A Comprehensive Annotated List of the Butterflies
Chase Lake Butterfly Survey
The Gossamer Wings
Great Copper Gaeides xanthoides (Boisduval), 1852 Habitat: Prairie meadows, ditches, disturbed areas Larval food: Rumex obtusifolius Adult flight: One brood, late June through July References: Royer 47, Opler & Krizek 83, Scott 391 Confirmed occurrences: Not recorded at Chase Lake Complex in 1995, but one worn male on transect CL001 on 9 Aug 1996. Bronze Copper Hyllolycaena hyllus (Cramer), 1775 Habitat: Open wet meadows with Polygonum or Rumex, pond margins, marshes, usually with neutral to alkaline soil pH Larval food: Rumex crispus, R. obiculatus, Polygonum spp. Adult flight: Two broods, June and August References: Royer 47, Opler & Krizek 84, Scott 388 Confirmed occurrences: 27 Jun 1995 in NE 1/4 S4 T142N R69W. Purplish Copper Epidemia helloides (Boisduval), 1852 Habitat: Wastelands, wet ditches, open fields; a vagile species Larval food: Rumex spp., Polygonum spp. Adult flight: Two broods, June and August References: Royer 49, Opler & Krizek 86, Scott 389 Confirmed occurrences: 27 Jun 1995 NE 1/4 S4 T142N R69W. Coral Hairstreak Harkenclenus titus (Fabricius), 1793 Habitat: Scrub, esp. with Prunus, Crataegus and Asclepias Larval food: Prunus spp. Adult flight: One brood, July into August References: Royer 50, Opler & Krizek 89, Scott 360 Confirmed occurrences: Not recorded at Chase Lake Complex in 1995, but possible in Prunus/Amelanchier thickets from late June through August. Acadian Hairstreak Satyrium acadicum (Fabricius), 1793 Habitat: Willow scrub in moist areas Larval food: Salix spp. Adult flight: One brood, late June, July References: Royer 50, Opler & Krizek 90, Scott 361 Confirmed occurrences: Not recorded at Chase Lake Complex in 1995, but possible in moist areas with willows from late June throughout July. Striped Hairstreak Satyrium liparops (LeConte), 1833 Habitat: Oak woodlands, wooded breaks or thickets that include Amelanchier, Prunus, Crataegus; especially fond of Melilotus alba, Gypsophila blooms Larval food: Rosaceae, incl. Prunus, Crataegus, Amelanchier, etc. Adult flight: One brood, late June, July References: Royer 52, Opler & Krizek 94, Scott 362 Confirmed occurrences: Not recorded at Chase Lake Complex in 1995, but possible in Prunus/Amelanchier thickets from late June throughout July. Gray Hairstreak Strymon melinus Hübner, 1818 Habitat: Brushy, weedy disturbed open areas; occasional Larval food: Widely varied, incl. Astragalus, Polygonum, Malva Adult flight: Two or three broods, May, July, September References: Royer 54, Ferris & Brown 264, Scott 383 Confirmed occurrences: Not recorded at Chase Lake Complex in 1995, but possible anywhere from mid-summer onward. Spring Azure Celastrina argiolus Linnaeus, 1758 Habitat: Most often associated with Amelanchier blooms in spring, Cornus in summer Larval food: Prunus in west; Cornus, Viburnum, etc. in north and east. This is actually a complex of sibling species the systematics of which are currently being worked out. We probably have two species in ND, differentiated by their larval hosts. Adult flight: The eastern taxon is bivoltine, flying in May and again in July; the western taxon is univoltine, flying only in May. References: Royer 56, Ferris & Brown 221, Opler & Krizek 116, Scott 396 Confirmed occurrences: Not recorded at Chase Lake Complex in 1995, but possible in Prunus areas in May. Silvery Blue Glaucopsyche lygdamus (Doubleday), 1841 Habitat: Open areas in or near woodlands Larval food: Legumes, incl. Lupinus, Astragalus, Hedysarum Adult flight: Widespread, late May through June, one brood only References: Royer 56, Opler & Krizek 119, Scott 399 Confirmed occurrences: 6 Jun, 14 Jun and 27 Jun 1995 along west shore of Lake Louise in NW 1/4 S10 T142N R69W. Melissa Blue Lycaeides melissa (Doubleday), 1841 Habitat: Open prairies Larval food: Legumes, incl. Lupinus, Astragalus, Oxytropis, Glycyrrhiza Adult flight: Two broods, June and August References: Royer 56, Ferris & Brown 202, Scott 407 Confirmed occurrences: Abundant throughout the complex from 14 Jun through 3 Jul 1995, with a second brood evident on 15 Aug 1995; uncommon but present throughout 1996 season on both transects.
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