species is first described by modern science. modern by described first is species

Type Locality: The place on Earth where a a where Earth on place The Locality: Type T

Not Present Not Locally rare species rare Locally R Yerba Buena Island Buena Yerba 14. Herons Head Park Head Herons 7.

Federally listed endangered species endangered listed Federally E Abundant / Common

Present in low numbers low in Present adults as Overwinter *

Twin Peaks Twin 13. Golden Gate Park Gate Golden 6.

grasses, bermuda grass bermuda grasses, campestris Atalopedes Sachem

Presidio 12. Glen Canyon Glen 5. R

saltgrass sabuleti Polites Skipper Sandhill

R

Mt. Sutro Mt. 11. Candlestick Point Candlestick 4.

perennial grasses perennial sylvanoides Ochlodes Skipper Woodland

mallow family mallow communis Pyrgus Skipper Checkered Common

McLaren Park McLaren 10. Brotherhood Way Brotherhood 3.

bermuda grass bermuda melane Poanes Skipper Umber

Lands End Lands 9. Botanical Gardens Botanical 2. grasses phyleus Hylephilia Skipper Fiery

S S ER PP I SK The eriidae sp e H amily f –

Lake Merced Lake 8. Bayview Hill Bayview 1.

milkweeds plexippus Danaus * Monarch

grasses tullia Coenonympha Ringlet Common

passionvine vanillae Agraulis Fritillary Gulf

4 oaks bredowii Adelpha Sister California

R

3

plantains, bee plant bee plantains, coenia Junonia Buckeye Common

1

10

thistles mylitta Phyciodes Crescent Mylitta

T

aster complex aster campestris Phyciodes Crescent Field

8 ower, paintbrush ower, f monkey sticky chalcedona Euphydryas Checkerspot Variable

R

thistles, mallow family mallow thistles, cardui Vanessa * Lady Painted

pearly everlasting pearly virginiensis Vanessa * Lady Painted American

5

mallow family mallow annabella Vanessa * Lady Painted Coast West

7 nettles, pellitory nettles, atalanta Vanessa * Admiral Red

mints and nettles and mints satyrus Polygonia * Anglewing Satyr

ceanothus californica Nymphalis * Tortoiseshell California

13 willows antiopa Nymphalis * Cloak Mourning

11

ts oo f h us Br The halidae p ym N amily f –

2

6 mallow and pea families pea and mallow missionensis icariodes Pielcejus Blue Mission

E R T R E

coast buckwheat, deerweed buckwheat, coast melinus Strymon Hairstreak Gray

pickleweed, california sea blite sea california pickleweed, dumetorum Callophrys Hairstreak Green

R T R

pea family pea exile Brephidium * Blue Pygmy Western

R R

vetches comyntas Everes Blue Tailed Eastern

9

oaks, california buckeye, ceanothus buckeye, california oaks, amyntula Everes Blue Tailed Western

R

buckwheats, lotus buckwheats, ladon Celastrina Blue Echo or Azure Spring

12

deerweed, lupines, vetches lupines, deerweed, acmon Piebejus Blue Acmon

lupines lygdamus Glaucopsyche Blue Silvery

R

s e u Bl The aenidae c y L amily f –

14

pea family pea eurytheme Colias Sulphur Orange

mustard family mustard ausonides Euchloe Marble Large

mustard family mustard rapae Pieris White Cabbage

s e t Whi The amily Pieridae amily f –

dutchman’s pipevine dutchman’s philenor Battus Swallowtail Pipevine

in San Francisco San in R

willows, sycamore willows, rutulus Papilio Tiger Western

carrot family carrot zelicaon Papilio Swallowtail Anise

Butterflies See s ail wt allo w S The ilionidae p Pa amily f –

D N O S A J J M A M F J host plants host name scientific name common

abundance by month by abundance to Places Great Index Butterfly

In 2007 I set out to explore every possible the Skippers butterfly habitat in the city and county of Three most common (year-round): San Francisco to see which butterfly species remained. Having looked at the city’s historic Butterflies butterfly record, I saw that we were losing species diversity at an alarming rate. of San Francisco During my first year of surveying I realized that the first step in turning this tide is to Umber Skipper Iluustrations & Inventory by educate ourselves about this delicate fauna. You can start by using this guide to learn Liam O’Brien the names of the butterflies you see in your garden or local park. Once you start learning about San Francisco’s butterflies you will undoubtedly want to learn more! – Liam O’Brien

Nature in the City conserves and restores the Franciscan bioregion, its native plants, animals, Common Checkered Fiery Skipper and habitats, by connecting urban people with nature Skipper where they live. We hope you enjoy this very first Nature in the City brochure highlighting San Francisco’s natural history. Three less common (seasonal): Our city still harbors tremendous native biodiversity, but some of our butterfies’ habitats are seriously endangered. We need your help to save our city’s native wildlife, plants and the natural areas they inhabit. Contact the organizations below to help protect and restore nature in the city.

Nature in the City P.O. Box 170088 San Francisco, CA 94117 415-564-4107 Woodland Skipper Sachem (rare) www.natureinthecity.org

The Sandhill Skipper can be found at Crissy Field and A Publication of the southeast shoreline of Nature in the City the Bay. Sandhill Skipper

© 2009 Nature in the City, First Edition All species drawn to actual size.

If not noted, sexes are the same. Mylitta Crescent underwing

underwing

Painted Lady Field Crescent the American Rarely California sighted, the Sister Painted Lady California Sister Brushfoots lives along Lobos Creek (family Nymphaliidae) in the Presidio.

The Gulf Fritillary is well established in the Mission District near Monarchs overwinter Holly Park. in San Francisco. Two great places to observe Common Buckeye these butterflies are the community garden at Satyr Fort Mason and Rob Hill Anglewing in the Presidio.

underwing Monarch West Coast Painted Lady Gulf Fritillary

Variable Checkerspot the Red Admiral Satyrs summer (family Satyridae) form

The Variable Checkerspot— the most common native butterfly in California—was once widespread throughout the city. It is now spring limited to a single population form behind Laguna Honda reservoir. California California Angel Tortoiseshell Mourning Cloak

the Swallowtails the Whites the Blues (family Papilionidae) (family Pieridae) (family Lycaenidae)

The Pygmy Blue is the smallest butterfly in North The Anise Swallowtail is a strong America and flies hilltopper—a mate-locating along the SE bay behavior in which males congregate shoreline. on exposed hilltops and search Large for females. Western underwing Marble Pygmy Blue Silvery Blue The best place to see this strong flyer is braving the powerful gusts of wind on Twin Peaks.

Anise Swallowtail

Based on butterfly surveys, Mission Blue 2 red dots Eastern Tailed Blue Cabbage Whites are the most common butterflies You can find the in San Francisco. The Pipevine federally endangered Swallowtail is Mission Blue at the Twin Peaks Natural generally only found Cabbage at Yerba Buena Island Area. White and Lake Merced due to the rarity of its host plant, the Dutchman’s underwing 1 red dot Western Tailed Blue Pipevine

underwing the Echo Blue / Sulfurs Acmon underwing Spring Azure Pipevine Blue Swallowtail (family Pieridae)

spring form fall form The Western Swallowtail is the largest butterfly in San Francisco. It uses willow riparian the Hairstreaks habitat and in San Francisco it (family Lycaenidae) has adapted to use the London Plane Tree. It can now be See the Green Green Hairstreak seen floating down Hairstreak at one of its Market Street. last remaining habitats in white form the Presidio or in the Outer Sunset on Hawk Hill. Orange Sulfur

Western Tiger Swallowtail yellow form Gray Hairstreak underwing