Moths and Butterflies

 

Butterflies of Great Basin National Park
White Pine County, Nevada

By Dr. Paul Opler
(Partial draft list)

Dr. George T. Austin, Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas, Nevada
(see references)

Swallowtails (Family Papilionidae)

Swallowtails (Subfamily Papilioninae)

• Old World Swallowtail -- (Papilio machaon bairdii)
• Anise Swallowtail -- (Papilio zelicaon)
• Indra Swallowtail -- (Papilio indra)
• Western Tiger Swallowtail -- (Papilio rutulus)
• Two-tailed Swallowtail -- (Papilio multicaudata)
• Pale Swallowtail -- (Papilio eurymedon)

Whites and Sulphurs (Family Pieridae)

Whites (Subfamily Pierinae)

• Pine White -- (Neophasia menapia)
• Becker's White -- (Pontia beckerii)
• Spring White -- (Pontia sisymbrii)
• Checkered White -- (Pontia protodice)
• Western White -- (Pontia occidentalis)
• Margined White -- (Pieris marginalis)
• Cabbage White -- (Pieris rapae)
• Large Marble -- (Euchloe ausonides)
• Desert Marble -- (Euchloe lotta)
• Southwestern Orangetip -- (Anthocharis thoosa)

Sulphurs (Subfamily Coliadinae)

• Clouded Sulphur -- (Colias philodice)
• Orange Sulphur -- (Colias eurytheme)
• Queen Alexandra's Sulphur -- (Colias alexandra)
• Southern Dogface -- (Zerene cesonia)
• Cloudless Sulphur -- (Phoebis sennae)
• Sleepy Orange -- (Eurema nicippe)
• Dainty Sulphur -- (Nathalis iole)

Gossamer-wing Butterflies (Family Lycaenidae)

Coppers (Subfamily Lycaeninae)

• Tailed Copper -- (Lycaena arota)
• Ruddy Copper -- (Lycaena rubidus)
• Blue Copper -- (Lycaena heteronea)
• Purplish Copper -- (Lycaena helloides)
• Lilac-bordered Copper -- (Lycaena nivalis)

Hairstreaks (Subfamily Theclinae)

• Coral Hairstreak -- (Satyrium titus)
• Behr's Hairstreak -- (Satyrium behrii)
• California Hairstreak -- (Satyrium californica)
• Sylvan Hairstreak -- (Satyrium sylvinus)
• Hedgerow Hairstreak -- (Satyrium saepium)
• Western Green Hairstreak -- (Callophrys affinis)
• Brown Elfin -- (Callophrys [Incisalia] augustinus)
• Desert Elfin -- (Callophrys [Incisalia] fotis)
• Western Pine Elfin -- (Callophrys [Incisalia] eryphon)
• Thicket Hairstreak -- (Callophrys [Loranthomitoura] spinetorum)
• Juniper Hairstreak -- (Callophrys [Mitoura] gryneus chalcosiva [brown form])
• Gray Hairstreak -- (Strymon melinus)

Blues (Subfamily Polyommatinae)

• Western Pygmy-Blue -- (Brephidium exilis)
• Marine Blue -- (Leptotes marina)
• Ceraunus Blue -- (Hemiargus ceraunus)
• Reakirt's Blue -- (Hemiargus isola)
• Western Tailed-Blue -- (Everes amyntula)
• Spring Azure -- (Celastrina ladon)
• Bernardino Dotted-Blue -- (Euphilotes bernardino)
• Rocky Mountain Dotted-Blue -- (Euphilotes ancilla)
• Pallid Dotted-Blue -- (Euphilotes pallescens)
• Spalding's Dotted-Blue -- (Euphilotes spaldingi)
• Arrowhead Blue -- (Glaucopsyche piasus)
• Silvery Blue -- (Glaucopsyche lygdamus)
• Melissa Blue -- (Lycaeides melissa)
• Greenish Blue -- (Plebejus saepiolus)
• Boisduval's Blue -- (Plebejus [Icaricia] icarioides)
• Shasta Blue -- (Plebejus [Icaricia] shasta)
• Lupine Blue -- (Plebejus [Icaricia] lupini)

Metalmarks (Family Riodinidae)

• Mormon Metalmark -- (Apodemia mormo)

Brush-footed Butterflies (Family Nymphalidae)

Heliconians and Fritillaries (Subfamily Heliconiinae)

