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Butterflies on the Fremont-Winema National Forests
Butterflies on the Fremont-Winema National Forests
By: Robert L. Wooley, Forest Ecologist
Butterflies comprise one of the major subdivisions of the insect order LEPIDOPTERA. Approximately one hundred and twenty species of butterfly and several additional subspecies have been recorded, mostly by amateur observers, in Lake and Klamath Counties, Oregon. These insects, well known for the beauty they lend to warm summer days, are also an integral part of the ecosystems they inhabit. Many pollinate plants and serve as food sources for birds. Recent work has shown that the health of native ecosystems can be be monitored by the abundance and distribution of these insects. Recording the species from a geographic area can provide a baseline from which to judge the effects of changes over time that may be occuring.
The checklist that follows is an attempt to provide an approximation of the number and kind of species occuring at the present time in this area. Anyone who sights a species not on the below list is invited to report their observation to the forest ecologist, Robert Wooley at 541-576-7564. To see a full size photo of the butterflies below click on the image.
Some Common Butterflies on the Fremont-Winema National Forests
Common Branded Skipper Hesperia coma harpalus
The Branded Skipper is one of the most common butterflies in the Great Basin Sagelands and the pine forests of the Cascades. It nectars frequently at flowers in the Asteraceae or Sunflower family.
Becker's White Pontia beckeri
Becker's white is frequently observed nectaring on thistles and other members of the sunflower family.
Sandhill Skipper Polites sabuletii
A common skipper emerging in late July and August frequently visiting rabbitbrush. This skipper lays its eggs on desert saltgrass a species of alkaline flats.
Sandhill Skipper egg Polites sabuletii
Egg of sandhill skipper on desert saltgrass. Observing where butterflies lay their eggs can be a challenging photographic pursuit requiring both physical agility and acute observation skills. Information gleaned from making these observations can be very valuable to the conservation of both the insects and plants they interact with.
Sonora Skipper Polites sonora
A male sonora skipper (on left) courting a female. Male skippers establish territories they patrol. When a female enters their territory courtship ensues with the male displaying and attempting to win the females attention.
Juba Skipper Hesperia juba
Telling skippers apart requires a fine sense of observing details. The juba skipper has longer more pointed wings than the branded skipper and slightly different markings.
Arrowhead Blue Glaucopsyche piasus
There are many species of blue butterflies. Telling them apart is often difficult. One of the more easily identified blues is the arrowhead with its distinctive arrowhead shaped white wing marks. The ancient Greek word for butterfly is psyche incorporated into the genus name of this species. To the Greeks the mysterious metamorphosis that takes place from the ugly caterpillar to the beautiful butterfly was associated with the transformation sometimes seen in the human psyche
Zerene Fritillary Speyeria zerene conchyliatus
Probably the most common meadow fritillary observed on the Fremont/Winema.
Checklist of Butterflies Occuring on or near the Fremont-Winema National Forests
County: K = Klamath L = Lake
FAMILY |
Common name |
Scientific name | County |
|---|---|---|---|
| HESPERIIDAE | Duskeywing | Erynnus pacuvius lilius | K,L |
| HESPERIIDAE | Perseus Duskeywing | Erynnus perseus | K,L |
| HESPERIIDAE | Rural skipper | Pyrgus ruralis ruralis | K,L |
| HESPERIIDAE | Common skipper | Pyrgus communis | K,L |
| HESPERIIDAE | none | Helopetes erectorum | K,L |
| HESPERIIDAE | Libya skipper | Hesperopsis libya lena | K,L |
| HESPERIIDAE | none | Carterocephalus palaemon menis | K |
| HESPERIIDAE | Juba skipper (Photo) | Hesperia juba | K,L |
| HESPERIIDAE | Common Branded Skipper (Photo) | Hesperia coma harpalus | K,L |
