|
Butterflies of Kern County, California
Alison Sheehey and
Ken Davenport
LEGEND
C=common O=occasional LC=locally common
U=uncommon R=rare V=vagrant X=exceptional
G=Greenhorn Mtns. B= Breckenridge Mtn. P=Piute Mtns.
T=Tehachapi Mtns. MP=Mt. Pinos region FP=Frazier Park Te=Temblors
SJV=San Joaquin Valley LI=Lake Isabella KC=Kern River
Canyon KRV=Kern River Valley MD=Mojave Desert
[names in parentheses current synonyms - brackets old names]
USGS Butterflies of California
http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/map?x=160&y=159&si=5
|
|
Common Name |
Scientific Name |
status & distribution |
|
Swallowtails
Family Papilionidae |
|
1 Parnassian |
Subfamily
Parnassiinae |
|
|
Clodius Parnassian
 |
(Baldur
Parnassian)
Parnassius
clodius
baldur
|
no capture records - G, KRV |
|
8 Swallowtails |
Subfamily
Papilioninae |
|
|
Pipevine Swallowtail
 |
Battus
philenor philenor |
R -- P, SJV |
|
Black Swallowtail |
(Desert Swallowtail)
Papilio polyxenes coloro |
E. Sierras, strays - SJV & KRV, O- MD (wet
years only) - |
|
Anise Swallowtail
 |
Papilio
zelicaon zelicaon |
Hilltops montane habitats, LC -- cities orange groves |
|
Indra Swallowtail |
(Phyllis's Swallowtail)
Papilio
indra phyllisae |
arid slopes P |
|
Western Tiger Swallowtail
 |
Papilio
rutulus rutulus
 |
cities |
|
Two-tailed Swallowtail |
(Smaller
Two-tailed Swallowtail)
Papilio
multicaudata pusillus |
R - Mtns |
|
Pale Swallowtail
 |
Papilio
eurymedon
 |
high Mtns. |
|
Giant Swallowtail |
Papilio
cresphontes
[Heraclides] |
X- SJV orange groves |
|
Whites and
Sulphurs
Family Pieridae |
|
10 Whites |
Subfamily
Pierinae |
|
|
Pine White
 |
Neophasia
menapia
(Pine
White)
N. m. menapia
(Tehachapi Pine White)
N. m. tehachapina
|
1. L - Greenhorns Yellow Pines
2. L - Tehachapis |
|
Becker's White
 |
Pontia
beckerii
|
C -- arid areas |
|
Spring White |
Pontia
sisymbrii sisymbrii |
C -- foothills |
|
Checkered White
 |
Pontia
protodice
 |
C - Feb-Oct Arid SJV, MD, and arid Mtns. |
|
Cabbage White
 |
Pieris
rapae
[Artogeia]
 |
C --year-round |
|
Desert Marble
 |
Euchloe
lotta
|
C- arid mtns., Kelso, T, and MD |
|
California Marble |
(Pearly Marble)
Euchloe
hyantis
|
Mt. Pinos and FP |
|
Desert Orangetip
 |
Anthocharis
cethura
(Marbled Desert Orangetip)
A. c.
hadromarmorata
(Morrison's Orangetip)
A. c. morrisoni |
1 = D Mtns
2 = KRV SJV |
|
Sara Orangetip
 |
(Pacific Orangetip)
Anthocharis
sara sara |
C -- foothills canyons |
|
Gray Marble
 |
(Grinnell's Marble)
Anthocharis
lanceolata
A. c. lanceolata
A. l.
australis
 |
1 = Sierras
2 = Frazier Park |
|
8 Sulphurs
|
Subfamily Coliadinae |
|
|
Orange Sulphur
 |
Colias
eurytheme
 |
C -- alfalfa - grassfields |
|
Harford's Sulphur
 |
Colias
harfordii
|
FP, T, rare P and Kelso |
|
California Dogface
|
Zerene
eurydice
|
Temblors - Tehachapis |
|
Southern Dogface
 |
Zerene
cesonia cesonia
  |
U -- Mtns. and MD |
|
Cloudless Sulphur
 |
Phoebis
sennae marcellina |
R -- wet years MD |
|
Mexican Yellow
|
Eurema
mexicana
|
R -- KRV SJV Frazier Park |
|
Sleepy Orange
 |
Abaeis (Eurema)
nicippe
|
Cantil SJV |
|
Dainty Sulphur
|
(Dwarf Yellow)
Nathalis
iole
|
FP |
|
Gossamer-wing
Butterflies
Family
Lycaenidae |
|
5 Coppers |
Subfamily
Lycaeninae |
|
|
Tailed Copper
 |
Lycaena
arota arota
[Tharsalea]
