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Wildlife Viewing

Yukon A guide to butterflies

Where to find them Currently, about 91 of butterflies, representing five families, are known from Yukon, but scientists expect to discover more. Finding butterflies in Yukon is easy. Just look in any natural, open area on a warm, sunny day. Two excellent viewing spots are Keno Hill and the Blackstone Uplands. Pick up Yukon’s Wildlife Viewing Guide to find these and other wildlife viewing hotspots.

Visitors follow an old mining road Viewing tips to explore the alpine on top of Keno Hill. This booklet will help you view and identify some of the more common butterflies, and a few distinctive but less common species. Additional species are mentioned but not illustrated. In some cases, © Government of Yukon 2019 you will need a detailed book, such as , ISBN 978-1-55362-862-2 The Butterflies of to identify the exact species that you have seen. All photos by Crispin Guppy except as follows: In the Alpine (p.ii) Some Yukon butterflies, by Ryan Agar; Cerisy’s Sphynx moth (p.2) by Sara Nielsen; Anicia such as the large swallowtails, Checkerspot (p.2) by Bruce Bennett; swallowtails (p.3) by Bruce are bright to advertise their Bennett; Freija Fritillary (p.12) by Sonja Stange; Gallium Sphinx presence to mates. Others are caterpillar (p.19) by William Kleeden (www.yukonexplorer.com); coloured in dull earth tones Butterfly hike at Keno (p.21) by Peter Long; Alpine Interpretive that allow them to hide from bird Centre (p.22) by Bruce Bennett. predators. Many are masters Illustrations by Keith Wolfe Smarch (p.4); Sara Nielsen (p.19). at both advertising and camou- Special thanks to Crispin Guppy for his contributions to this project. flage, with bright uppersides and dull undersides. For more information on butterflies and other To identify butterflies, you will Old-world Swallowtail Yukon wildlife, contact: need to know the colour pattern Government of Yukon Government of Yukon on both sides of the wings. This is because many will only rest Wildlife Viewing Program Yukon Conservation Data Centre with their wings spread wide open, and others with them closed Box 2703 (V-5R) Box 2703 (V-5N) tightly over their backs. You can improve your viewing chances Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 2C6 Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 2C6 by slowly approaching the butterfly from behind or while it is Phone: 867-667-8291 Phone: 867-667-5331 busy feeding or mud-puddling (drinking water containing salt). Toll free: 1-800-661-0408 x 8291 Toll free: 1-800-661-0408 x 5331 Try using binoculars to get a closer look without disturbing them. Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Some species (notably “arctics”) are so similar that butterfly specialists must examine them under a microscope to distinguish Yukon.ca Yukon.ca specific species. Recent DNA studies indicate that there some Find us on Facebook at “Yukon Wildlife Viewing” species in Yukon that have yet to be classified and named.

1 Butterfly conservation A butterfly’s life

and collection A butterfly usually lives 10 to 14 days as an adult, and spends the rest of its one- to two-year life as an egg, caterpillar (), or Habitat conservation is critical for a butterfly species to persist. (chrysalis). The egg hatches into a small caterpillar, which typically Moderate collecting does not harm butterfly populations, providing sheds its skin five times as it grows before becoming a pupa. their habitat remains intact. When viewing, photographing, After about six weeks, the adult butterfly emerges from the pupa. or collecting butterflies avoid damaging habitat in your pursuit. If you decide to collect butterflies, ensure that your collection Butterfly life cycle has scientific or educational value. Label each specimen with the exact location and date, and if you no longer want it, transfer your collection to another collector or a public institution, so that the Egg Adult specimens are not wasted. Common Boreal Spring Under Section 3 of the Scientists & Explorers Act, non-residents Alpine Azure are required to obtain a permit from the territorial government to collect in all areas of Yukon. You can obtain this permit from the Department of Tourism and Culture. Additionally, everyone must have a special permit to collect in any national or territorial park.

