Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
of Colorado National Monument
Paul A. Opler
Professor, Department of Bioagricultural Sciences and Pest Management
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, Colorado, 80523
Original survey by
Mike Weissmann
Subsequent intensive survey by
Acer, Bill, Liz, and Sage Rodgers
Additional fieldwork done by Paul Opler and Evi Buckner
Identifications by
Paul A. Opler
May 8, 2002
Species listed by in order of Hodges et al. 1983 Checklist numbers.
Moths
Family Eriocraniidae, eriocraniid leaf-miners
# Genus, species
Family Nepticulidae, serpentine leaf-miners
Stigmella undescribed species, on Gambel oak, Nothorofare Canyon
Stigmella undescribed species, on narrow-leafed cottonwood, residence
area
Family Tischeriidae, trumpet leaf-miners
Tischeria undescribed species, on Gambel oak, Nothorofare Canyon
Family Incurvariidae, yucca moths and relatives
Tegeticula species, yucca pollinator, Monument Canyon
# Genus, species
Family Heliozelidae, shield-beared leaf-miner
Coptodisca undescribed species, on Populus deltoides (Monument
Canyon) and Populus angustifolia (residence area).
Coptodisca undescribed species, on Serviceberry and Mountain-mahogany
(residence area).
Coptodisca quercicolella Braun, on Gambel oak, Nothorofare Canyon
Family Tineidae
Acrolophus variabilis
Amydra species
Family Gracillariidae, blotch miners
Cameraria undescribed species, on Gambel oak, Nothorofare Canyon
Cameraria? undescribed species, on serviceberry, Nothorofare Canyon
Cameraria species, on narrow-leaf cottonwood, HQ residence area
Family Oecophoridae
Ethmia discostrigella, mountain-mahogany ethmiid
Ethmia semitenebrella
Family Plutellidae
Plutella xylostella, diamondback moth, caterpillars eat plants in
Mustard family
Ypsolopha barbarella, common in spring
Family Gelechiidae
Chionodes species [2], reared from Gambel oak
# Genus, species [10-12]
Family Heliodinidae
Lithariapteryx abroniaeella, raised from mines collected on Mirabilis
near Visitor Center, first Colorado record since original description over
100 years ago
Family Cossidae, carpenter moths
Comadia bertholdi
# Genus, species
Family Tortricidae
Acleris gloverana
Eucosma bobana
Eucosma bucephaloides
Eucosma canariana
Eucosma gilletteana
Eucosma caniceps
Eucosma ridingsana
Eucosma griselda
Eucosma hazelana
Platynota labiosana
Synnoma lynosyrana, webs leaves of rabbitbrush, reared from caterpillars
collected in Saddlehorn Picnic Area
Butterflies
Family Hesperiidae, skippers
Erynnis telemachus - Rocky Mountain Duskywing
Erynnis horatius - Horace's Duskywing
Pyrgus communis (Grote) - Common Checkered-Skipper
Heliopetes ericetorum (Boisduval) - North White-Skipper
Hesperopsis alpheus (Edwards)
Hesperia colorado (L.) - Western Branded Skipper
Hesperia juba - Juba Skipper
Hesperia nevada (Scudder) - Nevada Skipper
Atrytonopsis vierecki (Skinner)
Megathymus yuccae - Giant Yucca Skipper
Family Papilionidae, swallowtails
Papilio machaon bairdii Edwards - Old World Swallowtail
Papilio indra minori Cross - Indra Swallowtail (type locality is
Black Ridge)
Papilio eurymedon Lucas - Pale Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio rutulus - Western Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio multicaudata Kirby - Two-tailed Swallowtail
Family Pieridae, Whites and sulphurs
Pieris rapae - Cabbage White
Pontia sisymbrii - Spring White
Pontia beckerii (Edwards) - Becker's White
Pontia protodice - Checkered White
Pontia occidentalis - Western White
Euchloe lotta - Lotta Marble
Anthocharis thoosa - Great Basin Orangetip
Colias eurytheme Boisduval - Orange Sulphur
Colias philodice Godart - Clouded Sulphur
Family Lycaenidae, Gossamer wings
*Hypaurotis crysalus - Colorado Hairstreak
Altides halesus - Great Purple Hairstreak
Callophrys comstocki - Desert Green-Hairstreak
Callophrys grynea siva (Edwards) - Juniper Hairstreak
Callophrys spinetorum (Hewitson) - Thicket Hairstreak
Strymon melinus - Gray Hairstreak
Brephidium exile - Western Pygmy-Blue (smallest butterfly in world,
seen laying eggs on Halogeton in CNM)
Everes amyntula (Boisdiuval) - Western Tailed Blue
