Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Great Spangled Fritillary butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Izee Rd Meadow, Grant Co, July 1 - male Great Spangled Fritillary Argynnis cybele AKA Speyeria cybele Size: Up to 3 inch wingspan Key ID features: Male orange above with thin black veins, black shading near the body, black irregular lines inwardly, and bands of black spots and chevrons near wing edge. Female striking white to cream above with similar black markings as male. Below male has dark orange "disc" on HW with silvery-white spots and warm tan submarginal band. Below female has dark brown disc with silvery-white spots and tan to ivory submarginal band. Similar species: Female Great Spangled is unmistakable. Male has lighter black markings above along wing edge than other greater fritillaries, and silver spots on HW disc below are much smaller in proportion to size of disc (disc looks more empty) in comparison. Host plant: Violets (Viola ) especially Viola glabella (stream violet) . Habitat: Open meadows, openings in oak-pine forest, lower slopes of mountains in eastern Oregon. Range: Western and southwestern Oregon, Ochoco Mtns, Blue Mtns, Wallowa Mtns, Warner Mtns, Steens Mtn, Mt Jefferson area. Season: Early June to early October. Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure .

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

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

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

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

Photos, flight season, distribution and host plant information, conservation status, and identification tips for the Western Tailed Blue butterfly. Gallery Prev Next Viewpoint Rd, Crook Co, June 23 Western Tailed-Blue Cupido amyntula Size: 0.75 - 1.0 inches wingspan Key ID features: Male bright lavender blue above, female brown or gray-brown, with purple-blue iridescence when fresh. HW with white fringe and often few or no marginal black spots. Below, gray or gray-white, with small black spots rimmed with white, variable marginal band of spots and chevrons, usually one small orange patch adjacent to small blue iridescent patch next to small white-tipped tails. Usually lacks the black cell-end bar on the upperside of the forewing. Similar species: Eastern Tailed-Blue tends to be more gray below, often has more orange on HW below, is smaller, and usually has a black cell end bar on the FW above. Host plant: Many species in the pea family including lupines, vetches and clovers . Habitat: Typically found in native habitats, including wet meadows and riparian areas. Range: West of the Cascade Range, Siskiyou and Klamath Mtns, Ochoco Mtns, Wallowa Mtns and Blue Mtns. Season: Late march to mid-September Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

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

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 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.

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