If you suspect illegal activity related to butterflies or other wildlife, Caterpillar please call the Turn in Poachers & Polluters (T.I.P.P.) Hotline at Canada 1-800-661-0525. For more on butterfly conservation, contact the Sulphur Pupa Yukon Conservation Data Centre. Mustard White

Butterfly or moth? Caterpillars eat leaves, flowers, fruit, or seeds. Each species focuses on only one, or a few, foodplants. These larval foodplants Butterflies and moths are of the order , are described in this booklet. meaning scaled wings. The wings are covered with flattened hairs that look like tiny fish scales. Butterflies always fly during Adult butterflies feed mostly on and sap (for sugar). the day in Yukon; moths may fly in either day or night, Some eat less appetizing meals such as carrion and dung depending on the species. (for proteins and amino acids). Others congregate on wet soils to drink water containing salt (for sodium). Butterflies and day-flying moths are usually brightly coloured, As the butterfly ages, its wings become worn and torn and while night-flying moths tend the colours fade. A few species of brushfoot butterflies to be dull greys and browns. (tortoiseshells, anglewings) hibernate over the Bright colours usually mean winter as adults; other species spend they are distasteful or poisonous Cerisy’s Sphynx Anicia Checkerspot with typical with typical the winter in one of the other to many birds. moth antennae butterfly antennae life stages. The antennae of moths are usually hair-like or feather-like, while butterflies have straight antennae with distinct knobs at the end. The only characteristics that infallibly separate butterflies from moths are details of the wing veins and other body structures. 2 3 Skippers Hesperiidae Small; grey, black or brown; caterpillars frequently feed on grass.

Pyrgine Skippers, Subfamily Pyrginae Persius Duskywing Erynnis persius Size: Small, 3.0 cm wingspan. Flight: Fast, low to the ground. Foodplants: Leaves of , lupine and other legumes. Habitat: Open , clearings, ; all Yukon at low elevations. Notes: One generation each year. Dreamy Duskywing (with no white spots on forewings) Tlingit-style drawing of is near Watson Lake. Reports of the similar Afranius Duskywing were identifiation errors. Grizzled Myth and legend Pyrgus centaureae Size: Small, 2.8 cm wingspan. “If nothing ever changed, there’d be no butterflies…” – anon Flight: Moderately fast, with blurred wing-beats; low to the ground. Foodplants: Leaves of Many people see butterflies and moths as symbols rather than wild strawberry; cloudberry; living creatures. Because of their delicate beauty, power of flight, cinquefoil. Habitat: , bog, and complete metamorphosis, they appear in myths and legends roadside, , forest clearings; the world over. Also known as “flying flowers,” they help us throughout Yukon. Notes: No similar appreciate the fragile and ephemeral wonders of nature – species. One generation every two years. like sunny, carefree days. To some, the spirits of loved ones return to visit as butterflies Intermediate Skippers, Subfamily Heteropterinae or moths – physical symbols of the human soul. Many american cultures believe that dreams are brought to us in our sleep Arctic Skipper Carterocephalus palaemon by butterflies. Size: Small, 2.5 cm wingspan. One North American legend says that anyone wanting a wish Flight: Fast, low to the ground, to come true can capture a butterfly and whisper their wish tends to return to original perch to it. Since butterflies make no sound; they cannot tell the after flight. Foodplants: Grass. wish to anyone but the Great Spirit. So by making a wish and Habitat: Forest trails and clearings, releasing the butterfly, their wish will be taken to the heavens roadsides, moist meadows, tundra; and be granted. throughout Yukon. Notes: No similar species. One generation each year. underwings 4 5 Branded Skippers, Subfamily Hesperiinae Swallowtails, Subfamily Papilioninae Two other skippers Common Branded Skipper occur in Yukon. Canadian Tiger Swallowtail Hesperia comma Papilio canadensis Size: Small, 3.0 cm wingspan. Size: Large, 8.2 cm wingspan. Flight: Fast, low to the ground. Flight: Moderate speed, various heights. Foodplants: Grass Foodplants: Aspen, poplar, willow. (bluegrass, fescue, bluestem). Habitat: Roadside, forest Habitat: Roadsides, meadows, bogs, clearings, along streams; gravel ridges, low hilltops; throughout throughout Yukon. Notes: The less Yukon. Notes: Draco Skipper is similar, common Old-world Swallowtail but with tan underside spots, one of which (photo p.1) is similar but has more black, is elongated, and occurs north to Dawson. underwings less yellow, and usually flies at higher One generation each year. elevations and further north. One generation each year.

