California/Nevada Butterflies Photo Gallery by Tom Murray at pbase.com

California/Nevada Butterflies

Western Branded Skipper - Hesperia colorado	Western Branded Skipper - Hesperia colorado	Lorquin's Admiral - Limenitis lorquini	Variable Checkerspot - Euphydryas chalcedona	Variable Checkerspot - Euphydryas chalcedona	Great Basin Juniper Hairstreak - Callophrys gryneus chalcosiva
California Hairstreak - Satyrium californica	Glaucon Blue - Euphilotes glaucon	Gray Hairstreak - Strymon melinus	Lupine Blue - Icaricia lupini	IMG_7169.JPG	IMG_7184.JPG
Tailed Copper - Lycaena arota	Boisduval's Blue - Plebejus icarioides	Hoary Comma - Polygonia gracilis	Great Basin Wood Nymph - Cercyonis sthenele	Pale Tiger Swallowtail - Papilio eurymedon	Variable Checkerspot - Euphydryas chalcedona
Great Basin Fritillary - Spereria egleis	Becker's White - Pontia beckerii	Becker's White - Pontia beckerii	Western Branded Skipper - Hesperia colorado	Nelson's Cedar Hairstreak - Callophrys gryneus nelsoni	Gorgon Copper - Lycaena gorgon
female Rural Skipper - Ochlodes agricola	California Hairstreak - Satyrium californica	Golden Hairstreak - Habrodais grunus	Gold-hunter's Hairstreak - Satyrium auretorum	Echo Azure - Celastrina echo	California Sister - Adelpha bredowii
California Hairstreak - Satyrium californica	Northern Checkerspot - Chlosyne palla	Lorquin's Admiral - Limenitis lorquini	male Clodius Parnassian - Parnassius clodius	male Clodius Parnassian - Parnassius clodius	Sierra Nevada Blue - Plebejus podarce
male Greenish Blue - Plebejus saepiolus	female Greenish Blue - Plebejus saepiolus	Nevada Cloudywing - Thorybes nevada	California Sister - Adelpha bredowii	California Sister - Adelpha bredowii	male Gorgon Copper - Lycaena gorgon
male Gorgon Copper - Lycaena gorgon	female Gorgon Copper - Lycaena gorgon	Common Ringlet - Coenonympha tullia	Propertius Duskywing - Erynnis propertius	Mexican Cloudywing - Thorybes mexicana	Field Crescent - Phyciodes campestris
Field Crescent - Phyciodes campestris	Dun Skipper - Euphyes vestris	Mariposa Copper - Lycaena mariposa	male Mariposa Copper - Lycaena mariposa	male Mariposa Copper - Lycaena mariposa	Echo Azure - Celastrina echo
Echo Azure - Celastrina echo	Hydaspe Fritillaries - Speyeria hydaspe	Field Crescent - Phyciodes campestris	male Edith's Copper - Lycaena editha	Greenish Blue - Plebejus saepiolus	Western Arctic Skipper - Carterocephalus skada
Sagebrush Sooty Hairstreak - Satyrium semiluna	Behr's Hairstreaks - Satyrium behrii	California Marble - Euchloe hyantis	Ruddy Copper - Lycaena rubida	female Clodius Parnassian - Parnassius clodius	female Clodius Parnassian with a mating plug - Parnassius clodius
Hoffman's Checkerspot - Chlosyne hoffmani	Hoffman's Checkerspot - Chlosyne hoffmani	Hoffman's Checkerspot - Chlosyne hoffmani and Northern Checkerspot - Chlosyne palla	Northern Checkerspot - Chlosyne palla	Brown Elfin - Callophrys augustinus	Two-banded Checkered Skipper - Pyrgus ruralis
