BUTTERFLIES AND SKIPPERS OF PLATEAU MOUNTAIN, ALBERTA

HAROLD W. PINEL, 1017 - 19 Avenue Northwest, Calgary, Alberta, T2M 0Z8 and NORBERT G. KONDLA, Box 762, McBride, British Columbia. VOJ 2E0

Plateau Mountain is located ap¬ teau, rising 2,256 m at the north end proximately 80 km southwest of to 2,519 m at the southern peak, was Calgary in the Highwood-Livingston above the levels of Pleistocene Range of the Rocky Mountains. The glaciation. Ice may be assumed to top of the mountain is a gently rolling have been present in all valleys plateau, and it is this feature that around the mountain at least at the gives the mountain its name and maximum of the first Cordilleran ad¬ makes it stand out from all other vance, when it is believed that the mountains in southern Alberta. The general ice level in the mountains of summit on the plateau has an eleva¬ southwestern Alberta rose to about tion of 2,519 m. Timberline generally 2,100 m.10 occurs between 2,135 and 2,300 m, with much local variation due to sub¬ There are no glaciers or perma¬ strate, topography and wind expo¬ nent snowfields on Plateau Moun¬ sure.7 tain, but permafrost exists. Perma¬ frost extends possibly to a depth of It is due to the accessibility of Pla¬ 100 m or more before the plateau, teau Mountain over the years that its the upper portion (to 30 m depth) be¬ and skippers have been ing adjusted to the present climate more intensively studied than those and the lower levels apparently of any other mountain in Canada. relic.8 The Forestry Trunk Road runs along the southern edge of the mountain. Plateau Mountain lies in the rain- On the east side of the mountain shadow east of the Continental Di¬ there is a major gas well access road vide. Little climatic data has been in the Upper Livingston River Valley. collected for the area, but Harris and Side roads leading to well sites pro¬ Brown determined the mean annual vide access to a series of cirques cut air temperature to be -4.1°C on the into the eastern slopes of the pla¬ summit, and 0.05°C in the subalpine teau. On the west side of the moun¬ forest at 2,266 m.8 These authors tain there is a natural gas well give mean precipitation for the pla¬ access road that reaches the sum¬ teau from September 1974 to Sep¬ mit. This gravelled road runs north of tember 1976 as approximately 15 the Forestry Trunk Road near the di¬ cm. Strong winds occur throughout vide between Wilkinson and Dry the year on Plateau Mountain, and Creek and winds uphill for about 9.5 are of ecological significance in re¬ km before reaching the top. This moving most of the snow from the road is closed to public vehicle traf¬ plateau. fic, but it still provides for easy foot access. The vegetation of Plateau Moun¬ tain and immediately adjacent areas It is believed that the entire pla¬ has been studied in detail.7 The

28 Blue Jay Riding’s Satyr Gary W. Seib vegetational types vary from barrens Hilchie (GH), Norbert Kondla (NK), and tundra communities to marsh/ John Lake (JOL), David Lawrie (DL), meadow and scrub communities to J.A. Legge (JL), Ross Lein (RL), subalpine forest communities to dis¬ A.I.W. MacKenzie (AM), J.S. Nordin turbed areas to saxifrage moss com¬ (JN), Ted Pike (TP), Harold Pinel munity associated with vegetated (HP), J.D. Reist (JR), Jon Shepard cliffs where seepage occurs. (JS), Steve Shigematsu (SS), Felix Sperling (FS), Ernest Williams (EW), . The only previous paper on butter¬ and R.E. Woodley (RW). All the field flies and skippers for Plateau Moun¬ records occur between 16 June and tain was a flight calendar for those 12 September. Dates indicating days specimens known to occur in the al¬ for which specimen records are pine zone.2 However, the mountain available are written in an abbrevi¬ has been frequently visited by lepi- ated format by day, month, year fol¬ dopterists and much study material lowed by the collector’s initials (e.g., exists in personal and institutional 2/7/87 TP is 2 July 1987 Ted Pike). collections, in addition to that used in These are only given for the less the preparation of this paper. common species. For the more com¬ mon species, the flight period is Annotated List The following list is a noted by the first and last dates re¬ result of field observations and col¬ corded with specimens. lections made over a period of 29 years from 1962-1990 by the follow¬ The frequency and abundance of ing people: Peter Allen (PA), R.L. the different species is subjectively Anderson (RA), A. Bird (AB), C.D. denoted by: common — occurs regu¬ Bird (CB), B. and J. Carr (BJC), C.D. larly in good numbers; fairly common Ferris (CF), L.P. Grey (LG), M. — occurs regularly in average num¬ Grinnel (MG), Cris Guppy (CG), G. bers; uncommon — occurs regularly