Swallowtails & Apollos Family Papilionidae Whites & Sulphurs Family Large; brightly coloured; only a few species in Yukon. Medium size; white, yellow and orange; many of the caterpillars eat mustards. Parnassians, Subfamily Whites, Marbles & Orangetips, Subfamily Eversmann’s Parnassian eversmanni Western White Pontia occidentalis Size: Large, 5.0 cm wingspan. Flight: Fast, low to the ground. Size: Medium, 4.0 cm wingspan. Foodplants: Few-flowered Flight: Fast, zigzag; flies around or silene. hilltops. Foodplants: Leaves of wild Habitat: Mountainous willow mustards, especially rock cress. shrub and grass tundra. Habitat: Roads, dry rocky areas, Notes: Males: pale yellow; hilltops. Notes: Spring White is females: white. May be one similar but rare. One generation generation every two years. each year. Spring White female Rocky Mountain Parnassian Arctic White angelika Size: Large, 5.7 cm wingspan. Size: Medium, 3.8 cm wingspan. Flight: Slow, low to the ground. Flight: Slow, up to 2 m above Foodplants: Lance-leaved ground. Foodplants: Leaves of Stonecrop. Habitat: Dry meadows, wild mustards, such as Parrya. rocky areas; low to mid-elevation Habitat: Wet riparian areas, in southern Yukon. Notes: Phoebus willow shrub areas, wet meadows. Parnassian is similar. Inhabits Notes: Margined White and Mustard tundra meadows in Kluane Park and White are both very similar. Females have grey markings the north. One generation each year. on the upperside. One generation each year. 6 7 Large Marble Christina Sulphur ausonides christina Size: Medium, 4.1 cm wingspan. Size: Medium, 4.7 cm Flight: Moderate, zigzag. wingspan. Flight: Fast, zigzag. Foodplants: Flowers and leaves Foodplants: Sweet-vetch. of wild mustards, especially Habitat: Dry roadsides, forest rock cress. Habitat: Roadsides, openings; low elevation, Dawson dry rocky areas; most of Yukon. and southward. Notes: Subspecies Notes: Similar species are the kluanensis is on the Yukon Watch Green Marble, with a darker List. Three other sulphurs have underside, and the Northern Marble, which is smaller. orange wings: Hecla Sulphur (alpine and north), Booth’s Sulphur Females have cream-colour hindwings. One generation each year. (north) and Canada Sulphur (all Yukon, early summer). All have one generation each year. ( ) Pacific Sara Orangetip Family Anthocharis sara Gossamer Wings Small; grey, brown, blue, metallic blue or copper. Size: Small to medium, 3.6 cm wingspan. Flight: Slow, fairly straight. Coppers, Subfamily Foodplants: Flowers and leaves Dorcas Copper of wild mustards, especially dorcas rock cress. Habitat: Roadsides, dry rocky areas, meadows. Size: Small, 2.3 cm wingspan. Notes: Females are pale yellow, Flight: Slow, short flights. with less orange wingtips than males. Only in the Annie Lake Foodplants: Marsh Cinquefoil. and Carcross to Atlin areas. One generation each year. Habitat: Wet spruce forest, bogs and other wetlands. Notes: Two other coppers occur: Sulphurs, Subfamily Coliadinae American Copper (in tundra) and Mariposa Copper (southern ). One generation each year. Clouded Sulphur underwings Colias philodice Hairstreaks, Subfamily Size: Medium, 4.5 cm wingspan. Hoary Elfin Flight: Fast, zigzag. polia Foodplants: and vetches. Habitat: Roadsides, meadows; Size: Small, 2.5 cm wingspan. throughout Yukon. Flight: Fast, short flights. Flies in Notes: There are three other early spring. Foodplants: Bearberry similar sulphurs with yellow wings: (Kinnikinnick). Habitat: Dry grassy the Giant Sulphur, Pelidne Sulphur, or rocky areas, dry forest openings. and Palaeno Sulphur. The Labrador Sulphur is smaller and Notes: There are two other elfins: a dusky greenish-yellow. One generation each year. Brown Elfin (dry forests and bogs throughout Yukon) and Western Pine Elfin( Rancheria to Watson Lake; dry pine forests). One generation each year. 8 9 Blues, Subfamily Northern Blue idas Western Tailed Blue Size: Small, 2.6 cm wingspan. amyntula Flight: Slow, low to the ground. Size: Small, 2.5 cm wingspan. Foodplants: Lupines and other Flight: Slow, low to the ground. legumes. Habitat: Forest clearings. Foodplants: Flowers of lupine, Notes: The only blue with a full vetch, wild pea. Habitat: Roadside, row of orange spots on the underside. meadows, open forest. One generation each year. Notes: This is the only blue with underwings tails on the hindwing. Males are blue above, females brown. Greenish Blue Plebejus saepiolus One generation each year. underwings Size: Small, 2.7 cm wingspan. Flight: Slow, low to the ground. Boreal Spring Azure Foodplants: Clover and other lucia legumes. Habitat: Roadsides, Size: Small, 2.6 cm wingspan. meadows. Notes: Cranberry Blue Flight: Slow, among shrubs. (bogs, wet open forest, Foodplants: Flowers of spring- tundra) and Arctic Blue flowering shrubs, such as Red- (dry rocky areas) are osier Dogwood and Bearberry. similar. One generation Populations using Labrado Tea each year. underwings as their foodplant have adults smaller, sootier colour on the underside. Habitat: Open forest, Brushfoots Family riparian areas. Notes: This is the first blue Small to large; grey, brown, orange-brown or black. to fly in the spring; has a sooty underside. One generation each year. underwings Fritillaries, Subfamily Argynninae Silvery Blue Mormon Fritillary lygdamus Speyeria mormonia Size: Size: Small, 2.6 cm wingspan. Medium, 4.7 cm wingspan. Flight: Flight: Slow, low to the ground. Slow to fast, zigzags. Foodplants: Foodplants: Lupines, vetch, Violets. Habitat: wild peas. Habitat: Roadsides, Open forest, meadows; meadows, open forest. low to high elevations. Notes: Notes: Female shown here; Subspecies bischoffii is males are entirely blue above, on the Yukon Watch List. with a metallic silvery shine. Northwestern Fritillary and Atlantis Fritillary One generation each year. (southeast Yukon only) are similar. underwings underwings One generation each year.