Hedgerow Hairstreak - Satyrium saepium	California Tortoiseshell - Nymphalis californica	Two-banded Checkered Skipper - Pyrgus ruralis	Northern Checkerspot - Chlosyne palla	California Tortoiseshell - Nymphalis californica	California Tortoiseshell - Nymphalis californica
Northwestern Fritillary - Speyeria hesperis irene	Two-banded Checkered Skipper - Pyrgus ruralis	Pacuvius Duskywing - Erynnis pacuvius	Pacific Fritillary - Boloria epithore	Pacific Fritillaries - Boloria epithore	Coronis Fritillary - Speyeria coronis
Juba Skipper - Hesperia juba	Juba Skipper - Hesperia juba	Edith's Coppers - Lycaena editha	male Edith's Copper - Lycaena editha	female Edith's Copper - Lycaena editha	mating Brown Elfins - Callophrys augustinus
California Marble - Euchloe hyantis	Spring White - Pontia sisymbrii	Spring White - Pontia sisymbrii	Western - Papilio rutulus, and Pale Tiger Swallowtails - Papilio eurymedon	Glaucon Blue - Euphilotes glaucon	Lupine Blue - Plebejus lupini
Lupine Blue - Plebejus lupini	Western Pine Elfin - Callophrys eryphon	Anna Blue - Plebejus anna	Anna Blue - Plebejus anna	Pale Tiger Swallowtail - Papilio eurymedon	Stella Orangetip - Anthocharis stella
Propertius Duskywing - Erynnis propertius	Sheridan's Hairstreak - Callophrys sheridanii	Anise Swallowtail - Papilio zelicaon	male Western White - Pontia occidentalis	Indra Swallowtail - Papilio indra	Painted Lady - Vanessa cardui
Sonoran Skipper - Polites sonora	Large Marble - Euchloe ausonides	male Sonoran Skipper - Polites sonora	female Sonoran Skipper - Polites sonora	female Sonoran Skipper - Polites sonora	Mylitta Crescent - Phyciodes mylitta
Mylitta Crescent - Phyciodes mylitta	California Sister - Adelpha bredowii	female Purplish Copper - Lycaena helloides	Purplish Copper - Lycaena helloides	Propertius Duskywing - Erynnis propertius	Arrowhead Blue - Glaucophyche piasus
Common Ringlet - Coenonympha tullia	Sagebrush Sooty Hairstreak - Satyrium semiluna	Lupine Blue - Plebejus lupini?	Propertius Duskywing - Erynnis propertius	Pacuvius Duskywing - Erynnis pacuvius	male Western White - Pontia occidentalis
Stella Orangetip - Anthocharis stella	Spring White - Pontia sisymbrii	Juba Skipper - Hesperia juba	Lupine Blue - Plebejus lupini	Nevada Skipper - Hesperia nevada	Nevada Skipper - Hesperia nevada
male Ruddy Copper - Lycaena rubidus	Mourning Cloak - Nymphalis antiopa	Hoary Comma - Polygonia gracilis	Zerene Fritillary - Speyeria zerene	Propertius Duskywing - Erynnis propertius	Monarch - Danaus plexippus
Arrowhead Blue - Glaucophyche piasus	Arrowhead Blue - Glaucophyche piasus	Great Basin Fritillary - Argynnis egleis	Hedgerow Hairstreak - Satyrium saepium	Lupine Blue - Plebejus lupini	Great Basin Fritillary - Speyeria egleis
Lilac-bordered Copper - Lycaena nivalis	Great Basin Fritillary - Speyeria egleis	male Greenish Blue - Plebejus saepiolus	female Greenish Blue - Plebejus saepiolus	female Greenish Blue - Plebejus saepiolus	female Greenish Blue - Plebejus saepiolus