| HESPERIIDAE | Branded Skipper | Hesperia coma oregana | K,L |
| HESPERIIDAE | Columbia skipper | Hesperia columbiae | K |
| HESPERIIDAE | Sandhill skipper (Photo) | Polites sabuleti sabuleti | K,L |
| HESPERIIDAE | Sonora skipper (Photo) | Polites sonora sonora | K,L |
| HESPERIIDAE | Sachem | Atalopetes campestris campestrus | K |
| HESPERIIDAE | Woodland skipper (Photo) | Ochlodes sylvanoides sylvanoides | K,L |
| HESPERIIDAE | Agricola skipper | Ochlodes agricola agricola | K |
| HESPERIIDAE | Yuma skipper | Ochlodes yuma | K,L |
| HESPERIIDAE | Dun skipper | Euphyes vestris vestris | K,L |
| PAPILIONIDAE | Menapia parnassus | Parnasus menapia menapia | K,L |
| PAPILIONIDAE | none | Battus philemon hirsuta | K |
| PAPILIONIDAE | Baird Swallowtail | Papilio bairdi oreganus | K |
| PAPILIONIDAE | Anise Swallowtail | Papilio zelicaon zelicaon | K,L |
| PAPILIONIDAE | Indra swallowtail | Papilio indra indra | K,L |
| PAPILIONIDAE | none | Papilio rululus rutulus | K,L |
| PAPILIONIDAE | Twin tailed swallowtail | Papilio multicaudatus | K,L |
| PAPILIONIDAE | Pale western swallowtail | Pteraurus eurymedon | K,L |
| PIERIDAE | Becker's white (Photo) | Pontia beckeri | K,L |
| PIERIDAE | none | Pontia sisymbrii flavimata | K |
| PIERIDAE | none | Pontia protodice | K,L |
| PIERIDAE | Western white | Pontia occidentalis occidentalis | K,L |
| PIERIDAE | none | Pieris napi marginalis | K,L |
| PIERIDAE | Cabbage white | Pieris rappae | K,L |
| PIERIDAE | none | Euchloe ausinoides ausinoides | K,L |
| PIERIDAE | none | Euchloe hyantes hyantes | K,L |
| PIERIDAE | Sara orangetip | Anthocaris sara sara | K,L |
| PIERIDAE | Gray marble | Anthocaris lanceolata | K,L |
| PIERIDAE | none | Colias philodoce eriphyle | K,L |
| PIERIDAE | Alfalfa butterfly | Colias eurytheme | K,L |
| PIERIDAE | Alexandra Yellow | Colias alexandra edwardsii | K,L |
| LYCAENIDAE | none | Lycaena cupreus cupreus | K,L |
| LYCAENIDAE | Edith's copper | Gaeides editha editha | K,L |
| LYCAENIDAE | Gorgon copper | Gaeides gorgon | K,L |
| LYCAENIDAE | Ruddy copper | Chalceria rubidus rubidus | K,L |
| LYCAENIDAE | Blue copper | Chalceria heteronea | K,L |
| LYCAENIDAE | Purplish copper | Epidemia helloides | K,L |
| LYCAENIDAE | Nivalis copper | Epidemia nivalis | K,L |
| LYCAENIDAE | none | Epidemia nivalis brownii | K |
| LYCAENIDAE | Mariposa copper | Epidemia mariposa | K,L |
| LYCAENIDAE | none | Habrodais grunus herri | K |
| LYCAENIDAE | Great Purple hairstreak | Atlides halesus estessi | K,L |
| LYCAENIDAE | none | Harkenclenis titus immaculosus | K,L |
| LYCAENIDAE | Behr's Satyr | Satyrium behri columbia | K,L |
| LYCAENIDAE | Sooty Hairstreak | Satyrium fuliginosum fuliginosum | K,L |
| LYCAENIDAE | California Hairstreak | Satyrium californicum | K,L |
| LYCAENIDAE | Sylvan Hairstreak | Satyrium sylvinus sylvinus | K,L |
| LYCAENIDAE | Gold hunter's hairstreak | Satyrium aureotorum aureotorum | K |
| LYCAENIDAE | Mountain Mahogany Hairstreak | Satyrium tetra | K,L |
| LYCAENIDAE | Hedgerow hairstreak | Satyrium saepium saepium | K,L |
| LYCAENIDAE | Bramble Green hairstreak | Callophrys dumetorum dumetorum | K,L |
| LYCAENIDAE | Whitelined Green Hairstreak | Callophrys sheridani newcomeri | K |
| LYCAENIDAE | none | Callophrys sheridani lamberti | K,L |
| LYCAENIDAE | Thicket Hairstreak | Mitoura spinotorum spinotorum | L |
| LYCAENIDAE | Johnson's hairstreak | Mitoura johnsoni | K,L |
| LYCAENIDAE | Nelson's hairstreak | Mitoura nelsoni | K,L |
| LYCAENIDAE | Juniper hairstreak (Photo) | Mitoura siva | K,L |
| LYCAENIDAE | Brown Elfin | Incisalia augustinus iroides | K,L |
| LYCAENIDAE | Western Pine elfin | Incisalia eryphon eryphon | K,L |
| LYCAENIDAE | Gray hairstreak | Strymon melinus setoni | K,L |
| LYCAENIDAE | Western pygmy blue | Brehidium exile | K |
| LYCAENIDAE | Eastern tailed blue | Evres comyntas comyntas | K,L |
| LYCAENIDAE | Western tailed blue | Evres amyntula amyntula | K |
| LYCAENIDAE | Azure | Celastrina argiolus echo | K,L |
| LYCAENIDAE | Square spotted blue | Euphilotes battoides oreganus | K,L |