10 11 Polaris Fritillary Other fritillaries polaris There are 11 other fritillaries species found in Yukon, Size: Small to medium, distinguished by a combination of the details of pattern 4.0 cm wingspan. on the upperside and underside of the wings. Flight: Moderate, low to They can be very challenging to the ground. correctly identify. Foodplants: Mountain Avens, Bog . Habitat: Alpine and arctic tundra. Notes: Often takes two years to complete a generation. Abundant every year in alpine underwings Checkerspots & Crescents, Subfamily Melitaeinae tundra in Yukon. Field Crescent Phyciodes pulchellus (= P. pratensis) Freija Fritillary Size: Small to medium, Boloria freija 3.4 cm wingspan. Flight: Moderate, Size: Small to medium, close to the ground. 3.7 cm wingspan. Foodplants: Asters. Flight: Moderate, low to the ground. Habitat: Roadsides, meadows. Foodplants: Blueberry, bearberry. Notes: The Northern Crescent Habitat: Open pine forest, tundra, (very rare in Yukon) is similar, dry rocky meadows. but has more orange-brown Notes: This species flies very early in and less black on the upperside the summer, before similar species fly. underwings of the wings. One generation each year. One generation each year.

Anicia Checkerspot Dingy Fritillary Euphydryas anicia Boloria improba Size: Small to medium, Size: Small to medium, 3.8 cm wingspan. 3.5 cm wingspan. Flight: Fast, close to Flight: Moderate, very low the ground. to the ground. Foodplants: Apparently Foodplants: Dwarf Gorman’s Penstemon. including Net-veined Willow. Habitat: Dry grassland. Habitat: Moist tundra with dwarf, Notes: A similar species, prostrate willows. the Chalcedon Checkerspot, Notes: One of the first butterflies underwings is rarely seen but occurs from the Atlin Road west to Champagne; to fly in alpine tundra. it has blacker dark markings and whiter pale markings, One generation each year. and the foodplant is apparently Small-flowered Penstemon. One generation each year.