53(1). March 1995 29 Pearl Crescent R. W. Knapton in low numbers; occasional — oc¬ Mountain, this species was recorded curs irregularly; and rare — recorded only three times in odd years. once or twice and not likely to be seen again. ARCTIC SKIPPER (Carterocephalus palaemon) — Rare in open grassy The common names in the list, area in subalpine forest; 18/7/83 NK, with one exception, are from Miller,17 8/7/90 DL. Kondla points out the sali¬ while scientific names generally fol¬ ent features of the undescribed low Scott.19 Deviations are based on mountain subspecies.13 more recent research. COMMON BRANDED SKIPPER Hesperiidae — Skippers (Hesperia comma manitoba) — Un¬ common in alpine and subalpine PERSIUS DUSKY WING (Erynnis meadows in even-numbered years persius) — Occasional in open with a recorded flight period of 8 July grassy stretches along roadway in to 5 August. Field research and subalpine fir-Engelmann spruce for¬ analysis of available data by Kondla est at low elevations in early July; shows that this taxon flies only in 10/7/71 TP, 12/7/86 JOL, 2/7/87 TP. even-numbered years in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta and northern GRIZZLED SKIPPER (Pyrgus cen- British Columbia. This phenomenon taureae loki) — Uncommon in alpine has not been previously reported in flight records from 2 July to 6 Au¬ the literature. gust. Scott mentions that ssp. loki is biennial, flying mostly in odd years in DRACO SKIPPER (Polites draco) — Colorado, Wyoming and Labrador Rare in moist subalpine meadow; and at Churchill, Manitoba.19 Inter¬ 19/7/70 JS, 27/7/80 HP. estingly, of the ten years for which there are flight records at Plateau

30 Blue Jay Milbert’s Tortoise Shell Juhachi Asai

Papilionidae — Parnassians and mann spruce woods. Flight period is Swallowtails from mid-July to early August; 10/7/71 TP, 5/8/72 GH, 16/7/77 HP, PHOEBUS’ PARNASSIAN (Parnas- 26/7/80 NK, 1/8/83 JOL. Most North sius phoebus smintheus) — Com¬ American literature has treated Pieris mon in alpine tundra and subalpine napi species group populations as meadows. Flight records from 2 July being subspecies of the European P. to 12 September; being most abun¬ napi on the basis of superficial mor¬ dant in late July and early August. phological similarity. Evidence has been mounting for years that there ANISE SWALLOWTAIL (Papilio zeli- are distinct species on this continent. caon) — Rare in open grassy area in Recently, enzyme electrophoretic subalpine fir-Engelmann spruce methods have been used to further woods; 1/8/83 JOL, 29/7/90 DL. the argument that, in North America, there are species that are distinct — Whites and Sulphurs from P. napi6 In Alberta, there are two species — P. oleracea which WESTERN WHITE (Pieris occiden- occurs in the boreal forest and P. talis) — Common in alpine, subal¬ marginalis which occurs in the moun¬ pine meadows and disturbed open tains. areas along roadway in subalpine fir- Engelmann spruce woods. It is most CABBAGE (Pieris ra- often seen flying about local promi¬ pae) — Occasional in disturbed area nences. Flight records from 2 July to along roadways in July: 26/7/78 NK, 7 August. 19/7/83 NK, 22/7/83 HP.

