Butterflies of Oregon has exquisite photos and information about all of Oregon's native butterfly species, covering the identification, distribution and biology of each species. A lively blog provides seasonal stories and updates from the field. Butterflies of Oregon Welcome to Butterflies of Oregon, a resource for Oregon butterfly enthusiasts, with photos of all of Oregon's regularly occurring butterfly species and information to help you find and identify them. Butterflies of Oregon also shares stories of the author's attempt to photograph all of Oregon's butterfly species in the wilds of Oregon. Thanks for visiting! www.butterfliesoforegon.com Subscribe to Blog Thanks for submitting! Email Us

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Mormon Metalmark butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Trout Cr Campground, Jefferson Co, Sep 2 Mormon Metalmark Apodemia mormo Size: 1.0 - 1.2 inch wingspan Key ID features: Males above dark charcoal gray with reddish brown on the FW, and white spots of various shapes, broadly checked wing fringes. Female above similar but darker overall. Below HW with bold white patches against dark brown. FW mirrors pattern of FW above. Similar species: Looks vaguely similar to a copper, but none closely resembles it. Host plant: Many buckwheat species (Eriogonum ) . Habitat: Arid canyons and flats. Range: West of the Cascades, in Columbia and Snake River drainages, and along California border in Klamath and Warner Mtns, and in Cascade-Siskiyou NM. Season: Late July to early October Abundance: Uncommon Conservation Status: Secure

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

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Silver-Bordered Fritillary butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Williams Prairie, Crook Co, June 22 Silver-Bordered Fritillary Boloria myrina ( Was Boloria selene) Size: Up to 2 inch wingspan Key ID features: Above bright citrus orange with black veins, and black irregular lines, black bands of spots and chevrons that point inward. Checked fringe, light orange. Below HW is complex pattern of pearly silver/white patches, cream patches, burgundy patches and burgundy veins. Similar pattern on FW tip below, remainder of FW bright orange with black markings. Similar species: Pacific Fritillary has softer black submarginal markings above, and submarginal black triangles that point outward. Below Pacific has softer pattern of mauve, lavender and pale orange in the outer half of HW. Host plant: Violets, mostly Viola palustris (Marsh violet) and V. nephrophylla (Bog violet). Habitat: Marshy fields, riparian areas with willows. Range: Found in isolated colonies in Ochoco Mtns, Strawberry Mts, Wallowa Mtns. Season: Late May to mid-August (varies by site) Abundance: Locally common Conservation Status: Secure .

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Mardon Skipper butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Soda Mtn Rd, Jackson Co, July 5 - ssp. klamathensis Mardon Skipper Polites mardon Size: Up to 1 inch wingspan Key ID features: Compact, rounded wings. Above orange and brown, males with small stigmata. HW below brown with neat arc of yellow bars forming a curved band, and one or two additional light spots near wing base . Similar species: HW pattern below is somewhat similar to Sonoran Skipper, which has longer, narrower wings and HW spots that are more rounded and less distinct. Host plant: Grass species, especially fescues, including Idaho fescue (Festuca idahoensis ), red fescue (Festuca rubra ) and Roemer's fescue (Festuca roemeri ). Habitat: Ponderosa pine openings, Ceanothus patches. Range: Coastal Curry County, Cascade Siskiyou National Monument. Season: Mid-May to early August Abundance: Rare Conservation Status: Federal Species of Concern; designated Imperiled in Oregon

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Mojave Sootywing butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Ana River, Lake Co, August 1 - female Mojave Sootywing Hesperopsis libya Size: Up to 1.5 inch wingspan Key ID features: Above very dark brown with several white spots or bars on FW (bolder on female). Below deep brown-black with a few white spots near the tip of the FW. Below, HW has several white patches or bars, with a single spot close to wing base. Similar species: Common Sootywing is smaller and darker, with white face. Host plant: Fourwing saltbush (Atriplex canescens ) and related shrubs. Habitat: Hot, dry sage and alkali flats, often near waterbody. Range: Southern half of Lake, Harney and Malheur counties. Season: Late July to early August Abundance: Uncommon Conservation Status: Secure

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Bauer's Blue butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Alvord Basin, Harney Co, May 29 Bauer's Blue Euphilotes baueri Size: Up to 0.85 inch wingspan Key ID features: Small. Male blue above with narrow dark wing borders, little or no orange along trailing edge of HW. Female dark brown above with prominent orange zigzag along trailing margin. Both sexes have checked fringe on FW. Below bluish-gray with bold black spots, larger on FW, and orange submarginal line edged in black on HW, sometimes as separate spots. Similar species: Best told from other Euphilotes blues by host-plant association, location and flight period. Host plant: Eriogonum ovalifolium (cushion buckwheat). Habitat: Arid deserts with host plant cushion buckwheat. Range: Eastern Harney County, and area around Brothers, Oregon . Season: Early May to early June Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

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.

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

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Mountain Parnassian butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Boccard Point, Jackson Co, July 5, female Mountain Parnassian Parnassius smintheus AKA Rocky Mountain Parnassian Size: 2.0 - 2.5 inches wingspan Key ID features: White/gray/translucent wings with red spots on the HW, and often with additional red patches bordered with black on FW. Antennae are boldly black/white striped. Similar pattern below, with medial red spots having pink centers. Similar species: Clodius Parnassian (Parnassius clodius ), which is larger, usually has solid black antennae Host plant: Stonecrops including Sedum obtusatum, S. lanceolatum Habitat: Primarily rocky outcroppings above 2500' elevation. Range: Siskiyou Mtns, Aldrich, Blue and Wallowa Mtns Season: Late June to late August. Abundance: Locally 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 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