Lycaeides melissa (Edwards) - Melissa Blue
Celastrina ladon (Cramer) - Spring Azure
Family Riodinidae, Metalmarks
Apodemia mormo Felder and Felder - Mormon Metalmark
Family Nymphalidae, Brushfoots
Thessalia fulvia (Edwards) - Fulvia Checkerspot
Chlosyne acastus (Edwards) - Sagebrush Checkerspot
Phyciodes pratensis (Behr) - Field Crescent
Phyciodes tharos (Drury) - Pearl Crescent
Euphydryas anicia (Doubleday) - Variable Checkerspot
Nymphalis antiopa (Hewitson) - Mourning Cloak
Limenitis weidemeyerii - Weidemeyer's Admiral
*Adelphia bredowii - California Sister
Cyllopsis pertepida dorothea (Nabokov) - Canyonland Satyr
Cercyonis sthenele (Boisduval) - Great Basin Wood Nymph
Danaus plexippus (Linnaeus) - Monarch
Danaus gilippus - Queen
More Moths
Family Pyralidae, pyralid moths
Albegesta concha
Chalcoela ?pegasalus
Crambinae, several species
Herculia species
Loxostege commixtalis, alfalfa webworm
Loxostege lepidalis
Nomophila nearctica
Peoria species
Phycitinae, 10+ species
Prorasea similalis,
Saucrobotys futilalis
Schoenobius species
Scoparia species
Family Pterophoridae, plume moths
# Genus, species [4+ species]
Family Geometridae, loopers, inchworm moths
Animomyia new species
Archirrhoe neomexicana
Chlorosea nevadaria
Cochisea barnesi
Dichorda rectaria
Drepanulatrix bifilata (Hulst)
Drepanulatrix carnearia
Drepanulatrix species
Eupithecia edna (Hulst)
Eupithecia multistrigata (Hulst)
Eupithecia nevadata
Eupithecia ornata (Hulst)
Gabriola minima
Glaucina denticularia
Glaucina dispersa
Glaucina gogolata
Glaucina interruptaria
Glaucina loxa
Glaucina nephos
Glena interpunctata
Glena quinquelinearia
Hesperumia sulphuraria
Hulstina aridata
Hydriomena species, raised from caterpillar collected on Gambel oak
Idaea species
Itame undescribed species
Itame colata (Grote)
Lobocleta species
Nacophora mexicanaria (Grote)
Nacophora species
Narraga fimetaria
Nemoria obliqua (Hulst)
Nemoria intensaria
Nepytia umbrosaria
Perizoma custodiata, one of commonest moths in monument
Pero meskaria
Pero occidentalis
Pero species [2-3 species]
Plataea trilinearia (Packard)
"Prochoerodes" truxaliata
Prorella albida (Cassino and Swett)
Prorella leucata (Hulst)
Prorella melissa complex
Prorella opinata (Pearsall)
Sabulodes dissimilis
Semiothisa atrofasciata (Packard)
Semiothisa californiaria
Semiothisa cinereola
Semiothisa colorata
Semiothisa curvata
Semiothisa delectata
Semiothisa excurvata (Packard)
Semiothisa irrorata
Semiothisa neptaria (Guenee)
Semiothisa pervolata
Semiothisa pictipennata
Semiothisa respersata
Semiothisa species
Sicya morsicaria
Somatolophia sp. #1
Somatolophia sp. #2
Stamnodes morrisata
Stamnodes tessellata
Stenoporpia dissonaria
Stergamataea inornata
Synaxis formosa
Synaxis species
Synchlora aerata
Yermoia perplexata
Zenophleps obscurata
Zenophleps sp.
Family Lasiocampidae, Tent caterpillar moths
Gloveria arizonensis Packard
Malacosoma californicum Packard
Malacosoma incurvum on cottonwood, including residence area
Tolype velleda, Nothorofare Canyon
Family Saturniidae, Silk moths
7724b. Coloradia pandora davisi Barnes and Benjamin, Nothorofare
Canyon, host-Pinyon pine
7738. Hemileuca neumoegeni Henry Edwards, Neumoegen's buckmoth
7742. Hemileuca magnifica (Rotger), Magnificent buckmoth, found in
Glade Park by Liz and Sage Rodgers, should be found in park. First record
outside of Animas Valley. Host- Big sagebrush
Hyalophora columbia gloveri Glover's silkmoth
Family Sphingidae, Hawkmoths
Sphinx chersis (Huebner) - Great ash sphinx
Sphinx dollii Neumoegen - Doll's sphinx
Pachysphinx occidentalis (Hy. Edwards) - Poplar sphinx
Hyles lineata Fabricius - White-lined sphinx
Manuca quinquemaculata - Tomato hornworm, 5-spotted hawkmoth
Family Notodontidae, Prominents
Datana perspicua Grote and Robinson
Furcula cinerea
Gluphisia septentrionalis
Nadata givvosa
Family Arctiidae, Tiger moths
Arachnis verna Barnes and McDunnough, Colorado Plateau arachnis,
Nothorofare Canyon, residence area
Bertholdia trigona
Bruceia pulverina Neumoegen
Crambidia casta
Crambidia impura
Cisthene barnesi
Cisthene unifascia, first Colorado record
Ectypia clio (Packard)
