Butterflies in El Dorado County, California

From trips to Traverse Creek, Iron Mountain Road, Carson Pass, and Wrights Lake, plus a few from the Yosemite area. Even if a photo was taken elsewhere, all of these species are listed as flying in El Dorado County. I will add that some are easily found, and some seem to avoid showing up anywhere near where I go looking. I try to visit different habitats but I see lots of the same characters and am stumped by how I'm missing so many? But I think that's part of the fun; If you could go to a butterfly zoo and see everything at once, that would take away the fun of finding the unexpected. At least that's what I’m currently telling myself.

Identifications were made with what I think is the best butterfly book for our area: Butterflies through Binoculars.

Five groups: Skippers | Brushfoots | Gossamer Wings | True Butterflies | White or Yellow

Click the thumbnail to see a larger image; √=identification verified by Arthur Shapiro, and all scientific name links go to the appropriate page on his website when possible, else to ButterfliesandMoths.com.

Hesperidae (Skippers)

Fiery Skipper
Hylephila phyleus
√ Fiery Skipper
Hylephila phyleus
√ Common Checkered Skipper (m)
Pyrgus communis
√ Common Checkered Skipper (f)
Pyrgus communis
√ Mournful Dusky-Wing
Erynnis tristis
Mournful Dusky-Wing
Erynnis tristis
√ Propertius Dusky-Wing
Erynnis propertius
√ Woodland Skipper
Ochlodes sylvanoides
Juba Skipper
Hesperia juba
 

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Nyphalidae (Brushfoots)

Hoary Comma
Polygonia gracilis
at Carson Pass
Hoary Comma (side)
Polygonia gracilis
at Carson Pass
Mylitta Crescent
Phyciodes mylitta
Mylitta Crescent
Phyciodes mylitta
√ Hoffman’s Checkerspot
Chlosyne hoffmanni
Hoffman’s Checkerspot
Chlosyne hoffmanni
√ Northern Checkerspot
Chlosyne palla
Variable Checkerspot
Euphydryas calcedona
√ Great Basin Fritillary
Speyeria egleis
√ Great Basin Fritillary
Speyeria egleis
√ Zerene Fritillary
Speyeria zerene
√ Atlantis Fritillary
Speyeria atlantis irene
Hydaspe Fritillary
Speyeria hydaspe
Hydaspe Fritillary
Speyeria hydaspe
Mormon Fritillary
Speyeria mormonia
Calippe Speyeria
Speyeria callippe juba
California Tortoiseshell
Nymphalis californica
California Tortoiseshell
Nymphalis californica
√ Lorquin's Admiral
Limenitis lorquini
√ Lorquin's Admiral (side)
Limenitis lorquini
√ Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui
Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui
California Sister
Adelpha bredowii californica
California Sister
Adelpha bredowii californica
California Buckeye
Junonia coenia
California Buckeye
Junonia coenia
Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa
Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa
√ American Lady
Vanessa virginiensis
√ American Lady
Vanessa virginiensis
Ox-Eyed Satyr
Cercyonis pegala boopis
Great Basin Wood-Nymph
Cercyonis sthenele silvestris
West Coast Lady
Vanessa annabella
Monarch
Danaus plexippus
Photo by Tom Lee

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Lycaenidae (Gossamer-Wing Butterflies)

√ Anna's Northern Blue (m)
Lycaeides idas anna
√ Anna's Northern Blue (m)
Lycaeides idas anna
√ Anna's Northern Blue (f)
Lycaeides idas anna
√ Boisduval's Blue (m)
Plebejus icarioides
√ Boisduval's Blue (f)
Plebejus icarioides
Dotted Blue (f)
Euphilotes enoptes
√ Acmon Blue
Plebejus acmon
Acmon Blue (f)
Plebejus acmon
photo by Ken Meadows
Dotted Blue (f)
Euphilotes enoptes
Silvery Blue
Glaucopsyche lygdamus
√ Lupine Blue (f)
Plebejus lupini
Lupine Blue (m)
Plebejus lupini
Lilac-bordered Copper (f)
Lycaena nivalis
Lilac-bordered Copper
Lycaena nivalis
√ Ruddy Copper (f)
Lycaena rubidus
Ruddy Copper Side
Lycaena rubidus
√ Edith's Coppers
Lycaena editha
√ Tailed Copper
Lycaena arota arota
Lustrous Coppers (M, top, F, lower)
Lycaena cupreus
√ Greenish Blue
Plebejus saepiolus
√ Arctic Blue (f)
Agriades glandon
Sonoran Blue (m)
Philotes sonorensis
Sonoran Blue (f)
Philotes sonorensis
√ Spring Azure (f)
Celastrina ladon echo
√ Spring Azure
Celastrina ladon echo
√ Gray Hairstreak
Strymon melinus
√ Nelson's Hairstreak
Mitoura gryneus nelsoni
Western Brown Elfin
Incisalia augustinus iroides
Western Brown Elfin variation
Incisalia augustinus iroides
(Note darker copperish hind wing)
Bramble Hairstreak
Callophrys dumetorum
Western Pine Elfin
Incisalia eryphon
Sepia Hairstreak
Satyrium saepium

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Papilionidae (True Butterflies)

√ Clodius Parnassian
Parnassius clodius
√ Clodius Parnassian
Parnassius clodius
Pipevine Swallowtail (f)
Battus philenor
dependent on California pipevine.
Pipevine Swallowtail (f)
Battus philenor
Females have white spots on the lower edge of the forewing.
√ Anise Swallowtail
Papilio zelicaon
√ Anise Swallowtail
Papilio zelicaon
√ Western Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio rutulus
Pale Swallowtail
Papilio eurymedon

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Pieridae (White or Yellow Butterflies)

Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme (m)
Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme
√ Pine White
Neophasia menapia
caught by a crab spider.
√ Pine White
Neophasia menapia
Cabbage White (f)
Pieris rapae
Western White
Pontia occidentalis
Spring White
Pontia sisymbrii
Checkered White (f)
Pontia protodice
Sara Orange-tip
Anthocharis sara sara
 

...and I continue looking for more.

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