadsides, subalpine slopes, and occasionally lower elevation meadows (Fender's), always near lupines. Range: All of eastern Oregon, plus central Coast Range, and southern Willamette Valley (ssp. I.i. fenderi ) . Season: Late May to early July Abundance: Common east of Cascade Range, locally common at scattered sites in Willamette Valley. Conservation Status: Fender's Blue listed as Endangered federally.

© 2018-25 by Neil Henning Björklund

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