  |
gooseberries |
|
Great Copper
 |
Lycaena
xanthoides xanthoides
[Gaeides]
 |
Mtns |
|
Gorgon Copper
 |
Lycaena
gorgon
L. g. gorgon
L. g.
micropunctata
[Gaeides] |
1 = T, P, W. Sierras
2 = E. Sierras, KRV, and w. MD Mtns. |
|
Blue Copper |
Lycaena
heteronea clara
[Chalceria] |
Scarce and local, P, FP, Lake of the Woods |
|
Purplish Copper
 |
Lycaena
helloides helloides
[Epidemia]
 |
O -- SJV foothills |
|
17 Hairstreaks
|
Subfamily
Theclinae |
|
|
Golden Hairstreak
 |
(Boisduval's Hairstreak)
Habrodais
grunus grunus |
woodlands |
|
Great Purple Hairstreak
 |
Atlides
halesus estesi |
O -- mistletoe |
|
Silver-banded Hairstreak |
(Sarita Hairstreak)
Chlorostrymon
simaethis sarita
|
X -- Cantil |
|
Behr's Hairstreak
 |
Satyrium
behrii behrii |
C -- E. Sierra |
|
California Hairstreak
 |
Satyrium
californicum californicum |
woodlands below 6000' |
|
Sylvan Hairstreak
 |
Satyrium
sylvinus
S. s. sylvinum
S. s.
desertorium
S. s. dryope |
1 = Poso
2 = KC, KRV, T
3 = FP |
|
Gold-hunter's Hairstreak
 |
Satyrium
auretorum
S. a. auretorum
S. a. spadix |
1 = Te
2 = T, Sierras high |
|
Mountain Mahogany Hairstreak
 |
Satyrium
tetra |
chaparral - montane |
|
Hedgerow Hairstreak
 |
Satyrium
saepium
S. s. chalcis
S. s.
subaridum |
1 = montane
2 = Walker Pass |
|
Perplexing Hairstreak
 |
(Bramble Hairstreak)
Callophrys
perplexa perplexa |
KC - Mtns. |
|
Brown Elfin
 |
Callophrys
augustinus iroides
[Incisalia]
|
montane forests, woodland foothills and canyons |
|
Western Pine Elfin
 |
(Western Banded Elfin)
Callophrys
eryphon eryphon
[Incisalia]
 |
G, B, KP |
|
Thicket Hairstreak
 |
Callophrys
spinetorum
spinetorum
[Loranthomitoura] |
T, Caliente |
|
Juniper Hairstreak
 |
Callophrys
siva
[Mitoura]
(Callophrys gryneus)
C. s.
juniperaria
C. s.
mansfieldi |
1 = MP, P, E. G, arid S. Sierra
2 = Te |
|
Muir's Hairstreak
|
Callophrys
muiri
[Mitoura] |
Cottonwood Pass in junipers |
|
Nelson's Hairstreak
 |
Callophrys nelsoni nelsoni
[Mitoura] |
G in incense cedar |
|
Mallow Hairstreak |
Strymon istapa
clenchi |
X - LI |
|
Gray Hairstreak
 |
(Common Hairstreak)
Strymon
melinus pudicus |
O = below 8000' |
|
23 Blues |
Subfamily
Polyommatinae |
|
|
Western Pygmy-Blue
 |
Brephidium
exile
 |
arid, lowlands & desert |
|
Marine Blue
 |
Leptotes
marina
 |
C - Isabella Reservoir, SJV, MD |
|
Ceraunus Blue
 |
Hemiargus
ceraunus gyus |
lower KC, BKSFLD, Koehn Lake |
|
Reakirt's Blue
|
Hemiargus
isola alce |
U - West SJV, Temblors, Kelso, Cantil |
|
Eastern Tailed-Blue |
Everes
comyntas comyntas |
V - KR |
|
Western Tailed-Blue
|
Everes
amyntula amyntula |
C - Temblors, Mtns |
|
Echo Azure
 |
Spring Azure
Celastrina
echo
[C.
argiolus] |
foothills, forests |
|
Sonoran Blue
|
Philotes
sonorensis sonorensis |
R - Mtns. |
|
Western Square-dotted Blue |
Comstock's Blue
(Square-spotted Blue)
Euphilotes
battoides comstocki |
Mtns. |
|
Bernardino Dotted-Blue
 |
Euphilotes
bernardino
Bernardino Blue
E. b.
bernardino
Inyo-Mountains Blue
E. b.
inyomontanus |
1. C - Mtns, KRV
2. MD, Walker Pass, Kelso |
|
Pacific Dotted-Blue
 |
Euphilotes
enoptes
Dotted Blue
E. e. enoptes
Tilden's Blue
E. e. tildeni
Langston's Blue
E. e.
langstoni |
1. Greenhorns
2. Temblors, So. Sierra's to MT. Pinos
3. Scodies east to desert mtns. |
|
Mojave Dotted-Blue

