A Comprehensive Annotated List of the Butterflies
Lostwood NWR 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: 29 Jul 1995, Unit 3c on transect L001, also north of transect L001 during checklist counting, also Unit 3c. 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: One brood, late June through July References: Royer 47, Opler & Krizek 84, Scott 388 Confirmed occurrences: 5 Jul 1995, Unit 7 in ditch south of entrance; 7 & 18 Jul 1996 on transect L002 near wetland. 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: 20 & 21 Jun 1995, Unit 3c on transect L001; 5 Jul 1995, Unit 3c on transect L001. 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 in 1995 at Lostwood NWR, but encountered both 1 & 13 Aug 1996 on transect L002. 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 in 1995 at Lostwood NWR, but possible in fresh meadows near Salix spp. in late June and July. Striped Hairstreak Satyrium liparops (LeConte), 1833 Habitat: Oak woodlands, wooded breaks or thickets that include Amalanchier, Prunus, Crataegus; especially fond of Melilotus alba, Gypsophila blooms Larval food: Rosaceae, incl. Prunus, Crataegus, Amalanchier, etc. Adult flight: One brood, late June, July References: Royer 52, Opler & Krizek 94, Scott 362 Confirmed occurrences: 29 Jul 1995, northern border of Unit 10, 2.5 miles west of tower, in Prunus clump. 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 in 1995 or 1996 at Lostwood NWR, but possible in brushy areas throughout the summer. Western Tailed Blue Everes amyntula (Boisduval), 1852 Habitat: Humid, wooded areas with legumes, western ND Larval food: Many legumes, incl. Astragalus, Oxytropis, Trifolium Adult flight: Two broods, June and August (usually a smaller 2nd brood) References: Royer 55, Ferris & Brown 219, Scott 396 Confirmed occurrences: Not recorded in 1995 or 1996 at Lostwood NWR, but on record for Burke County (Royer, 13 Jun 1987), and possible in vicinity of wetlands or aspen stands. Spring Azure Celastrina argioilus Linnaeus, 1758 Habitat: Most often associated with Amalanchier 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 in 1995 or 1996 at Lostwood NWR, but on record for Burke County (Royer, 13 Jun 1987); could occur in wooded draws around Lower Lostwood Lake or elsewhere near Prunus or Amelanchier stands. 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: First record for Burke County was 29 May 1987 (Royer); confirmed for Lostwood NWR 31 May 1995, Unit 24 (Lower Lostwood Lake); 10 Jun 1995, Unit 16 and Unit 17 near aspen grove. 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: First record for Burke County was 29 May 1987 (Royer); confirmed for Lostwood NWR 20 Jun 1995, Unit 3c on transect L001; 5 Jul 1995, Unit 7 near entrance, Unit 3c north of transect L001, Unit 7 near entrance; 18 Jul 1996 on transect L001. Saepiolus Blue Plebejus saepiolus (Boisduval), 1852 Habitat: Wooded clearings or moist meadows Larval food: Trifolium spp. exclusively Adult flight: One protracted brood, mid-June through July References: Royer 57, Ferris & Brown 204, Scott 408 Confirmed occurrences: First records for Burke County were 29 May and 13 Jun 1987 (Royer); confirmed for Lostwood NWR 10 Jun 1995, when "swarming" in unit 3c along road at puddles and in wetland area north of transect L001, and also found in Unit 16 and Unit 17 near aspen stand; 17 & 27 Jun 1996 on both transects. Rustic Blue Agriades rusticus (W. H. Edwards), 1865 Habitat: Native prairie, especially where there are abundant forbs Larval food: Unknown in ND; Androsace septentrionalis is most commonly cited elsewhere, and Astragalus, Saxifraga, Vaccinium etc., are often also named as hosts or oviposition sites Adult flight: Only one brood confirmed, Late May and June References: Royer 59, Ferris & Brown 208, Scott 411 Confirmed occurrences: 21 Jun 1995, Unit 5b west of road to transect L001 area -- second state record for this species; again confirmed on 17 & 27 Jun 1996 on transect L002.
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