MARGINED WHITE (Pieris margi- LARGE MARBLE ( nalis) — Uncommon and localized, ausonides) — Occasional in open preferring shaded open areas along grassy area along roadway in sub¬ drainages in subalpine fir-Engel¬ alpine fir-Engelmann spruce woods

53(1). March 1995 31 from early July to early August; PELIDNE SULPHUR {Colias pelidne 5/8/72 GH, 2/7/87 TP, 8/7/88 HP. skinneri) — Occasional in alpine and clearings in subalpine woods: NORTHERN MARBLE (Euchloe 31/7/69 JS, 5/8/72 GH, 7/8/77 SS. creusa) — Uncommon in subalpine meadows and alpine tundra with Lycaenidae — Gossamer Wings flight records from 24 June to 6 August. LITTLE COPPER (Lycaena phlaeas arethusa) — Common in alpine and SARA ORANGE TIP (Anthocharis subalpine meadows with flight peri¬ sara) — Occasional in clearings in ods from 2 July to 12 September, be¬ subalpine fir-Engelmann spruce ing most abundant in late July and woods in July; 16/7/77 HP, 22/7/83 early August. HP. We use the species epithet “sara” only as a convenient handle to LUSTROUS COPPER {Lycaena cu- refer to the Anthocharis sara com¬ prea snowi) — Fairly common, but plex. Geiger and Shapiro present local, in alpine area. Flight records compelling evidence that present from 2 July to 7 August. in the gross morphospe- cies “sara” is unsatisfactory.5 WESTERN TAILED BLUE {Everes amyntula albrighti) — Rare in open CLOUDED SULPHUR (Colias phi- area in lower elevation subalpine for¬ lodice eriphyle) — Common in alpine est: 3/7/71 TP. and open areas in subalpine forest with a recorded flight period of 2 July SILVERY BLUE {Glaucopsyche to 11 August. lygdamus couperi) — Occasional in clearings in subalpine woods; ALFALFA BUTTERFLY (Colias eu- 26/7/69 JS, 18/7/81 NK, 22/7/83 HP, rytheme) — Rare in alpine; 12/7/86 8/7/90 DL. Substantial species-level JOL. differences between the taxa lydamus and coupeh have been CHRISTINA SULPHUR (Colias documented.3 The butterfly which oc¬ Christina astraea) — Uncommon in curs in Alberta may well become subalpine meadows and clearings in widely known as Glaucopsyche cou¬ subalpine forest. Flight period re¬ peri. corded from 2 July to 7 August. Re¬ cent studies show that the taxa NORTHERN BLUE {Lycaeides idas) Christina and astraea are not con- — Fairly common in subalpine specific with C. alexandra as treated meadows and alpine tundra with in the literature for the past 30 flight records from 2 July to 7 Au¬ years. 4 gust. The most appropriate subspe¬ cies name for southwestern Alberta MEAD’S SULPHUR (Colias meadii material is not clear at the time of elis) — Common in alpine tundra writing. The name atrapraetextus and subalpine meadows. Flight re¬ may be more appropriate than scud- cords from 2 July to 12 September. deri which has traditionally been at¬ tributed to the Alberta fauna. LABRADOR SULPHUR (Colias nastes streckeri) — Common in al¬ MELISSA BLUE {Lycaeides melissa) pine tundra with flight records from 2 — Rare in alpine areas and grassy July to 22 August. cirques; 3/7/71 TP, 20/8/73 GH,

