Whenever I walk on this road that supplies access to Trestle Creek and Parker Creek Falls I always find something new to photograph.
The road is east of Cottage Grove and starts where a bridge crosses Brice Creek at the East Brice / Champion Creek trailhead.
Data Sources:
National Audobon Society Field Guide to the Pacific Northwest;
National Audobon Society Field Guide to North American Butterflies
Lepidoptera of the Pacific Northwest
BAMONA
Recent additions/editions:
Pacific Spiketail Dragonfly
Anise Swallowtail Butterfly
Grape Leafholder Moth
Sunshine highlighting maples in mid-October
Catalogued the following - so far:
33 butterflies (3 fritillaries, 2 checkerspots, 5 skippers, 2 eyespots, 3 swallowtails, 3 hairstreaks, 2 angle-wings, 5 whites, 2 coppers, 1 blue),
10 moths, 2 caterpillars, 1 beetle, 6 dragonflies, 17 plants and one very interesting fungus
Mylitta Crescentspot Butterfly ♂ ♀ (Phyciodes mylitta) - May/September
Mylitta Crescentspot on Daisy, July 5.2MB 720p 6.5 sec
Edith's Copper Butterfly ♂ (Gaeides editha) - August
Plant: pearly everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea)
This copper distinguishes itself from the others by its mottled or unfocused dots in the ventral view.
Tailed Copper Butterfly ♂ (Lycaena arota) - July
Tailed Copper riding the wind, August 2.4MB 720p 10 sec MP4
Lupine Blue Butterfly ♀ (Icaricia lupini)- July
Annaphila diva Moth - May: ID by Pacific NW Moths
Plant: candy flower (Claytonia sibirica)
Annaphila diva Moth on Candy Flower, May 1MB 720p 6sec
I nickname this one "Tilde Moth" due to the curved black mark in the white area of its wing. Appears candy flower is its favorite nectar source.
Enchoria lacteata Moth - April: ID by BAMONA
Plant: milkmaids (Cardamine californica)
Eupithecia rotundopuncta Moth - May: ID by BAMONA
The black asphalt road surface makes a fine camouflage for this moth.
Thallophaga taylorata Moth - June: ID by BAMONA
Pale Glyph Moth (Protodeltote albidula) - July: ID by BAMONA
White-striped Black Moth (Trichodezia albovittata) - July: ID by BAMONA
Trichodezia californiata Moth - July: ID by BAMONA
Three narrow stripes vs one wide stripe for the one above.
'Wild Forget-me-not' moth (Gnophaela latipennis) - June: ID by BAMONA
Grape Leafholder moth (Desmia) - June
Unknown if this is D. funeralis or D. maculalis. Photograph of the underside would be needed to fully ID this moth.
Garden Tiger Moth caterpillar (Arctia caja) - May
Isabella Tiger Moth and caterpillar (Pyrrharctia isabella) - July and September: ID by BAMONA
aka woolly bear caterpillar
Caterpillar is sauntering along left to right
Western Meadow Fritillary Butterfly (Boloria epithora chermocki) - June
Plant: bird's foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)
Western Meadow Fritillary Butterfly on common bird's foot trefoil, June 2MB 720p 8 sec
Hydaspe Fritillary Butterfly (Speyeria hydaspe) - August
Plant: woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca)
Hydaspe Fritillary Butterfly on Hairy Cats's-ear, June 5.7MB 540p 6.3 sec
Zerene Fritillary Butterfly (Speyeria zerene) - August: ID by BAMONA
Zerene Fritillary Butterfly on Pearly Everlasting, August 4.2MB 540p 8 sec
Faunus Anglewing Butterfly (Polygonia faunus) - July
aka Green Comma
California Tortoiseshell Butterfly (Nymphalis californica) - September
California Tortoiseshells fluttering around, Sept 6.2MB 540p 12 sec
Get some pollen on you and it's good odds one of these will land on you
Well-camouflaged butterflies - they look like dead leaves with wings in ventral position
Blue and Yellow (discolor) forget-me-not (Myosotis discolor) - May
Menzie's Larkspur (Delphinium menziesii) - May
These are poisonous (skin irritant).
Clodius Parnassian Butterfly (Parnassius clodius) - July
Clodius Parnassian and Woodland Skipper, August 1.8MB 720p 7 sec MP4
Plant: oxeye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare)
A variety of Flower Longhorn Beetle (TBD) tends to follow these butterflies to the best eats
Julia Orangetip Butterfly (Anthocharis julia) - June
Margined White Butterfly (Pieris marginalis - Scudder 1861) - July: ID by BAMONA
Veined White Butterfly (Artogeia napi) - June
Plant: oxeye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare)
Pine White Butterfly (Neophasia menapia) - August
Plant: pearly everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea)
Pine White and skippers, Aug 2.1MB 720p 10 sec
disappearing Pine White, Aug 3.8MB 720p 16 sec
Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) - June
These are poisonous (cardiac stimulant).
Western Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly (Papilio rutulus) - June
In flight and getting nectar from foxglove (no cardiac issues).
Battle - Tiger vs Pale swallowtail (Tiger won), July 10.4MB 720p 13.7 sec
I am bound and determined to get that nectar.
Pale Swallowtail Butterfly (Papilio eurymedon) - May
Nectar stop on Round-tooth Snake-lily (Dichelostemma multiflorum) and sunning itself on the road.