male Lilac-bordered Copper - Lycaena nivalis	Pacific Dotted Blue - Euphilotes enoptes	Field Crescent - Phyciodes campestris	Friday's Blue - Plebejus fridayi	Western Tailed-Blue - Cupido amyntula	Western Tailed-Blue - Cupido amyntula
Mexican Cloudywing - Thorybes mexicana	Boisduval's Blue - Plebejus icarioides	Silvery Blue - Glaucopsyche lygdamus	Arrowhead Blue - Glaucopsyche piasus	Arrowhead Blue - Glaucophyche piasus	Arrowhead Blue - Glaucophyche piasus
Boisduval's Blue - Plebejus icarioides	Boisduval's Blue - Plebejus icarioides	Clouded Sulphur - Colias philodice	Small Wood Nymph - Cercyonis oetus	female California Crescent - Phyciodes orseis	Mylitta Crescent - Phyciodes mylitta
Northern Checkerspot - Chlosyne palla	Northern Checkerspot - Chlosyne palla	Leanira Checkerspot - Thessalia leanira	Rita Blue - Euphilotes pallescens calneva	Rita Blue - Euphilotes pallescens calneva	West Coast Lady - Vanessa annabella
Checkered White - Pontia protodice	Boisduval's Blue - Plebejus icarioides	Acmon Blue - Plebejus acmon	Pacuvius Duskywing - Erynnis pacuvius	Northern White-Skipper - Heliopetes ericetorum	Great Basin Wood Nymph - Cercyonis sthenele
Great Copper - Lycaena xanthoides	male Great Copper - Lycaena xanthoides	Great Copper - Lycaena xanthoides	female Great Copper - Lycaena xanthoides	Veined Blue - Plebejus neurona	Veined Blue - Plebejus neurona
San Emigdio Blue - Plebejus emigdionis	Eufala Skipper - Lerodea eufala	Common Checkered-Skipper - Pyrgus communis	Sandhill Skipper - Polites sabuleti	Sandhill Skipper - Polites sabuleti	Checkered White - Pontia protodice
Checkered White - Pontia protodice	Common Branded Skipper - Hesperia comma	Lindsey's Skipper - Hesperia lindseyi	Lindsey's Skipper - Hesperia lindseyi	Edith's Checkerspot - Euphydryas editha	San Emigdio Blue - Plebejus emigdionis
San Emigdio Blue - Plebejus emigdionis	Western Pygmy-Blue - Brephidium exilis	Sandhill Skipper - Polites sabuleti	Alkali Skipper - Pseudocopaeodes eunus	Nelson's Cedar Hairstreak - Callophrys gryneus nelsoni	Nelson's Cedar Hairstreak - Callophrys gryneus nelsoni
California Common Ringlet - Coenonympha tullia	Sonoran Skipper - Polites sonora	Greenish Blue - Plebejus saepiolus	Purplish Copper (Lycaena helloides	California Sister - Adelpha bredowii californica	California Sister - Adelpha bredowii californica
Hedgerow Hairstreak - Satyrium saepium	Rural Skipper - Ochlodes agricola	Mountain Mahogany Hairstreak - Satyrium tetra	Gorgon Copper - Lycaena gorgon	IMG_5741.JPG	Acmon Blue - Icaricia acmon
mating Northern White-Skipper - Heliopetes ericetorum	Gorgon Copper - Lycaena gorgon	Hedgerow Hairstreak - Satyrium saepium	Sylvan Hairstreak - Satyrium sylvinus	Sylvan Hairstreak - Satyrium sylvinus	Behr's Mormon Metalmark - Apodemia mormo virgulti
Rural Skipper - Ochlodes agricola	California Hairstreak - Satyrium californica	Comstock Dotted Blue - Euphilotes glaucon comstocki	Sylvan Hairstreak - Satyrium sylvinus