32 Blue Jay 26/7/80 NK. This species is princi¬ alpine tundra, subalpine meadows, pally a grassland species in Alberta and clearings in subalpine woods with small populations fingering their with flight records from 2 July to 5 ways west into the foothills and August. For the reasons given in mountains of southern Alberta. Kondla, the authors side with Howe and Klassen et al. in recognizing this GREENISH BLUE (Plebejus saeplo- taxon as a separate species from lus arnica) — Fairly common in moist Speyerla atlantls9,u'u alpine tundra, subalpine meadows and moist clearings in subalpine for¬ MORMON FRITILLARY (Speyerla est. Flight records from 2 July to 12 mormonla) — Fairly common in al¬ September. pine tundra, subalpine meadows, and open areas in subalpine woods. ICARIOIDES BLUE (Plebejus Flight period from 2 July to 12 Sep¬ icarioides pembina) — Occasional in tember. alpine and subalpine as a stray from mid-July to early August; 5/8/72 GH BOG FRITILLARY ( eunomia) and TP, 22/8/72 FS, 20/7/73 GH, — Common in moist subalpine and 4/8/74 GH, 22/7/83 HP. The larval alpine areas dominated by willows. food plant, Lupinus spp., is not found Flight period from 2 July to 23 Au¬ in the study area, but occurs at lower gust. elevations nearby. SILVER-BORDERED FRITILLARY RUSTIC BLUE (Plebejus rustlcus (Boloria selene) — Rare: a stray was megalo) — Common in alpine tundra collected in the alpine on 22/7/83 and subalpine meadows with flight NK. records from 2 July to 8 September. FREIJA FRITILLARY (Boloria freija) — Brushfoots — Rare in dry open areas in subal¬ pine fir-Engelmann spruce woods: VARIEGATED FRITILLARY (Eup- 24/6/77 NK. toieta claudla) — Occasional in al¬ pine; 20/7/72 TP, 19/7/86 GH, ALBERTA FRITILLARY (Boloria al¬ 23/7/90 DL. berta) — Uncommon and local in odd-numbered years in alpine tundra EDWARD’S FRITILLARY (Speyerla with flight records from 2 July to 19 edwardsii) — rare in alpine; 4/8/74 September. In Alberta, this species PA. is known from only two locations south of Banff National Park. Real ZERENE FRITILLARY (Speyerla abundance of this species is un¬ zerene garrettl) — Uncommon in known due to its biennial flight habits subalpine meadows and alpine tun¬ and propensity to fly over steep fell- dra. Flight records from 2 July to 5 fields which are hazardous to natu¬ August. ralists.

CALLIPPE FRITILLARY (Speyerla ASTARTE FRITILLARY {Boloria as- calllppe calgariana) — Rare in al¬ tarte) — Fairly common but local in pine; 19/7/70 JS, 26/7/80 HP. alpine tundra, generally found flying rocky ridges close to its food plant, NORTHWESTERN FRITILLARY Saxifraga bronchialis. Flight records (Speyeria electa) — Occasional in from 2 July to 11 August.

53(1). March 1995 33 TITANIA FRITILLARY (Boloria titania CALIFORNIA TORTOISE SHELL grandis) — Fairly common in clear¬ (Nymphalis californica) — Rare mi¬ ings in subalpine woods and in grant in alpine tundra where it was subalpine meadows, with a recorded recorded in July of 1987; three indi¬ flight period of 2 July to 18 August. viduals on 2/7/87 TP; two on 12/7/87 NK; and singles on 14/7/87 MG and NORTHERN CHECKERSPOT 15/7/87 MG. (Chlosyne palla) — Rare in moist subalpine meadows; 5/8/72 GH. MILBERT’S TORTOISE SHELL (Nymphalis milberti furcillata) — DAMOETUS CHECKERSPOT Common in alpine tundra, subalpine (Chlosyne damoetus) — Occasional meadows, and clearings and road¬ in the alpine with flight records from ways in subalpine woods. Flight re¬ 20 July to 8 August. cords from 12 July to 11 August.

PEARL CRESCENT (Phyciodes PAINTED LADY (Vanessa cardui) — morpheus) — Rare in clearings in Occasional migrant species ob¬ subalpine woods at lower elevations; served in all habitats; 5/8/72 GH, 19/7/83 NK, 22/7/83 HP. 29/7/73 SS, 19/7/83 NK, 22/7/83 HP.