image courtesy Bruce Webb © 2005 |
Euphilotes
mojave |
arid slopes of Sierras and Tehachapis, MD, Kelso |
|
Pallid Dotted-Blue |
Elvira's Blue
Euphilotes
pallescens elvirae |
east of Walker Pass S. to east Tehachapi's |
|
Small Dotted-Blue |
Small Blue
Philotiella
speciosa speciosa |
R - SJV, MD |
|
Arrowhead Blue
 |
Glaucopsyche
piasus
G. p. piasus
G. p.
excubitus |
1. Greenhorns
2. Kelso, Havilah, Frazier Park |
|
Silvery Blue
 |
Glaucopsyche
lygdamus - eastern Sierra
Southern Silvery Blue
G. l.
australis
Columbia Blue
G. l. nr. columia |
1. east Sierra, Kelso, Piutes
2. Frazier Park
3. Greenhorns, upper KC |
|
Melissa Blue
 |
Orange-margined Blue
Lycaeides
melissa
paradoxa

|
KRV, Tehachapi's, Kelso, Frazier Park |
|
Greenish Blue
 |
Plebejus
saepiolus nr. aehaja
[Plebeius]
  |
Greenhorns, Piutes |
|
San Emigdio Blue
 |
Plebejus
emigdionis
[Plebeius]
 |
Transverse to Tehachapi's, KRV |
|
Boisduval's Blue
 |
(Common Blue)
Plebejus icarioides
[Icaricia] [Plebeius]
Evius Blue
P. i.
evius
Boisduval's Blue
P. i.
eosierra
Atascadero Blue
P. i.
atascadero
 |
1. Greenhorns, Piutes, Tehachapi's to Frazier
Park
2. Walker and Bird Spring Passes
3. Cottonwood Pass (Temblors) |
|
Acmon Blue