• Variegated Fritillary -- (Euptoieta claudia)
• Great Spangled Fritillary -- (Speyeria cybele)
• Nokomis Fritillary -- (Speyeria nokomis)
• Coronis Fritillary -- (Speyeria coronis)
• Zerene Fritillary -- (Speyeria zerene)
• Callippe Fritillary -- (Speyeria callippe)
• Great Basin Fritillary -- (Speyeria egleis)
• Mormon Fritillary -- (Speyeria mormonia)

True Brush-foots (Subfamily Nymphalinae)

• Arachne Checkerspot -- (Poladryas arachne)
• Leanira Checkerspot -- (Thessalia leanira alma)
• Bordered Patch -- (Chlosyne lacinia)
• Sagebrush Checkerspot -- (Chlosyne acastus)
• Northern Crescent -- (Phyciodes cocyta)
• Field Crescent -- (Phyciodes pratensis)
• Pale Crescent -- (Phyciodes pallidus)
• Mylitta Crescent -- (Phyciodes mylitta)
• Variable Checkerspot -- (Euphydryas chalcedona wheeleri (Henry Edwards)) -- Originally described from the park.
• Edith's Checkerspot -- (Euphydryas editha lehmani Gunder) -- Originally described from the park.
• Edith's Checkerspot -- (Euphydryas editha koreti Murphy and Ehrlich) -- Originally described from the park.
• Satyr Comma -- (Polygonia satyrus)
• Hoary Comma -- (Polygonia gracilis zephyrus)
• California Tortoiseshell -- (Nymphalis californica)
• Mourning Cloak -- (Nymphalis antiopa)
• Milbert's Tortoiseshell -- (Nymphalis milberti)
• American Lady -- (Vanessa virginiensis)
• Painted Lady -- (Vanessa cardui)
• West Coast Lady -- (Vanessa annabella)
• Red Admiral -- (Vanessa atalanta)
• Common Buckeye -- (Junonia coenia)
• Tropical Buckeye -- (Junonia genoveva)

Admirals and Relatives (Subfamily Limenitidinae)

• Weidemeyer's Admiral -- (Limenitis weidemeyerii)
• Lorquin's Admiral -- (Limenitis lorquini)
• California Sister -- (Adelpha bredowii)

Satyrs (Subfamily Satyrinae)

• Common Ringlet -- (Coenonympha tullia ochracea)
• Common Wood Nymph -- (Cercyonis pegala)
• Great Basin Wood Nymph -- (Cercyonis sthenele)
• Small Wood Nymph -- (Cercyonis oetus)
• Ridings' Satyr -- (Neominois ridingsii)
• Chryxus Arctic -- (Oeneis chryxus)

Monarchs (Subfamily Danainae)

• Monarch -- (Danaus plexippus)
• Queen -- (Danaus gilippus)

Skippers (Family Hesperiidae)

Spread-wing Skippers (Subfamily Pyrginae)

• Dreamy Duskywing -- (Erynnis icelus)
• Rocky Mountain Duskywing -- (Erynnis telemachus)
• Persius Duskywing -- (Erynnis persius)
• Small Checkered-Skipper -- (Pyrgus scriptura)
• Common Checkered-Skipper -- (Pyrgus communis)
• Northern White-Skipper -- (Heliopetes ericetorum)
• Mohave Sootywing -- (Hesperopsis libya)

Grass Skippers (Subfamily Hesperiinae)

• Fiery Skipper -- (Hylephila phyleus)
• Uncas Skipper -- (Hesperia uncas)
• Juba Skipper -- (Hesperia juba)
• Western Branded Skipper -- (Hesperia colorado)
• Pahaska Skipper -- (Hesperia pahaska)
• Sandhill Skipper -- (Polites sabuleti)
• Woodland Skipper -- (Ochlodes sylvanoides)
• Yuma Skipper -- (Ochlodes yuma)

Giant-Skippers (Subfamily Megathyminae)

• Yucca Giant-Skipper -- (Megathymus yuccae)

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Moth Species of Great Basin National Park
White Pine County, Nevada

By Dr. Paul Opler
(Partial draft list)

Oecophorid Moths (Family Oecophoridae)

• Ethmia discostrigella# - Upper Lehman Campground
• Ethmia monticola
• Ethmia semitenebrella
  

Blastobasid Moths (Family Blastobasidae)

• Hypatopa species – Upper Lehman CG, VI-2-97 E.Buckner/P. Opler

Choreutid Moths (Family Choreutidae)

