Watching Western Colorado Butterflies Dr. Warren H. “Herb” Wagner Why? • Enhance the outdoor experience • Intro to butterfly conservation • Fun Three Steps to Conservation Xerxes Society for Invertebrate Conservation 1) Identify the resources The butterflies Their larval host plants The adult food sources floral & other 2) Protect the resources The landscape & nectar, host plants 3) Enhance the resources Larval & adult host plants Gardens What are the threats? Invasive weeds Knapweeds, bindweed, cheatgrasses, spurges, … Large scale hot-burning fire More frequent, smaller fires not a threat People Serious collecting benefits long term conservation efforts A few rare species are threatened by over-collecting Habitat destruction is a real and serious threat to many butterfly populations Collecting Butterflies With proper labeling & care COLO Mesa Co • Indisputable historical records Black Ridge Rd • Essential for proper ID 6 Apr 1996 • Genetic records JA & RW Hammon • Fun! • Pretty Paonia Colo 7/23/1932 If you are going to use a field guide, this is the one Colorado Butterflies 289 Species West slope - > 200 species Gunnison County 159 species Mesa County 155 species • Skippers 36 species • Skippers 36 species • Swallowtails 6 species • Swallowtails 7 species • Lycaenids 40 species • Lycaenids 39 species • Pierids 20 species • Pierids 16 species • Metalmarks 1 species • Metalmarks 1 species • Nymphalids 56 species • Nymphalids 56 species Metamorphosis naturallycuriouswithmaryholland Lepidoptera = Scale wing The proboscis, clubbed antenna Moths Thread or featherlike antennae Wings held tentlike Nocturnal Not as colorful One-eyed sphinx Smerinthus cerisyi Gnophaela vermiculata, Police Car Moth Hemaris thetis, Clear-winged Sphinx Columbia silkmoth Hyalophora columbia Photographing Butterflies • The camera in hand when a butterfly lands is the best one you have • If you are serious about insect photography, get a SLR with 100 mm macro • Patience, calmly move slowly quickly, more patience • Learn the best flowers • Revisit sites The Swallowtails Papilionidae Tiger Swallowtails Larvae feed on cottonwood, willow aspen and many other trees & shrubs Two-tailed Swallowtail Larvae love green ash, chokecherry & other common urban trees The Pale (Pallid) Swallowtail Larvae feed on many plants in rose and buckthorn families Anise Swallowtail Larval hosts – Carrot family (Apiaceae) Anise Swallowtail yellow form Papilio zelicaon Rocky Mountain Parnassian Parnassius smintheus Host plant is Sedum, aka stonecrop Checkered White: Pontia protodice Pieridae: Whites & Sulfurs Becker's White: Pontia beckerii; Larval hosts are crucifers Spring White, Pontia sisymbrii Margined White Pieris marginalis Cabbage White: Pieris rapae Large Marble Euchloe ausonides Southwestern Orangetip: Anthocharis thoosa Sulfurs : Colias Colias eriphyle, western clouded Sulphur Host plant legumes, especially alfalfa Mead's Sulphur: Colias meadii Mead’s Sulfur: Colias meadii Lycaenidae: Gossamer Winged Butterflies Lustrous Copper aka Snow’s Copper: Lycaena cupreus Alpine sorrel: Rumex sp. Ruddy Copper , Lycaenea rubidus Blue copper Lycaena heteronea Host plants – buckwheat family (Polyganaceae) Tailed copper, Lycaena arota on AYC Colorado Hairstreak: Hypaurotis crysalus Host plant: Gambel’s oak Sheridan's Green Hairstreak: Callophrys sheridanii On Spring Beauty Claytonia sp. Larvae feed on buckwheats, often sulfur flower Juniper Hairstreak: Callophrys gryneus (= C. siva) Thicket Hairstreak: Callophrys spinetorum On: Fendlers Ceanothus, Ceanothus fendleri (left) Willow, Salix sp (below) Larvae feed on mistletoes parasitic on conifers Striped Hairstreak Satyrium liparops Gray Hairstreak: Strymon melinus Edwards Hairstreak Satyrium edwardsii Coral Hairstreak Satyrium titus Greenish Blue, Plebejus saepiolus Western Pygmy-Blue Brephidium exilis Boisduval's Blue: Plebejus icarioides Arctic Blue, Plebejus rustica Alpine Bistort, Bistorta vivipara Eastern Tailed-Blue: Cupido comyntas Northern Azure, Celastrina lucia Greenish blue, Plebejus saepiolus Marine Blue, Leptotes marina Melissa Blue :Plebejus melissa Spalding’s Dotted Blue: Euphilotes spalding[ Host plant: Eriogonum ovalifolium Hoary Elfin, Callophyrys polio Mormon Metalmark: Apodemia mormo Host plant : buckwheats Photos: Melissa Franklin Nymphalidae: Brush Footed Butterflies Silverspot Fritillaries: Speyeria Speyeria callipe Speyeria mormona eurynome Speyeria cybele charlottei Speyeria sp. on thistles Speyeria callipe Cerro Summit, July 7 2018 Silver spot frittilaries on showy milkweed Speyeria cybele charlottei The Lesser Fritillaries – Boloria sp Variegated Fritillary: Euptoieta claudia Anicia Checkerspot: Euphydryas anicia , Euphydryas anicia Rockslide aka Damoetas Checkerspot: Chlosyne whitneyi Sagebrush Checkerspot: Chlosyne acastus Easter Daisy Townsendia annua Pearl Crescent: Phyciodes tharos Bates’ Crescent: Phyciodes batesii field crescent Phyciodes pulchella Polygonia: Anglewings Comma: Polygonia comma Satyr Comma: Polygonia satyrus Hoary Comma: Polygonia gracicis zephyrus NymphalidaeMonarch:: Danainae Danaus plexippusMonarch: Danaus plexxipusDanaidaeHost plant = Nymphalidae:Danainae MIlkweeds Queen: Danaus gilippus Weidemeyer's Admiral:Limenitis weidemeyerii Admirals: Limenitis AKA Basilarchia Viceroy: Limenitis archippus White Admiral / Red Spotted Purple White Admiral: Limenitis arthemis Red-spotted Purple: Limenitis arthemis Hackberry butterfly: Asterocampa celtis Mourning Cloak: Nymphalis antiopa Larval host: Wilows & various trees Milbert's Tortoiseshell: Aglais (Nymphalis) milberti The first butterfly of spring, overwinters as adult, larvae feed on stinging nettle Avid hill topper, at top of every hill and mountain Stinging nettles Red Admiral: Vanessa atalanta Painted Lady: Vanessa cardui Painted Ladies Larval hosts: Composites West Coast Lady: Vanessa annabella Gray Buckeye: Junonia grisea Larval hosts are various scrophs & buckwheats Satyrs, Alpines, Arctics & Wood Nymphs Ringlets: Coenonympha tullia Nymphalidae: Satyrinae Larval hosts are “grasses” Wyoming Satyr: Neominois ridingsii Canyonland Satyr: Cyllopsis pertepida Little wood nymph, Cercyonis sthenele: Great Basin Wood-Nymph ????? small wood-nymph Cercyonis oetus Erigeron sp. Ringlets: Coenonympha tullia Common Ringlet Magdalena Alpine: Erebia magdalena Colorado Alpine Erebia callias Common Alpine aka Butlers Alpine Erebia epipsodea Arctics: Oeneis White-veined Arctic: Oeneis bore Polixenes Arctic: Oeneis polixenes ? Hesperia juba: Juba Skipper Checkered Skipper: Burnsius communis Juba skipper: Hesperia juba Thank You for joining us Questions? Email me: [email protected].