FIELD CRESCENT (Phyciodes WHITE ADMIRAL (Limenitis pratensis) — Uncommon in subal¬ arthemis rubrofasciata) — Rare in pine meadows, clearings in subal¬ moist subalpine meadows and moist pine woods, and alpine tundra from 2 clearings in subalpine woods; July to 5 August. 21/7/75 SS, 25/7/83 EW, 1/8/83 JOL.

ANICIA CHECKERSPOT (Euphy- Satyridae — Satyrs, Browns, and dryas anicia) — Common in alpine Wood Nymphs tundra, subalpine meadows, and clearings and roadways in subalpine RINGLET (Coenonympha tullia ben¬ woods. Flight period from 2 July to 6 jamin!) — Occasional in alpine tun¬ August. dra, subalpine meadows, and along roadway clearings in subalpine forest EDITH’S CHECKERSPOT (Euphy- during July and the first half of Au¬ dryas editha) — Common, but fairly gust; 11/8/63 AM, 21/7/74 GH, local, in alpine tundra with a re¬ 27/7/80 TP, 31/7/83 NK, 9/7/88 HP, corded flight period of 2 July to 11 6/8/89 HP. August. COMMON ALPINE (Erebia epip- SATYR ANGLEWING (Polygonia sodea epipsodea) — Common in al¬ satyrus) — Rare along streams in pine tundra, subalpine meadows, subalpine woods; 7/8/77 SS, 27/7/80 and in roadway clearings in subal¬ TP, 31/7/83 NK. pine woods. Flight records from 2 July to 7 August. ZEPHYR (Polygonia zephyrus) — Rare in alpine; 6/8/89 HP. This is a RIDINGS’ SATYR (Neominois riding- woodland species, but summer sii minimus) — Rare straggler col¬ adults often fly to the higher eleva¬ lected in alpine tundra 18/7/79 CG. tions of mountains, even to the al¬ This record is the only known high pine zone to feed on flowers.19 elevation mountain record for the province. The normal range of this

34 Blue Jay Table 1. COMPARISON OF PLATEAU MOUNTAIN RHOPALOCERAN FAUNA TO THE FAUNA OF PETER LOUGHEED PROVINCIAL PARK AND THE TOTAL PROVINCIAL FAUNA

Peter Lougheed Plateau Mountain Alberta Provincial Park16 No. of % No. of % No. of % Family species of fauna species of fauna species of fauna Hesperiidae 5 8.5 27 16.7 5 8.5 Papilionidae 2 3.4 7 4.3 2 3.4 Pieridae 12 20.3 23 14.2 13 22.0 Lycaenidae 9 15.2 35 21.6 9 15.2 Nymphalidae 24 40.7 51 31.5 23 39.0 Danaidae 0 0 1 0.6 0 0 Satyridae 7 11.9 18 11.1 7 11.9 59 100 162 100 59 100 species is the mixed grasslands of of the study area to that of Alberta. southeastern Alberta. Subspecies .As shown in Table 1, the Plateau minimus was described by Austin.1 Mountain fauna has a significantly greater portion of its fauna repre¬ CHRYXUS ARCTIC (Oeneis chryxus sented by the Pieridae and Nym- chryxus) — Common in alpine tun¬ phalidae, and a significantly lesser dra, subalpine meadows, and clear¬ portion presented by the Hesperiidae ings in subalpine woods with flight and Lycaenidae, than the total records from 2 July to 7 August. Alberta fauna.