12 13 Anglewings, Tortoiseshells & Thistle Butterflies, Milbert’s Tortoiseshell Subfamily Melitaeinae Aglais milberti Size: Medium, 4.8 cm wingspan. Green Comma Flight: Fast, frequently on faunus dirt roads and alpine ridges in the south. Size: Medium, 4.7 cm wingspan. Foodplants: Stinging Nettle. Flight: Fast, erratic. Habitat: Open forests, meadows, Foodplants: Birch, willow, alder. riparian areas; all elevations in Habitat: Open forests, southern Yukon. Notes: Painted Ladies rests on dirt roads. and Red Admirals are rare migrants from Notes: One generation the south whose caterpillars also feed on Stinging Nettle, each year. The underside living in rolled leaves. Tortoiseshells can spend the winter of a female is shown as adults. One generation each year. above; the undersides underwings of males are more strongly patterned. Admirals, Subfamily Limenitidinae Mourning Cloak White Admiral Nymphalis antiopa Limenitis arthemis Size: Large, 6.1 cm wingspan. Size: Large, 6.2 cm wingspan. Flight: Fast, frequently Flight: Moderate, gliding. patrols a path. Foodplants: Aspen, poplar, willow. Foodplants: Willow, poplar. Habitat: Open aspen forests, Habitat: Forest openings, riparian areas. Notes: This is one riparian areas. of the largest and most strikingly Notes: This butterfly is considered coloured butterflies. The adults are to be one of the very few that occur across commonly seen feeding on old bones, all of Europe, Asia, and . Caterpillars are black dung, and fish offal. One generation each year. with a row of orangish or red spots down the back, are spiney, and live in large masses until nearly mature. They spend the winter as adults. Satyrs & Wood-Nymphs, Subfamily One generation each year. Banded Alpine fasciata Size: Medium, 4.3 cm wingspan. Other anglewings Flight: Fast, close to the ground. Foodplants: Sedges, perhaps cotton Four other anglewings and commas occur grass. Habitat: Wet alpine and arctic in Yukon. They are distinguished by details tundra. Notes: The Mt. McKinley of colour on the underside of the wings. Males and Alpine is the most similar, with the females also differ in the patterns on the underside of banding on the underside of the wings the wings. The Compton Tortoiseshell is also similar, but larger. indistinct. One generation each year.

14 15 Four-dotted Alpine Chryxus Arctic chryxus Size: Small to medium, Size: Medium, 4.5 cm wingspan. 4.0 cm wingspan. Flight: Fast, erratic. Flight: Moderate. Foodplants: Grass. Foodplants: Unknown, Habitat: Dry meadows, probably grasses or sedges. open pine forest; tundra, Habitat: Dry tundra with short, mostly in south and dense grass (such as frequently central Yukon. occurs along scree slope edges). Notes: Subspecies herscheli is Notes: One generation on the Yukon Track List. The Scree Alpine and the Reddish Alpine every two years. underwings are very similar. One generation each year.

Common Alpine Jutta Arctic Size: Medium, Size: Medium, 4.7 cm 4.1 cm wingspan. wingspan. Flight: Fast, Flight: Slow, low to the erratic; lands on tree trunks. ground. Foodplants: Grass. Foodplants: Sedges, possibly Habitat: Meadows, roadsides, cotton grass. Habitat: Black and forest openings. Spruce bogs, wet tundra. Notes: There are seven other Notes: One generation every species of alpines in Yukon, two years. underwings with distinguishing colour patterns on both sides of the wings. One of these is the Alpine, which is on the Yukon Watch List. One generation each year. Melissa Arctic Common Ringlet tullia Size: Medium, 4.8 cm wingspan. Flight: Fast, erratic. Size: Small to medium, Foodplants: Uncertain, possibly 3.3 cm wingspan. grasses and/or sedges. Flight: Slow, bouncing. Habitat: Dry alpine and arctic Foodplants: Grass. tundra. Notes: Subspecies Habitat: Low-elevation meadows atlinensis is on the Yukon to arctic and alpine tundra. Watch List, however, recent DNA Notes: No similar species. research indicates that the subspecies The Common Ringlet is a is unconfirmed. DNA studies indicate that there distinct species from the ringlets are at least three seperate species in Yukon of the rest of North America currently lumped under the name Melissa Arctic. (see Butterflies of ). One generation every two years One generation each year. underwings

