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.

Gallery Prev Next Ditch Cr Rd, Morrow Co, July 9 Pink-Edged Sulphur Colias interior Size: 1.5 - 2.0 inches wingspan ​ Key ID features: Male above, solid black wing borders. Female above, smudgy FW border, can be either pale yellow or white. Below, HW yellow, with little or no black scaling, and discal spot single-rimmed with no satellite. Usually with bright pink wing fringes. Flight pattern is more relaxed than other sulphurs. Perhaps the most important clue for ID is the pattern of over-scaling on the ventral hindwing: more dense toward the thorax and lighter toward the wing margin. ​ Similar species: Other similar sulphur species in Oregon lack the gradient of the density of overscaling on the dorsal hindwing (see above). Clouded Sulphurs have double ring around discal spot on HW below. Western Sulphurs greenish on HW below. Queen Alexandra's Sulphurs are larger, have more pointed wings, heavier black overscaling below and lighter pink wing borders. Host plant: Various species of Vaccinium (huckleberry). ​ ​ Habitat: Mid-elevation forest clearings, meadows marshes and heathlands. ​ Range: Central OR Cascades and Blue Mountains. ​ Season: Early June to mid-September ​ Abundance: Uncommon Conservation Status: Secure

Gallery Prev Next Gert Canyon, Wasco Co, May 4, female Arrowhead Blue Glaucopsyche piasus Size: 1.0 - 1.25 inches wingspan ​ Key ID features: Noticeably larger than most blues. Violet-blue above, with dark wing borders, white checked fringes. Below brownish-gray, HW with white arrows pointing toward median band of black spots. ​ Similar species: No other Oregon blue has white arrows on HW below pointing toward body. Host plant: Lupine species (Lupinus ) ​ Habitat: Open areas with lupines in sage-steppe, ponderosa pine stands, canyons and wet meadows. ​ ​ Range: Most of Oregon east of the Cascade Range and in SW Oregon. ​ Season: Early April to late August ​ Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

A Bit More History Continued from "About" page... I had long paid attention to butterflies, ever since my childhood days of collecting butterflies with my Dad. When I was about 10 years old, Dad drove our family up the Steens Mountain Loop Road, and we stopped near the summit, at over 9,000 feet elevation. In the windswept, grassy meadows near the summit, there were hundreds of Milbert's Tortoiseshells flying up in the wind. I was captivated! That year, Dad bought me a butterfly net, a Golden Guide field identification guide, a killing jar, a pinning board, and a display case. The next summer, we spent several weekends driving and walking Forest Service Roads near Portland looking for butterflies with our nets in hand. ​ Decades later, in 2001, my friend Eric Wold told me of his childhood love of butterflies, and we decided to go on a hike to Iron Mountain in Linn County to find some butterflies. On that hike I unsuccessfully attempted to photograph a bright green Sheridan's Hairstreak, and I got hooked! That first failure started me on a long and joyful journey of photographing butterflies. ​ ​ It was about 2014 when I realized that I had photographed around 100 species of native butterflies in Oregon. I thought to myself "I might actually be able to photograph all of them," meaning all of Oregon's regularly occurring 168 species (the exact number depends on whose taxonomic approach you follow, and how many species have been recently split or lumped). I decided that year to go to work on those remaining 68 or so species, just for fun, and to see what kind of progress I could make. In 2014 - 2017, I had a great time tromping around the wild spots in Oregon, and added several more species. In 2017, I posted a couple of butterfly photos to Facebook, and admitted to the world that I was going to try for all of Oregon's regularly breeding species. Seeing that post, my friend Lindsay Selzer inquired about where she could see all the ones I had already photographed. I sheepishly wrote her that I had never bothered to compile the collection and I actually wasn't even sure how many I had. Her question inspired me to find out the answer, which led me down the path toward creating this website to share these photos. Through that effort I realized that, of Oregon's regularly occurring and breeding species, at that time I only had about 15 more to photograph! I hadn't realized I was so close! Knowing I was so close lit a fire under me, and I began to get organized. ​ See my blog for accounts of my most recent escapades, adventures and discoveries. ​ Thanks for reading, and for your interest in the Butterflies of Oregon! ​ Neil Bjorklund Eugene, Oregon

Gallery Prev Next Upper Klamath River, Klamath Co, May 29 Cedar/Juniper Hairstreak Callophrys gryneus Size: 1.0 - 1.25 inches wingspan ​ Key ID features: Found near cedar or juniper trees . Above, gray-brown or reddish brown, sometimes with redder patches near tails. Below, shades of brown, gray, and violet, with white postmedian line that varies from bold to nearly absent. Blue submarginal ("thecla") patches near tails vary in size and brightness, but usually lacking orange. ​ Similar species: Johnson's Hairstreak is darker shade of brown, postmedian white line is bolder with a more pronounced "M" on the HW, and generally only found in and near old growth forest. Host plant: Western redcedar (Thuja plicata ), incense cedar (Calocedrus decurrens ) and western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis ). ​ Habitat: Roadsides, meadows, riparian zones, forest edges and clearings near the host plant. ​ ​ Range: Most of Oregon, but missing from most of Coast Range, Blue Mtns, Wallowas and Malheur County. ​ Season: Late March to early August ​ Abundance: Abundant Conservation Status: Secure