|
Plebejus acmon acmon
[Icaricia] [Plebeius]
 |
entire county |
|
Lupine Blue
 |
Plebejus
lupini
[Icaricia] [Plebeius]
Lupine Blue
P. l. lupini
Clemence's Blue
P. l.
monticola
Lupine Blue
P. l.
argentata
Green Blue
P. l.
chlorina
Lupine Blue
P. l.
unnamed
|
1. Fay Creek - Kern Plateau
2. Mtns.
3. E. Sierra, Walker Pass, Kelso, Piutes
4. possibly Mt. Pinos
5. High elevation Eriogonum umbellatum |
|
Veined Blue |
Plebejus
neurona
[Icaricia] [Plebeius]
|
Kelso, E. G, P, T to FP |
|
5 Metalmarks
Family Riodinidae
|
|
Mormon Metalmark

|
Apodemia
mormo
A. m. nr. mormo
A. m. nr.
langei (endangered)
|
1. Kernville, E. G
2. Cottonwood Pass, Annette region
(Mormon, Tuolumne, Sonoran, and Behr's considered
subspecific under A. mormo by some) |
|
Tuolumne Metalmark |
Apodemia
cythera tuolumnensis |
upper KC, KRV, Walker Pass, Mtns |
|
Sonoran Metalmark
|
(Desert Metalmark)
Apodemia
mejicanus deserti |
desert Mtns. E. Sierra |
|
Behr's Metalmark |
Apodemia
virgulti complex
A. v. virgulti,
Davenport's Metalmark
A. v. davenporti
A. v.
mojavelimbus
 |
1. T
2. Walker Pass, Kelso, Butterbredt, E. G, Piutes, K
3. E. T, lower KC |
|
Palmer's Metalmark
|
Apodemia
palmerii palmerii |
MD dry lakes |
|
Brush-footed
Butterflies
Family Nymphalidae |
|
|
|
1 Snout |
Subfamily
Libytheinae |
|
|
American Snout
 |
Snout Butterfly
Libytheana
carinenta streckeri |
R - Bakersfield, Koehn Lake |
|
8 Heliconians
and Fritillaries |
Subfamily
Heliconiinae |
|
|

Gulf
Fritillary
|

Agraulis
vanillae incarnata |
SJV cities, FP |
|
Variegated Fritillary
|
Euptoieta
claudia
|
E. MD |
|
Coronis Fritillary
|
Speyeria
coronis hennei
|
C - FP, MP, T
R - P. ? G, KP |
|
Callippe Fritillary

|

Speyeria callippe
Macaria Fritillary
S. c.
macaria
Unsilvered Macaria Fritillary
S. c. laurina
Comstock's Fritillary
S. c.
comstocki |
1. FP to T
2. G, B
3. Te |
|
Great
Basin Fritillary
|
Speyeria
egleis
Egleis Fritillary
S. p. egleis
Tehachapi Fritillary
S. p.
tehachapina |
1. N. G
2. P, X- T |
|
Unsilvered Fritillary
|
Speyeria
adiaste atossa |
X - Mtns. |
|
Hydaspe Fritillary
|
Greenhorn Fritillary
Speyeria
hydaspe viridicornis |
G from Shirley Meadows N. |
|
Pacific Fritillary |
Sierra Meadow Fritillary
Boloria
epithore sierra |
Sunday Peak N. |
|
20 True Brush-foots
|
Subfamily
Nymphalinae |
|
|
Leanira Checkerspot

|
Thessalia
leanira
Wright's Leanira Checkerspot
T. l. leanira X wrightii "blend zone"
T. l. alma
|
1. KRV, E. Greenhorns, Piutes, Walker Basin
2. Walker Pass, Red Rock, E. Tehachapis |
|
California Patch
|
Chlosyne
californica
|
X - E. Mojave |
|
Northern Checkerspot
 |
Chlosyne
palla
C. p. palla
C. p.
australomontana
|
1. Mtns.
2. Walker Pass, Kelso |
|
Sagebrush Checkerspot
 |
Neumoegen's Checkerspot
Chlosyne
acastus neumoegeni |
E. Walkern Pass, Red Rock Canyon Randsburg |
|
Gabb's Checkerspot
|
Chlosyne
gabbii gabbii |
FP |
|
Texan Crescent
|
Phyciodes
texana
(Anthanassa texana texana) |
X - Kelso |
|
Field Crescent
 |
Phyciodes
pulchellus deltarufa
(P. pratensis)
confusion reins
on Kern's
montane specimens, may be P. p. pulchellus or P. p. montanus,
stay tuned |
Upper KC, Greenhorn, KRV foothills to Havilah |
|
Mylitta Crescent