16 17 Polixenes Arctic Moths Most Yukon moths are small and dull-coloured, and fly in dim Size: Medium, 4.6 cm light at night. Hence, we see few of them even though they wingspan. Flight: Fast, erratic. are more abundant than butterflies. Here are a few more Foodplants: Uncertain, possibly noticeable examples. grasses and/or sedges. Habitat: Alpine and arctic tundra. The large Gallium Sphinx flies rapidly and hovers in front of flowers Notes: Subspecies yukonensis to sip nectar. At first glance, they can be mistaken for humming- is on the Yukon Watch List. birds. The caterpillars are very large, smooth-skinned, and have This species prefers tundra, while a “horn” at the rear end. They come in black or green forms the extremely similar Philip’s Arctic is (turning brown just before they pupate), and feed on Fireweed. found in Black Spruce bogs. Recent DNA studies indicate there is more than one Gallium Sphinx, Gallium Sphinx, species in Yukon lumped under the name Hyles gallii caterpillar Polixenes Arctic. One generation each year. underwings

black form White-Veined Arctic Size: Medium, 4.7 cm wingspan. Flight: Fast, erratic. pre-pupal form Foodplants: Grasses, sedges. Hummingbird Moths, Hemaris Sylvan Foresters, Alpia langtoni, Habitat: Wet, hummocky alpine thysbe, look very much like bumble- (family Noctuidae), make a buzzing and arctic tundra. Less frequently bees and also hover at flowers sound with their wings as the males occurs at low elevations. to sip nectar. fly over meadows. Notes: One generation every two years. underwings

Clear-winged Sessiid, (family Sessiidae), Other arctics moths imitate wasps to avoid being eaten, and their caterpillars feed on the inside There are three other arctics: Philip’s Arctic of plant stems. (very similar to Polixenes Arctic; in wet Black Spruce forest), Sentinel Arctic (similar to the Chryxus Arctic, but only in the high mountains of the The Arctic Woolly Bear, caterpillar is possibly the most cold-hardy of all insects. north and the north coast) and Uhler’s Arctic (similar to the Found in northern Yukon, it survives freezing Chryxus Arctic but paler, in dry alpine tundra and the north coast). for up to 14 winters before pupating into a moth. 18 19 Checklist of Yukon Butterflies