| LYCAENIDAE | Dotted blue | Euphilotes enoptes enoptes | K,L |
| LYCAENIDAE | Arrowhead blue (Photo) | Glaucopsyche piasus piasus | K,L |
| LYCAENIDAE | Silvery blue | Glaucospyche lygdamus columbia | K,L |
| LYCAENIDAE | none | Plebejus idas ricei | K,L |
| LYCAENIDAE | Melissa blue (Photo) | Pebejus melissa melissa | K,L |
| LYCAENIDAE | Greenish blue | Plebejus saepiolus saepiolus | K,L |
| LYCAENIDAE | Common blue | Icaria icariodes ardea | K,L |
| LYCAENIDAE | Common blue | Icaria icariodes icariodes | K,L |
| LYCAENIDAE | Shasta blue | Icaria shasta shasta | K,L |
| LYCAENIDAE | Acmon blue | Icaria acmon acmon | K |
| LYCAENIDAE | Lupine blue | Icaria lupini lupini | K |
| LYCAENIDAE | High Mountain blue | Agriades glandon podarce | K |
| RIODINIDAE | Mormon metalmark | Apodemia mormo mormo | K,L |
| NYMPHALIDAE | Spangled fritillary | Speyeria cybele leto | K,L |
| NYMPHALIDAE | Corona fritillary | Speyeria coronis coronis | K,L |
| NYMPHALIDAE | Zerene fritillary (Photo) | Speyeria zerene conchyliatus | K,L |
| NYMPHALIDAE | Zerene fritillary | Speyeria zerene gunderi | L |
| NYMPHALIDAE | Callipe fritillary | Speyeria callipe semivirida | K,L |
| NYMPHALIDAE | Callipe fritillary | Speyeria callipe elaine | K,L |
| NYMPHALIDAE | Egleis fritillary | Speyeria egleis egleis | K,L |
| NYMPHALIDAE | Owen's egleis fritillary | Speyeria egleis oweni | K |
| NYMPHALIDAE | Moeck's fritillary | Speyeria egleis moecki | K |
| NYMPHALIDAE | Atlantis fritillary | Speyeria atlantis dodgei | K |
| NYMPHALIDAE | Atlantis fritillary | Speyeria atlantis irene | L |
| NYMPHALIDAE | Hydaspe fritillary | Speyeria hydaspe purpurescens | K,L |
| NYMPHALIDAE | Mormon fritillary | Speyeria mormo erinna | K,L |
| NYMPHALIDAE | Meadow fritillary | Boloria epithore chernocki | K,L |
| NYMPHALIDAE | Northern checkerspot | Charidryas palla palla | K,L |
| NYMPHALIDAE | Whitney checkerspot | Charidryas palla whitneyi | K,L |
| NYMPHALIDAE | Aster checkerspot | Charidryas hoffmanni segregata | K |
| NYMPHALIDAE | Field Crescentspot (Photo) | Phyciodes campestris | K,L |
| NYMPHALIDAE | Orseis Crescentspot | Phyciodes orseis orseis | K |
| NYMPHALIDAE | Mylitta Crescentspot | phyciodes mylitta mylitta | K,L |
| NYMPHALIDAE | Anicia Checkerspot | Euphydras anicia veazieae | L |
| NYMPHALIDAE | Chalcedon Checkerspot | Euphydras chalcedona wallacencis | K,L |
| NYMPHALIDAE | Edith's Checkerspot | Euphydras editha adonia | K |
| NYMPHALIDAE | Edith's Checkerspot | Euphydras editha edithiana | K,L |
| NYMPHALIDAE | Edith's Checkerspot | Euphydras editha lawrencei | K,L |
| NYMPHALIDAE | Satyr Anglewing | Polygonia satyrus | K,L |
| NYMPHALIDAE | Hoary Comma | Polygonia gracilus zephyrus | K,L |
| NYMPHALIDAE | Gray comma | Polygonia progne oreas | K |
| NYMPHALIDAE | Compton Tortoiseshell | Nymphalus vau-album watsoni | K |
| NYMPHALIDAE | California tortoiseshell | Nymphalus californica | K,L |
| NYMPHALIDAE | Mourning cloak | Nymphalus antiopa antiopa | K,L |
| NYMPHALIDAE | Milbert's tortoiseshell | Nymphalus milberti milberti | K,L |
| NYMPHALIDAE | American painted lady | Vanessa virginiensis | K,L |
| NYMPHALIDAE | Painted lady | Vanessa cardui | K,L |
| NYMPHALIDAE | West Coast lady | Vanessa annabella | K,L |
| NYMPHALIDAE | Red Admiral | Vanessa atalanta rubria | K,L |
| NYMPHALIDAE | Buckeye | Junonia coenia | K,L |
| NYMPHALIDAE | Loquin's admiral (Photo) | Liminites lorquini burrisoni | K,L |
| NYMPHALIDAE | California Sister | Adelpha bredowii californica | K |
| NYMPHALIDAE | Northwest Ringlet (Photo) | Coenonympha tullia ampelos | K,L |
| NYMPHALIDAE | Large woodnymph | Coenonympha pegala ariane | K,L |
| NYMPHALIDAE | Large woodnymph | Coenonympha pegals gabbii | K,L |
| NYMPHALIDAE | Stenele's Woodnymph (Photo) | Cercyonis sthenele paulus | K,L |
| NYMPHALIDAE | Dark woodnymph | Cercyonis oetus oetus | KL |
| NYMPHALIDAE | Riding's Satyr (unconfirmed and doubtful) | Neominois ridingsii | L |
| NYMPHALIDAE | Great Arctic | Oenesis nevadensis nevadensis | ,L |
| NYMPHALIDAE | Monarch | Danaus plexippus | K,L |