UHLER’S ARCTIC (Oeneis uhleri It is noteworthy that the same varuna) — Occasional in alpine tun¬ number of butterfly and skipper spe¬ dra; 16/6/74 GH, 17/7/79 CG, cies have been recorded at Plateau 26/7/84 JS, 6/8/89 HP. Mountain as in the entire Peter Lougheed (Kananaskis) Provincial JUTTA ARCTIC (Oeneis jutta cher- Park, a park of 50,308 ha whose mocki) — Rare in moist boggy area southern boundary is approximately in subalpine forest; 4 & 5/8/78 NK, 50 km north of Plateau Mountain.16 11/7/87 NK. As well, an almost identical number of species per family has been re¬ MELISSA ARCTIC (Oeneis melissa corded in both areas as illustrated in beani) — Fairly common in alpine Table 1. In comparing the actual tundra with flight records from 9 July species, 76% (45 of 59) are common to 6 August. to both Plateau Mountain and Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. Discussion The known butterfly and skipper fauna of Plateau Mountain Of the 59 species recorded for Pla¬ consist of 59 species, representing 6 teau Mountain, 55 (93.2%) have of the 7 families of Rhopalocerans been reported in July and 44 (74.6%) found in Alberta as follows: Hesperii- have been reported in August. Table dae — 5, Papilionidae — 2, Pieridae 2 summarizes the known temporal — 12, Lycaenidae — 9, Nymphali- distribution for each butterfly and dae — 24, and Satyridae — 7. Table skipper species recorded for Plateau 1 compares the Rhopaloceran fauna Mountain. Figures 1 and 2 graph the

53(1). March 1995 35 CB CJ

■B

OJ -O E3

June July August September

Figure 1. NUMBER OF BUTTERFLY AND SKIPPER SPECIES RECORDED ON A MONTHLY BASIS. species diversity on a monthly and Mountain is the only mountain record weekly basis. The greatest diversity for the province, and represents one of species occurs during the last half of the late dates for this species’ of July and the first week of August. known flight period (11 June — 23 The temporal data also illustrate that July) in Alberta. a large diversity of species is re¬ corded over a short time span. This A number of other species re¬ is further amplified when one real¬ corded on Plateau Mountain occur izes that all the field data throughout there irregularly, and in the annotated the years 1962 and 1990 fall within list they are described as rare or oc¬ the time period of 16 June to 12 Sep¬ casional. These are species for which tember, a period of just under 90 little or no suitable habitat and/or food days. plants exist in the study area, but suitable habitat exists nearby, mainly A unique assemblage of butterfly to the east in the foothills where species has been recorded for Pla¬ mixed woods, aspen woods, and teau Mountain. There are migrants pockets of grasslands, and wetland and strays represented by species complexes exist.18 Species in this such as Colias eurytheme, Euptoieta category include Erynnis persius, claudia, Nymphalis californica, Va¬ Carterocephalus palaemon, Papilio nessa cardui, and Neominois riding- zelicaon, Everes amyntula albrighti, sii minimus. The first four species Speyeria edwardsii, Boloria selene, are expected, but the record of Rid¬ Boloria freija, Chlosyne palla, Phy- ing’s Satyr is extremely unusual. The ciodes morpheus, and Polygonia Riding’s Satyr is a characteristic but¬ zephyrus. Pinel recorded all these terfly of dry mixed grasslands in species except C. palaemon and P. southeastern Alberta, with few re¬ zephyrus in a small study area cords west of a line drawn from Fort around Indian Grave Campground, MacLeod in the south to Drumheller an area approximately only 9 km east in the north. The report from Plateau of Plateau Mountain, and suitable

36 Blue Jay 50

1 -7 8-15 1 6 - 23 24 - 30 1 -7 8-15 1 6 - 23 24 - 31 1 -7 8-15 1 6 - 23 24 - 31 1 -7 8-15 16 - 23 24 - 30 June July August September

Figure 2. NUMBER OF BUTTERFLY AND SKIPPER SPECIES RECORDED ON A WEEKLY BASIS. habitat exists even closer to Plateau cies that are moving up slopes for Mountain for all these species.18 purposes of mate location, but also transport other species which do not Why have so many lower elevation engage in mate-locating hilltopping species of various habitats turned up behaviour to mountain tops. in the alpine and upper subalpine zones of Plateau Mountain? One In examining the data, two species reason is hilltopping as a result of were noted to have biennial flight pe¬ mate-locating behaviour.12 Another riods on Plateau Mountain. Boloria factor that comes into play in moun¬ alberta occurs only in odd-numbered tainous areas is the well known phe¬ years, while Hesperia comma mani- nomenon of upslope winds due to toba flies only in even-numbered daytime warming of the land. These years. Another interesting observa¬ upslope mountain winds assist spe¬ tion was the large number of