photographed North Meadow, Tulare County |
Phyciodes
mylitta mylitta |
Mtns., O - SJV |
|
Variable Checkerspot
 |
Euphydryas
chalcedona
Chalcedon Checkerspot
E. c. chalcedona (most likely a different ssp.)
Olancha Checkerspot
E. c. olancha
|
1. FP S. Sierra, Tehachapi's 2. Kelso |
|
Edith's Checkerspot
 |
Euphydryas
editha - southern Sierra
Ruddy Checkerspot
E. e.
rubicunda
|
1. Walker Pass S. to Bird Springs Pass, Piute Mtns.
2. Alder/Cedar Creeks, Greenhorns, KC |
|
Satyr Comma
 |
(Anglewing)
Polygonia
satyrus
|
Mountain Streams, Kern River Bakersfield |
|
Hoary Comma
 |
Zephyr Anglewing
Polygonia
gracilis zephyrus |
Greenhorn, Piutes, Mt. Pinos |
|
California Tortoiseshell
 |
Nymphalis californica californica
 |
Mtns. O - SJV |
|
Mourning Cloak
 |
Nymphalis
antiopa antilopa
 |
streams, SJV, KRV, Mtns. O- MD |
|
Milbert's Tortoiseshell
 |
Nymphalis milberti subpallida
[Aglais]
 |
Mtns. R - Mt. Pinos, O - KRV O - SJV |
|
American Lady
 |
American Painted Lady
Vanessa
virginiensis
 |
O - Mtns.
R- SJV |
|
Painted Lady
 |
Vanessa
cardui
 |
Entire county |
|
West Coast Lady
 |
Vanessa
annabella
 |
Entire county |
|
Red Admiral
 |
Vanessa
atalanta rubria
 |
suburban areas, mtn streams, Kelso |
|
Common Buckeye
 |
Buckeye Butterfly
Junonia
coenia grisea
 |
entire county |
|
2 Admirals and
Relatives
|
Subfamily
Limenitidinae |
|
|
Lorquin's Admiral
 |
Limenitis
lorquini
L. l. lorquini
Powell's Admiral
L. l. powelli
 |
1. SJV, KC, KRV, S. Sierra, Mt. Pinos
2. Tehachapi Mtn Park |
|
California Sister
 |
Adelpha
bredowii californica
 |
Foothills, Mtns. |
|
3 Satyrs
|
Subfamily
Satyrinae |
|
|
Common Ringlet
 |
California Ringlet
Coenonympha
california california
|
O - SJV, Kelso, strays to 8000' |
|
Common Wood Nymph
|
Cercyonis
pegala |
Greenhorns |
|
Great
Basin Wood Nymph

|
Cercyonis
sthenele
Sylvan Satyr
C. s. silvestris
Behr's Wood-Nymph
C. s. behrii |
1. ? Greenhorns
2. Walker Pass, Kelso, E. Greenhorns, S. Mtns. |
|
2 Monarchs
|
Subfamily
Danainae |
|
|
Monarch