Family Hesperiidae Large Marble Euchloe ausonides...... 8 Family Nymphalidae Oreas Comma Polygonia oreas** Skippers Green Marble Euchloe naina* Brushfoots Compton Tortoiseshell Northern Marble Euchloe creusa Nymphalis l-album* Pacific Orangetip Anthocharis sara*...... 8 Mourning Cloak Nymphalis antiopa...... 14 Subfamily Pyrginae Subfamily Argynninae Pyrgine Skippers Milbert’s Tortoiseshell Subfamily Coliadinae Fritillaries Aglais milberti*...... 15 Persius Duskywing Erynnis persius...... 5 Sulphurs Northwestern Fritillary Speyeria hesperis* Painted Lady Vanessa cardui Dreamy Duskywing Erynnis icelus Clouded Sulphur Colias philodice...... 8 Atlantis Fritillary Speyeria atlantis* [migrate from south] Grizzled Skipper Pyrgus centaureae...... 5 Christina Sulphur Colias christina...... 9 Mormon Fritillary Speyeria mormonia....11 Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta Subfamily Heteropterinae Hecla Sulphur Mountain Fritillary Boloria alaskensis [migrate from south] Intermediate Skippers Booth’s Sulphur * Bog Fritillary Boloria eunomia Subfamily Limenitidinae Canada Sulphur Colias canadensis Silver-bordered Fritillary Boloria selene* Arctic Skipper Carterocephalus palaemon....5 Admirals Labrador Sulphur Meadow Fritillary Boloria bellona* White Admiral Limenitis arthemis...... 15 Subfamily Hesperiinae Giant Sulphur Colias gigantea Frigga Fritillary Boloria frigga Branded Skippers Pelidne Sulphur Colias pelidne* Dingy Fritillary Boloria improba...... 12 Subfamily Satyrinae Common Branded Skipper Palaeno Sulphur Colias palaeno Pacific Fritillary Boloria epithore* Satyrs & Wood-Nymphs Polaris Fritillary Boloria polaris...... 12 Hesperia comma...... 6 Common Ringlet Coenonympha tullia....16 Freija Fritillary Boloria freija...... 12 Draco Skipper draco Family Lycaenidae Ross’s Alpine Beringian Fritillary Boloria natazhati* Disa Alpine Erebia disa* Gossamer Wings Astarte Fritillary Boloria astarte Taiga Alpine Family Papilionidae Arctic Fritillary Swallowtails & Appollos Subfamily Lycaeninae Mt. Mckinley Alpine Coppers Subfamily Melitaeinae Erebia mackinleyensis Subfamily Parnassiinae American Copper Lycaena phlaeas Checkerspots & Crescents Banded Alpine ...... 15 Parnassians Dorcas Copper ...... 9 Northern Crescent Phyciodes cocyta Red-disked Alpine Eversmann’s Parnassian Mariposa Copper * Field Crescent Phyciodes pulchellus*.....13 Mountain Alpine Erebia pawloskii ...... 6 Four-dotted Alpine Erebia youngi...... 16 Anicia Checkerspot Phoebus Parnassian * Subfamily Theclinae Euphydryas anicia...... 13 Scree Alpine Erebia occulta* Rocky Mountain Parnassian Hairstreaks Chalcedon Checkerspot Reddish Alpine Erebia lafontainei Parnassius smintheus...... 6 Brown Elfin Callophrys augustinus* Euphydryas chalcedona* Common Alpine Erebia epipsodea...... 16 Hoary Elfin Callophrys polia...... 9 Chryxus Arctic ...... 17 Subfamily Papilioninae Western Pine Elfin Callophrys eryphon* Subfamily Uhler’s Arctic Swallowtails Anglewings, Tortoiseshells, White-Veined Arctic Oeneis bore...... 18 Old World Swallowtail Papilio machaon Subfamily Polyommatinae & Thistle Butterflies Jutta Arctic Oeneis jutta...... 17 Canadian Tiger Swallowtail  Blues Satyr Comma Polygonia ** Melissa Arctic Oeneis melissa...... 17 Papilio canadensis...... 7 Western Tailed Blue Cupido amyntula...10 Green Comma ...... 14 Polixenes Arctic Oeneis polixenes...... 18 Boreal Spring Azure Celastrina lucia.....10 Hoary Comma Polygonia gracilis Philip’s Arctic Oeneis philipi* Family Pieridae Silvery Blue Glaucopsyche lygdamus...... 10 Grey Comma * Sentinel Arctic Oeneis alpina* Whites & Sulphurs Northern Blue Plebejus idas...... 11 Greenish Blue Plebejus saepiolus...... 11 Scientific names generally follow Butterflies of Canada Subfamily Pierinae Cranberry Blue Vacciniina optilete (Layberry et al 1998) for consistency. Arctic Blue glandon Whites, Marbles & Orangetips * indicates species of possible conservation concern within Yukon Spring White Pontia sisymbrii*...... 7 **reported but unconfirmed Western White Pontia occidentalis...... 7 Arctic White Pieris angelika...... 7 Margined White * Collecting butterflies may Mustard White  require a permit from federal and * territorial government agencies. If you suspect illegal activity related to butterflies or other wildlife, please call the Turn in Poachers & Polluters (T. I . P. P.) Hotline at 1-800-661-0525. 20 21 Keno City butterflies

In the late 1990s, residents of Keno City, Yukon noticed an increasing number of visitors using old mining roads to access the alpine and collect butterflies. The mountains around Keno are one of the few places to easily find alpine Beringian butterflies, and collectors were travelling from all over the world to visit the site.

Concerned for the health of the unique butterfly populations, the tiny community rallied and with the support of the Northern Research Institute and Community Development Fund, hired local residents to study the butterflies of Keno and better understand their behaviours.

In 2001 the Alpine Interpretive Centre was opened in Keno City, teaching visitors about butterflies and other alpine wildlife. With this information, visitors are able to appreciate the beauty of the alpine without damaging the fragile habitat or disturbing the plants and that live there.

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