• Choreutis diana
• Choreutis species

Carpenter Moths (Family Cossidae)

• Acossus centerensis – Upper Lehman CG, VI-24/27-03 Buckner/Opler

Looper Moths (Family Geometridae)

• Pero [Pergama]occidentalis), Upper Lehman Campground
• Macaria aemulataria – Upper Lehman Campground, VI-20-90
• Macaria signaria
• Macaria denticulata
• Macaria neptaria (Guenee), Upper Lehman Campground
• Macaria pervolata
• Biston betularia
• Cabera erythremaria
• Euchlaena johnsonaria
• Pero occidentalis
• Nacophora mexicanaria
• Synaxis cervinaria
• Nemoria species
• Stamnodes animata #), Upper Lehman Campground
• Stamnodes morrisata (Hulst)
• Epirrhoe alternata
• Eupithecia niveifascia (Hulst)
• Eupithecia unicolor (Hulst)
• Cladara limitaria

Wild Silk Moths (Family Saturniidae)

• Hyalophora columbia gloveri

Sphynx Moths or Hawk Moths Family

• Sphingidae
• Hemaris senta - Upper Lehman Campground
• Sphinx dollii - Upper Lehman Campground
  

Lappet Moths (Family Lasiocampidae)

• Phyllodesma americana – Upper Lehman,
• Malacosoma californicum
  

Tiger moths (Family Arctiidae)

• Bruceia pulverina
• Crambidia cephalica
• Grammia williamsi
• Hyphantria cunea
• Lophocampa maculata
• Spilosoma vagans
  

Owlet moths-Family Noctuidae

• Abagrotis species
• Apamea amputatrix – VI – 26 – 02 - Upper Lehman Cg, Buckner/Opler
• Apamea devastator VI-20-00- Upper Lehman Cg, Buckner/Opler
• Apamea latertia VI-20-00 - Upper Lehman Cg, Buckner/Opler
• Apamea longula
• Apamea occidens - VI-20-00 - Upper Lehman Cg, Buckner/Opler
• Apamea sordens - VI-20-00 - Upper Lehman Cg, Buckner/Opler
• Apamea sp. nr. spaldingi - VI-20-00 - Upper Lehman Cg, Buckner/Opler
• Apamea uinta - VI-20-00 - Upper Lehman Cg, Buckner/Opler
• Dargida procincta
• Drasteria ochracea-- Upper Lehman Creek, VI-13-04
• Euxoa auxiliaris
• Euxoa silens
• Hemieuxoa rudens
• Mythimna unipuncta
• Lacanobia subjuncta – VI-20-2000 Upper Lehman
• Polia discalis – Upper Lehman Campground- VI-20-2000
• Rhynchagrotis exertistigma - VI-20-00 - Upper Lehman Campground, Buckner/Opler
• Scoliopteryx libatrix
• Spaelotis clandestina – VI-2-97 – Upper Lehman Campground, Buckner/Opler
• Ulolonche disticha – VI-20-2000 - Upper Lehman Campground
  

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The 10 most commonly seen species in Great Basin National Park:

1. Western Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio rutulus)
2. Western White (Pontia occidentalis)
3. Melissa Blue (Plebejus melissa)
4. Nevada Callippe Siverspsot (Speyeria callippe nevadensis)
5. Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa)
6. Glover's Silk Moth (Hyalophora columbia gloveri)
7. Doll's Sphinx Moth (Sphinx dollii)
8. No common name (Stamnodes animata)
9. American Lappet Moth (Phyllodesma americana)
10. Army cutworm Moth (Euxoa auxiliaris)

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>View the complete butterfly list at: https://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/insects/insect/greatb.htm

>http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/

References

By Dr. Paul Opler, 2009
(Partial draft list)

Austin, George T. 1995. Preliminary checklist of the butterflies of Great Basin National Park, Baker, Nevada. Unpublished report submitted to National Park Service. Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas, 33 pages.

Austin, George T. 2000. Definitive destination: Great Basin National Park. American Butterflies 8(3): 20-31.

Murphy, D.D. and Ehrlich, P.R. 1983. Biosystematics of the Euphydryas of the central Great Basin with description of a new subspecies. Journal of Research on the Lepidoptera 22: 254-261.

Preston, J.D. and F.W. Preston. 1995. Preliminary report of collecting under permit by June D. and Floyd W. Preston. Unpublished report submitted to National Park Service. Lawrence, Kansas. 4 pages.