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Dan Redmon		14-Sep-2018 17:43
I'd like to get a description of this butterfly for the Big Morongo Canyon Preserve. I hope you can open this photo. Dan Redmon

Guest		21-Apr-2015 11:35
Thanks for posting these. I had a some photos from Yosemite and couldn't find my Kaufman field guide last night so a Googled around and located my species (Nelson cedar hairstreak) ID'ed here. Very helpful. My photo had nowhere near the color of your two though so I appreciate the little guy/gal all the more now.

sdc		17-Aug-2014 20:06
GREAT site! Thank you for all the work!!! Still looking to identify a bright orange, almost red-orange butterfly that enjoyed my zinnias today. It kept its wings open while feeding, was almost the width of the Western Tiger Swallowtail, and had two distinctive white dots in black areas of the upper wings. Any ideas? We are in central CA. I did get a pic with my phone.

Guest		01-Jun-2014 18:36
Thanks so much for this.

elaine		30-Jun-2013 21:17
So lucky to find this site, was able to identify the California Sister today while hiking in the redwood forest near my home in San Jose, CA. There was a group of at least 10 of them fluttering about near a shallow stream among the Redwood, Bay Laurels and ferns. 6/13

Jo		08-Jul-2011 17:43
Thanks for your lovely photos. I was able to identify a Sonoran Skipper I saw today by looking at your collection. However, am I wrong in saying that what you have marked as a Common Branded Skipper is actually another Sonoran? They look the same to me.

Danielle		16-Sep-2010 04:06
California Sister - Is there a difference between the Male and Female. Today I found one in the parking lot of my daughters preschool. I picked it up gently and tried to release it into flower bushes but it couldn't fly. There is obviously something wrong with it's wing or wings. I have brought it home to care for it but don't know if I should expect it to lay eggs. Can you please help me identify if I have the male or female. It looks just like the ones pictured on your site, dark brown/black wings with orange dot at the top corners of both wings, white spatterings of color in a line down both wings. Thanks for your help.

polar bear		31-Dec-2009 01:25
very beautiful. i am looking for some sensitive species. this is the closest i've come to the subspecies i'm looking for. close but no cigar. thanks for sharing these, though!

cathy mallen		07-Oct-2009 02:19
Thank you for the fabulous collection of photos! Very useful and very beautiful! Cathy M.

Hillary Stoltz		03-Dec-2008 00:07
December 2, 2008 Just saw a Skipper nectaring on a purple verbena in Las Vegas. I think it was a male Sonoran, but it could very well have been a Nevadan Skipper (I only had a dorsal view and did not have binoculars with me). Went on several NABA counts this last summer with friends in Minnesota and learned a great deal about species in Minnesota, but this site is absolutely a treat and helps me a great deal. Magnificent photos--thanks so much for all your efforts. Wish there were more butterflies in Las Vegas!

Tom Murray		05-Aug-2008 00:36
Andy, when I was up at Sonora Pass a couple years ago, the California Tortoiseshells where streaming by at a rate of over 200 per minute in a 50 yard line of sight. There had to be 100's of thousands or more, just like what you saw.

Andy		04-Aug-2008 22:34
Last weekend(Aug 1-3, 2008) we hiked through a swarm of butterflies above Donner Lake near Truckee, California. There were millions of them. Upon drivng home on I-80 yesterday leaving Truckee towards Donner Pass we drove through another swarm of the same butterfly, about a mile from where we had been hiking the day before. From your pictures they look the most like the California Tortoiseshell but could be the Field Crescent or one of the Commas. Does anyone know their indentity?

Guest		11-Jul-2008 00:44
My daughter found a butterfly today and we were able to find out what kind it was thanks to your website. Thank you!

Mark		24-May-2008 20:21
I used to "hunt" (more like chase) butterflies as a kid in Whittier, CA. Full circle, 30 years later, my daughter and I checked out the butterflies I used to see as a kid. Nice work Thanks Tom

John Dicus		06-Apr-2008 00:34
I do appreciate a well-done butterfly gallery! Very nice work here, Tom.

nicolebouglouan		24-Aug-2007 19:28
Wonderful gallery with numerous excellent shots! Very nice series of Butterflies! Very well done!

Hartmut Wisch		02-Jul-2007 18:04
A very impressive assortment of butterflies!

Hans Bister		01-Sep-2006 05:17
Excellent pictures. Interesting to see that many of the butterflies are the same in Europe.

Chris P.		30-Aug-2006 21:43
Fantistic Gallery. Great photos that really show the individual species. Thanks for posting. GMV too!

Linda F.		10-Aug-2006 17:16
I saw some beautiful little butterflies last Sat. along the Merced River near Hatfield Park in Stanislaus Co., CA. I think they were purplish coppers, but the prettiest ones were bright orange and black with no purple (females?). They were more colorful than any pictures I've found. What do you think?

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