Butterflies in El Dorado County, California
Learning about butterflies goes hand-in-hand with learning about native plants. Did you know that butterflies are experts on native plant ID? Okay, a little stretch there, but in fact they actually can identify the right species of plant to lay their eggs on; they use their feet to sense a plant's chemical make-up to get the right plant before depositing eggs.
The larvae (caterpillars, if you prefer) of most butterfly species are dependent on a specific plant family (varying for each butterfly species) for food as they develop. Think of the Monarchs as a well-known example, depending on milkweed. The caterpillars, and then the adults of several species, use the chemicals of the milkweed to develop a bad taste that birds don't like. For the few butterflies that are eaten, the birds learn to avoid the monarchs in the future, so more get saved by the bad taste of the few.
In another example, many butterflies of the group Lyceanidae are specifically tuned to buckwheats (Eriogonums). As urban development removes natural habitat, this is just one more example of a critter that is losing places to live! In fact many of the butterflies that are now extinct were simply lost because their food plants were bulldozed and their habitats scrubbed of plants needed for depositing eggsButterflies depend on specific host plants!.
If you include a variety of native plants in your gardening efforts, you will not only reap the rewards of reduced watering needs, you will create habitat for birds who search out berries and bugs, and potentially a place for butterflies to feed and breed. What would be so bad about a garden with lots of colorful butterflies flying around to entertain you?
All of the species shown are listed as flying in El Dorado CountyClick for a list of species
to watch for..., but there are about 60 more species I have yet to find. Some are easily found, others 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 a terrific butterfly book for our area: Butterflies through Binoculars: The West.
There are five groups to know about: SkippersHesperidae | BrushfootsNymphalidae | Gossamer WingsLycaenidae | Parnassians and Swallowtails Papilionidae | White or YellowPieridae
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)
Nymphalidae (Brushfoots)
√ Edith's CheckerspotEuphydryas editha
Note: rollover to read:E. editha is distinguished from E. chalcedona by the lack of white, off-center abdominal spots, and usually much black on the lower half of the antenna clubs.
QueenDanaus gilippus
Note: rollover to read:This was taken in Yuma but one was seen at Donner on August 23, 2008; a Southwest bug, maybe one will eventually fly into EDC airspace!
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Lycaenidae (Gossamer-Wings)
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Papilionidae
√ Clodius ParnassianParnassius clodius
All Swallowtails have tails on their hind wings, except the Parnassians.
Pipevine Swallowtail (f)Battus philenor
Females have white spots on the lower edge of the forewing.
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Pieridae (White or Yellow Butterflies)
...and I continue looking for more.
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