Grammia nevadensis complex, Nevada tiger moth, many hosts, esp. legumes,
2 broods
Grammia williamsi
Grammia undescribed
Hemihyalea edwardsii (Packard), Nothorofare Canyon
Holomelina fragilis
Hypercompe permaculata (Packard), Nothorofare Canyon
Hypoprepia cadaverosa
Hypoprepia inculta
Kodiosoma otero Barnes
Lycomorpha grotei (Packard), Nothorofare Canyon
Lycomorpha splendens Barnes and McDunnough
Spilosoma congrua
Family Noctuidae, Owlet moths
Abagrotis discoidalis
Abagrotis forbesi
Abagrotis glenni
Abagrotis nefascia
Abagrotis reedi
Abagrotis striata
Abagrotis trigona
Acontia areli
Acronycta lepusculina
Acronycta mansueta
Acronycta strigulata
Amphipyra brunneatra
Anagrapha falcifera
Apamea spaldingi
Ascalapha odorata - Black Witch Moth, West Entrance, this is a tropical
vagrant
Aseptis bultata
Aseptis characta
Asticta victoria
Catocala aholibah, Nothorofare Canyon, host Gambel oak
Catocala desdemona, Nothorofare Canyon, host Gambel oak
Catocala violenta, Nothorofare Canyon, host Gambel oak
Catocala verilliana
Catocala semirelicta/meskei
Cerapoda stylata
Cobubatha basicinerea
Conduca discistriga
Cryphia flavidior
Cucullia near cuculliodes, possible new species
Cucullia antipoda
Cucullia dorsalis
Cucullia basipuncta
Dicestra chartaria
Dicestra crotchi
Dicestra trifolii
Drasteria howlandi
Drasteria inepta (Henry Edwards)
Drasteria mirifica
Drasteria perplexa
Drasteria ?sabulosa
Egira
Engelhardtia ursina
Euagrotis exuberans
Euxoa annulipes
Euxoa albipennis
Euxoa atomaris
Euxoa auxiliaris
Euxoa bifascia
Euxoa catenula
Euxoa comosa
Euxoa cona
Euxoa edictalis
Euxoa hollemani
Euxoa luctuosa
Euxoa messoria
Euxoa mimallonis
Euxoa misturata
Euxoa pallidicollis
Euxoa plagigera
Euxoa pluralis
Euxoa setonia
Euxoa silens
Euxoa teleboa
Euxoa tronella
Hadena capsularis
Hadenella pergentilis
Heliothis phloxiphagus
Helicoverpa zea - Corn Earworm Moth
Hemibryomina chryselectra
Hemieuxoa rudens
Homoglaea carbonaria
Homoncocnemis fortis
Idia intensalis
Lacinipolia illaudibilis
Lacinipolia pensilis
Lacinipolia vittula
Litholomia napaea
Lithophane georgii
Lithophane longior
Luperina passer
Melipotis jucunda
Mesogona olivata
Nephelodes passer
Oncocnemis coprocolor, Troubridge and Crabo, description includes
paratype from Colorado National Monument
Oncocnemis hayesi
Onconemis levis
Oncocnemis nigrocaput
Oncocnemmis pernotata
Oncocnemis polingii
Oncocnemis undescribed species A
Oncocnemis undescribed species "riparia group"
Oncocnemis undescribed species
Paectes abrostola
Peridroma saucia
Platyperigea distincta
"Polia" noverca
"Polia" obscura
Ponometria sutrix
Prochloridea modesta
Protorthodes texana
Pseudaletia unipuncta (Haworth)
Pseudanarta crocea
Pseudanarta flava
Pseudanarta singula
Pseudorthosia variabilis
Raphia coloradensis
Renia hutsoni
Rhizagrotis cloanthoides
Rhizagrotis albalis (Grote)
Richia parentalis
Schinia acutilinea
Schinia argentifascia
Schinia ciliata
Schinia near cumatilis
Schinia obliqua
Schinia oleagina
Schinia sexplagiata?
Schinia tertia
Schinia undescribed species (near jaguarina)
Scotogramma submarina
Selicanis cinerea
Setagrotis radiola
Setagrotis vocalis
Spodoptera ornithogalli
Tarachidia semiflava
Tesagrotis atrifrons
Tesagrotis piscipellis
Therasea flavicosta
Tricholita chipeta
Trichoplusia ni
Triocnemis saporis
Ulolonche orbiculatus
Ulolonche species
Xestia species
Xylina cineritia
Zale colorado
We thank scientists who helped by identifying voucher specimens. T.D. Eichlin,
California Department of Agriculture, Sacramento [Sesiidae]; D.C. Ferguson,
Systemic Entomology Laboratory, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington,
D.C. [Geometridae]; C.D. Ferris, Laramie, Wyoming [Geometridae]; D. Hawks,
University of California, Riverside [Catocala], J.S. Lafontaine, Biosystematics
Research Institue, Agriculture Canada, Ottawa [Noctuidae]; and J.A. Powell,
California Insect Survey, University of California, Berkeley [Oecophoridae
and Tortricidae].
References
Hodges, R.W. et al., editors. 1983. Checklist of the Lepidoptera of America
North of Mexico. Wedge Entomological Research Foundation, Washington D.C.,
284 pp.
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