53(1). March 1995 37 Table 2. TEMPORAL DISTRIBUTION OF BUTTERFLIES AND S

Erynnis persius X X

Pyrgus X X X X X centaureae loki Carterocephalus X X palaemon

Hesperia comma X X X X manitoba

Polites draco X X PAPILIONIDAE

Parnassius X X X X X X X X phoebus smintheus

Papilio zelicaon X X PIERIDAE

Pieris occidentalis X X X X X

Pieris marginalis X X X X

Pieris rapae X X Euchloe ausonides X X X

Euchloe creusa X X X X X Anthocharis sara X

Colias philodice X X X X X X eriphyle

Colias eurytheme X

Colias Christina X X X astraea

Colias meadii elis X X X X X X X

Colias nastes X X X X X X X streckeri Colias pelidne X X skinneri LYCAENIDAE

Lycaena phlaeas X X X X X X X X arethusa

Lycaena cuprea X X X X X snowi Eve res amyntula X albrighti Glaucopsyche X X X lygdamus couperi Lycaeides id as X X X X Lycaeides melissa X X X Plebejus X X X X X X saepiolus arnica Plebejus icarioides X X X pembina Plebejus rusticus X X X X X X X X | megalo

38 Blue Jay Table 2. Continued

June July August Sept. 16- 24- 8- 16- 24- 8- 16- 24- 8- 23 30 1-7 15 23 31 1-7 15 23 31 1-7 15 NYMPHALIDAE

Euptoieta claudia X

Speyeria edwardsii X

Speyeria zerene X X X X garretti

Speyeria callippe X X calgariana

Speyeria electa X X X X

Speyeria mormonia X X X X X X X X

Boloria eunomia X X X X X X

Boloria selene X

Boloria freija X

Boloria alberta X X X X X

Boloria astarte X X X X X X

Boloria titania X X X X X X grandis

Chlosyne palla X

Chiosyne damoetus X X X

Phyciodes X morpheus

Phyciodes pratensis X X X X X

Euphydryas anicia X X X X X

Euphydryas edit ha X X X X X X

Polygonia satyrus X X

Polygonia zephyrus X

Nymphalis X X californica

Nymphalis milberti X X X X X furcillata

Vanessa cardui X X X

Limenitis arthemis X X X rubrofasciata SATYRIDAE

Coenonympha tullia X X X X X X benjamini

Erebia epipsodea X X X X X

Neominois ridingsii X minimus

Oeneis chryxus X X X X X chryxus

Oeneis uhleri X X X X varuna

Oeneis jutta X X chermocki

Oeneis melissa X X X X beani

53(1). March 1995 39 Milbert’s Tortoise Shell (Nymphalis (Glaucopsyche lygdamus and G. I. milberti furcillata) seen flying and couperf. Lycaenidae) in New York. J. nectaring in the alpine zone during of the Lepidopterists’ Society 45:272- the summer. This species is com¬ 90. monly associated with disturbed 4. FERRIS, C.D. 1993. Reassessment areas and clearings at lower eleva¬ of the Colias alexandra group, the tions where its food plant Common legume-feeding species, and prelimi¬ Nettle (Urtica gracilis) grows. nary cladistic analysis of the North

American Colias (Pieridae: Coliadi-

Some of the species recorded for nae). Bull, of the Allyn Mus. No. 138. the alpine area of Plateau Mountain 91 pp. such as Lycaena cup re a snowi, 5. GEIGER, H. and A.M. SHAPIRO. Chlosyne damoetus, Euphydryas 1986. Electrophoretic evidence for editha, Boloria alberta, Boloria as- speciation within the nominal species and are tarte, Oeneis melissa beani Anthocharis sara Lucas (Pieridae). J. largely restricted to alpine areas in of Research on the Alberta. 25:15-24.