|
Danaus plexippus
 |
entire county |
|
Queen

|
Striated Queen
Danaus gilippus thersippus |
MD, KRV, SJV, Tehachapi's |
|
Skippers
Family Hesperiidae |
|
16 Spread-wing
Skippers |
Subfamily
Pyrginae |
|
|
Silver-spotted Skipper
 |
Epargyreus
clarus californicus
|
LC - G, T, P |
|
Hammock Skipper |
Polygonus
leo arizonensis
(P.
lividus )
|
X - Caliente, Cantil |
|
Northern Cloudywing
 |
Thorybes
pylades indistinctus
 |
C- Greenhorns, U- Tehachapi's |
|
Sleepy Duskywing |
Erynnis
brizo lacustra |
U - FP, E. Greenhorns, Piutes, Tehachapi's |
|
Propertius Duskywing
 |
Erynnis
propertius
|
C - Mtns. 1500' - 8500' |
|
Mournful Duskywing
|
Erynnis
tristis tristis |
Oak woodland |
|
Pacuvius Duskywing |
Artful Duskywing
Erynnis
pacuvius
E. p. lilius
E. p. callidus
|
1. S. Sierra to Piutes
2. C- Mt. Pinos |
|
Funereal Duskywing
 |
Erynnis
funeralis
|
SJV, MD, Mtns. to 6000' |
|
Persius Duskywing |
Erynnis
persius
|
R - G |
|
Small Checkered-Skipper |
Pyrgus
scriptura scriptura
|
L -W. SJV |
|
Common Checkered-Skipper |
Pyrgus
communis
|
R - N. SJV, KRV, Temblors |
|
White Checkered-Skipper
 |
Western Checkered Skipper
Pyrgus
albescens
|
MD, KRV, SJV, foothills |
|
Northern White-Skipper
 |
Large White Skipper
Heliopetes
ericetorum
 |
MD, SJV, Mtns. |
|
Common Sootywing |
Pholisora
catullus
|
L - SJV, Kelso, arid Mtns, Havilah |
|
Mohave Sootywing |
Hesperopsis libya
H. l. libya
San Joaquin Valley Mojave Sootywing
H. l.
joaquina
Lena Mojave Sootywing
H. l. nr.
lena |
1. X - Edwards AFB
2. LC - W. SJV
3. LC - MD, Walker Pass |
|
Saltbush Sootywing |
Alpheus Sootywing
Hesperopsis
alpheus oricus |
R - Butterbredt, Bird Springs |
|
15 Grass Skippers
|
Subfamily
Hesperiinae |
|
|
Julia's Skipper
|
Nastra
julia
|
X - Bakersfield |
|
Orange Skipperling
|
(Hewitson's Skipperling)
Copaeodes
aurantiacia |
MD Kelso |
|
Fiery Skipper
 |
Hylephila
phyleus muertovalle
 |
C- KRV SJV MD bermuda grass |
|
Alkali Skipper
 |
Pseudocopaeodes eunus
(Eunus
Skipper)
P. e. eunus
P. e. flavus
|
1. KRV - saltgrass
2. MD |
|
Juba Skipper
 |
Hesperia juba
 |
arid Sierra & desert Mtns. South Fork Wildlife area |
|
Western Branded Skipper
 |
Hesperia
comma
H. c. idaho
H. c. tildeni
|
1. Upper KC Kelso
2. G, T, Te |
|
Columbian Skipper |
Hesperia
columbia
|
R- scrub oak |
|
Lindsey's Skipper |
Hesperia lindseyi lindseyi
|
L - Lebec, T, P |
|
Sandhill Skipper
 |
Polites
sabuleti
P. s.
sabuleti
P. s. chusca
P. s.
tecumseh |
1. SJV KRV saltgrass
2. MD - lakes
3. G |
|
Sonora Skipper
 |
Polites
sonora
sonora |
wet meadows |
|
Sachem |
(Field
Skipper)
Atalopedes
campestris campestris |
SJV KRV Kelso, T |
|
Rural Skipper
 |
Ochlodes
agricola
O. a. verus
O. a. nemorum |
1. R - Sierras
2. Kernville G |
|
Woodland Skipper |
Ochlodes
sylvanoides sylvanoides |
C - mountains, KRV |
|
Umber Skipper |
Poanes melane melane |
KRV KC |
|
Eufala Skipper |
Lerodea
eufala
|
SJV KRV desert |
|
1 Giant-Skippers
|
Subfamily
Megathyminae |
|
|
Yucca Giant-Skipper
 |
Megathymus
yuccae
martini |
Joshua Trees |