Gallery Prev Next Bonny Lakes Trail, Wallow Co, August 2 Pelidne Sulphur Colias skinneri AKA Skinner's Sulphur Size: 1.25 - 1.5 inches wingspan ​ Key ID features: Smallish. Above lemon yellow, with solid dark brown to black borders. Below, HW dusted with black overscaling, giving olive cast. On HW below, discal spot small, thickly-rimmed in rose or reddish brown. Pink wing fringes. ​ Similar species: Clouded Sulphurs have double ring around discal spot on HW below. Western Sulphurs greenish on HW below. Pink-edged Sulphurs have more rounded wings, lack black overscaling below and have brighter pink wing borders. Host plant: Various species of Vaccinium (huckleberry). ​ ​ Habitat: High forest clearings and moist meadows with Vaccinium . ​ Range: In Oregon, only found in Wallowa Mtns and on Steens Mtn. ​ Season: L ate June to early-September ​ Abundance: Uncommon Conservation Status: Secure

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

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

Gallery Prev Next Mill Cr Rd, Lane Co, July 1 Common Roadside Skipper Amblyscirtes vialis Size: Up to 1 inch wingspan ​ Key ID features: Tiny and difficult to see until perched . Above, dark brown with a few white spots at leading edge near wingtip, fringes often checked. Below dark brownish gray, with gray frosted look in outer half of HW. ​ Similar species: Darker and more marked than Dun Skipper, and more triangular shape. Common Sootywing has more white spots above and white face. ​ Host plant: Many grass species. ​ ​ Habitat: Roadsides, and other warm, sunny sites, often near water. ​ Range: Cascade Range, north Coast Range, Ochoco Mtns, Blue Mtns, Wallowa Mtns. ​ Season: Late April to late August ​ Abundance: Uncommon Conservation Status: Secure

Gallery Prev Next Dutchman's Peak, Jackson Co, July 15 Spring White Pontia sisymbrii Size: 1.25 - 1.5 inches wingspan ​ Key ID features: Above, male milk-white, female cream to yellowish, both with black checks on wingtips and closed black bar at end of forewing cell. Below, hindwing veins crisply lined with brownish back bars, partially interrupted across the middle. ​ Similar species: Western white has FW cell end bar with white center, and below HW veins less boldly shaded, and lacks slightly interrupted band across veins. Host plant: Wide variety of rockcresses and mustards. ​ Habitat: Rocky desert-steppe, sage lands, subalpine ridges in the Cascades. ​ Range: Throughout eastern Oregon east of the Cascades and in southern Josephine and Jackson counties. ​ Season: Late March to late August ​ Abundance: Widespread, but locally distributed, often seen singly. Conservation Status: Secure

Gallery Prev Next Summit Meadows, LaneCo, August 13 Sonoran Skipper Polites sonora Size: Up to 1.25 inch wingspan ​ Key ID features: Above orangish-brown, with darker reddish brown border, and vague light spot band on HW. Males with black stigmata with adjacent dark patches on FW, female FW with dark patch surrounded by yellowish spots. HW below brown with arc of pale yellow bars forming a curved band, and an elongated light spot near wing base . HW bars somewhat rounded with indistinct edges. ​ Similar species: HW pattern below is somewhat similar to Mardon Skipper, which has shorter, broader wings and HW spots that are angular and more distinct. ​ Host plant: Various grass species. ​ Habitat: Flowery meadows and pastures, forest openings, roadsides, streambanks. ​ Range: Cascade Range, Siskiyou Mtns, Klamath Mtns, Warner Mtns, Ochoco Mtns, Blue Mtns, Wallowa Mtns, Willamette Valley. ​ Season: Late May to late August ​ Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure

Gallery Prev Next Hat Point Rd, Wallowa Co, June 30 Large Marble Euchloe ausonides Size: Up to 1.75 inches wingspan ​ Key ID features: Above, milk-white with black pattern on FW tip and thin black rectangle ("cell bar") in forewing cell with light white scaling. Below, bold gray-green marbling against white background and yellow veins. ​ Similar species: California Marble and Desert Marble are smaller. Desert Marble has pearly or shiny look to white areas. California Marble lacks white scaling on forewing cell bar. Host plant: Many cruciferous species. ​ Habitat: Open montane and foothill slopes, dry meadows and canyons, sage steppe habitats. ​ Range: All of eastern Oregon and southwestern Oregon south of Douglas County. ​ Season: Late March to late July ​ Abundance: Common Conservation Status: Secure