6. - 1992. Genetics, systematics and In 1991, the Government of Al¬ evolution of holarctic Pieris napi spe¬ berta and Husky Oil joined forces to cies group populations (Lepidoptera, establish Plateau Mountain as an Pieridae). Z. zool. Syst. Evolut. - ecological reserve. The protection forsch. 30:100-22. now afforded this unique area will help preserve its butterfly fauna. As 7. GRIFFITHS, G.C.D. 1982. Vegetation well, a number of other repre¬ survey and mapping of the Plateau sentative and special natural fea¬ Mountain candidate ecological re¬ tures will be protected for future serve. Alberta Energy and Natural Resources. Public Lands Division. generations to enjoy. 8. HARRIS, S.A. and R.J.E. BROWN. Acknowledgements The authors 1978. Plateau Mountain: a case study thank the people listed in the pream¬ of alpine permafrost in the Canadian ble to the annotated list for sharing Rocky Mountains. Pp. 385-391 in: their information about the butterflies Proc. third International Conference of Plateau Mountain. The paper on Permafrost (1978), vol. 1. National would not have been possible with¬ Research Council of Canada, Ottawa. out their contributions. Information 9. HOWE, W.H. 1975. (ed.). The butter¬ provided by Gerry Hilchie and Ted flies of North America. Doubleday, Pike has been especially helpful in New York. 632 pp. rounding out our knowledge of the Plateau Mountain fauna. 10. KARPUK, E.W. and A.G. LEVIN- SOHN. 1980. Physical land classifica¬ tion of the Livingstone-Porcupine 1. AUSTIN, G.T. 1986. A review of the study area. E.N.R. Report No. 127. Satyrine genus Neominois, with de¬ Alberta Energy and Natural Re¬ scriptions of three new subspecies. sources, Edmonton. Bui. of the Allyn Mus. 107:1-27. 11. KLASSEN, P., A.R. WESTWOOD, 2. BIRD, C.D. 1975. A calendar of the W.B. PRESTON, and W.B. MCKIL- butterflies and skippers of the alpine LOP. 1989. The butterflies of Mani¬ area of Plateau Mountain. Alta. Nat. toba. Manitoba Museum of Man and 5(1 ):26-28. Nature, Winnipeg. 289 pp. 3. DIRIG, R. and J.F. CRYAN. 1991. 12. KONDLA, N.G. 1981. Skippers and The status of Silvery Blue subspecies

40 Blue Jay butterflies of a disjunct aspen Kananaskis Park, Alberta. Blue Jay parkland area in Alberta. Blue Jay 37:73-85. 39:4-12. 17. MILLER, J.Y. 1992. The common 13. - 1986. Skippers and butterflies of names of North American butterflies. the Kootenay Plains, Alberta. Alta. Smithsonian Institution Press, Wash¬ Nat. 16:11-14. ington. 177 pp.

14. - 1992. An update on the butter¬ 18. PINEL, H.W. 1983. Skippers and but¬ flies of the Redwater sand dunes. terflies of the Indian Grove Camp¬ Alta. Nat. 22:10-17. ground area, Alberta. Blue Jay 41:71-77. 15. - 1993. The Colias alexandra complex in Alberta. Alta. Nat. 19. SCOTT, J.A. 1986. The butterflies of 23(3):57-61. North America: a natural history and field guide. Stanford Univ. Press, 16. KONDLA, N.G. and C.D. BIRD. 1979. Stanford. 583 pp. Skippers and butterflies of

Because their caterpillars eat milkweed, Monarch butterflies are considered to be distasteful, even poisonous, to birds. However, at wintering sites in Mexico, Monarchs are the main food of Black-headed Grosbeaks. Some milkweeds are less poisonous than others and the butterflies become less toxic with time. Scott. 1986. Butterflies of North America. Stanford Univ., Stanford.

On butterfly nomenclature: ‘The situation regarding the English names of American butterflies has been rather a mess. ...Unfortunately, scientific names can also cause confusion.” Jeffrey Glassberg, Butterflying through binoculars.

53(1). March 1995 41