See the wing differences between it and its cousin above?
Pale swallowtail fluttering in a glade, July 6.7MB 720p 5.7 sec
Chasing a Pale swallowtail - and keeping up, July 9.1MB 720p 12.3 sec
Anise Swallowtail Butterfly (Papilio zelicaon) - July
Great Basin Wood Nymph Butterfly (Cercyonis sthenele) - August
Great Arctic Butterfly (Oeneis nevadensis) - July
Northern Checkerspot Butterfly (Chlosyne palla) - July
Plant: oxeye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare)
Northern Checkerspot Butterfly on Oxeye Daisy, July 1.1MB 720p 6 sec
Snowberry Checkerspot Butterfly (Euphydryas colon) - June
Snowberry Checkerspot Butterfly on Daisy, June 6.7MB 540p 7.3 sec
Snowberry Checkerspot on Hairy Cat's-ear, June 3.3MB, 702 x 420 6.8 sec
Snowberry Checkerspot on Daisy, June 3.6MB, 568 x 540 7.1 sec
Dual checkerspots in a duel for nectar
(seriously, they were dueling for that one blossum while other blossums are nearby)
Giant Blue-eyed Mary (Collinsia grandiflora) - May
Mourning Cloak Butterfly (Nymphalis antiopa) - April
Tolmie Star Tulip (Calochortus tolmiei) - May
California Sister Butterfly (Adelpha californica) - July
California Sister sauntering on basalt, July 3MB 540p 10.5 sec
. . . some guys attract flies . . .
You see a butterfly. Can you spot the grasshopper?
A California Sister can easily be confused with a Lorquin's Admiral (below) due to the admiralty stripes.
However, note the large area of orange on the forewings versus the Lorquin's Admiral narrower red border below.
Sunlight also highlights a blue-gray area on the Sister's forewings.
Lorquin's Admiral Butterfly (Limenitis lorquini) - July, August
Lorquin's Admiral Butterfly, June 1.8MB 403 x 395p 6.1 sec
Lorquin's with sticky feet, July 720p 3.4MB 10.7 sec
Trillium (Trillium ovatum) - April
Miner's Lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata) - May
Edible salad green
St.-John's-Wort (Hypericum perforatum) - July
aka Klamath Weed
Pearly Everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea) - July
Always the last blooming flower in this area into autumn
Western White Anemone (Anemone deltoidea) - May
Silver-spotted Skipper Butterfly (Epargyreus clarus) - June
Plant: oxeye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare)
Silver-spotted Skipper Butterfly, June 4.6MB 540p 5.1 sec
Woodland Skipper Butterfly (Ochlodes sylvanoides) - July
Plants: pearly everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea); hairy cats's-ear (Hypochaeris radicata)
surefooted Skipper on windy day, Aug 3MB 720p 8 sec
Arctic Skipper Butterfly (Carterocephalus palaemon) - May
Propertius Duskywing Skipper Butterfly (Erynnis propertius) - June ID by BAMONA
This butterfly appeared to be using the boulder's grey area as a camouflage for part of its wing. Eye test: I can make out a pair of eyes, nose with nostrils and an open mouth in the abdomen area.
Persius Duskywing Skipper Butterfly (Erynnis persius) - August
Persius Duskwing Skipper on Daisy, June 2.9MB, 539 x 531 8.3 sec
Western Branded Skipper Butterfly (Hesperia colorado) - June
Plant: oxeye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare)
Western Branded Skipper & Nelson's Hairstreak Butterfly - June
Unusual to have two different varieties of butterflies so near each other - one usually chases the other away.
Nelson's Hairstreak Butterfly (Callophryas nelsoni) - July
Plant: oxeye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare)
Nelson's Hairstreak Butterfly on Daisy, June 2.9MB 480p 7.4 sec
This butterfly is very easy to photograph - just move slowly towards them - they don't spook easily.
Golden Hairstreak Butterfly ♀ (Habrodais grunus) - August
Plant: pearly everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea)
Golden Hairstreak Butterfly on Daisy, June 2.6MB 480p 6.8 sec
Gray Hairstreak Butterfly (Strymon melinus) - August
Yellow Leaf Iris (Iris chrysophylla) - May
Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) - July
Turkey Tail Fungus (Trametes versicolor) - May
Downed tree limb has a fungus growing out of it. Fan shape is reminiscent of a turkey's tail.
Due to their mandibles being large - relative to their head - it could be presumed that dragonflies
can bite people or pets. They only have enough force to chew on small insects (e.g., mosquitoes).
If you're lucky enough to have one land on your shoulder no mosquito will bother you.
Eight-spotted skimmer dragonfly ♂ (Libellula forensis) - July
With the dragonfly between you and the sun the wings take on a photographic negative appearance.
Pacific Spiketail Dragonfly (Cordulegaster dorsalis) - July
Grappletail Dragonfly (Octogomphus specularis) - July
Black Petaltail Dragonfly ♂ (Tanypteryx hageni) - August
sitting on FR22 near the bridge over Brice Creek
Blue-eyed Darner Dragonfly (Aeshna multicolor) - July
Variegated Meadowhawk Dragonfly ♂ (Sympetrum corruptum) - September
Western Sculptured Pine Borer (Chalcophora angulicollis) - July
As the name implies, this is a beetle harmful to conifers.
When it flew towards me I swatted it down with my camera. Unknown if it was random chance or if they are aggressive.
