Butterflies

Becker's White

Sue Anderson

Becker’s White (Pontia beckerii)

· Peak flying months are May and August.

· Caterpillar host-plants include a wide variety of native and non-native plants in the mustard family, such as the native western tansy mustard and the non-native tumble mustard.

· Can commonly be seen throughout Lava Beds, including the Indian Well Campground.

 

Large Marble

Sue Anderson

Large Marble (Euchloe ausonides)

· Peak flying months are May and June.

· Caterpillar host-plants include a wide variety of native and non-native plants in the mustard family, such as the native western tansy mustard and the non-native tumble mustard.

· Can occasionally be seen throughout Lava Beds, including the Indian Well Campground.

 

Square-spotted Blue

Square-spotted Blue

(Euphiloides battoides)

• Flies late March through early August, peak in May and June.
• Caterpillars feed on sulphur-flower buckwheat.
• Can commonly be seen in the southern portion of Lava Beds, including the Indian Well Campground.

 

Two-tailed Swallowtail

Sophia Kast

• Two-tailed Swallowtail

(Papilio multicaudata)

• Flies late March through mid September, peak in June.
• Caterpillars feed on western chokecherry.
• Can commonly be seen in any part of Lava Beds, particularly the southern portion (including the Indian Well Campground), and on hilltops and cave entrances or lave tube collapses.

 

Northern Checkerspot

Jennifer Tiehm

Northern Checkerspot

(Chlosyne palla)

• Flies late March through early August, peak in June and July.
• Caterpillars feed on green rabbitbrush.
• Can be seen in great abundance in the southern portion of Lava Beds, including the Indian Well Campground.

 

Lorquin's Admiral

Jennifer Thiem

• Lorquin’s Admiral

(Limenitis lorquini)

• Flies mid February through early October, peaks in June, July and August.
• Caterpillars feed on western chokecherry and bittercherry.
• Can commonly be seen throughout Lava Beds, including the Indian Well Campground.

 

Queen Alexandra's Sulphur

Anna Iwaki

Queen Alexandra’s Sulphur

(Colias Alexandra)

· Peak flying month is July.

· Caterpillar host-plants include several species of milkvetches.

· Can occasionally be seen throughout Lava Beds, particularly along the north boundary.

 

Tailed Copper

Jennifer Thiem

Tailed Copper (Lycaena arota)

· Peak flying month is July.

· Caterpillar host-plants include desert gooseberry and wax current.

· Can commonly be seen throughout Lava Beds, including the Indian Well Campground.

 

Great Purple Hairstreak

David Hays

Great Purple Hairstreak

(Atlides halesus)

• Flies early April through early October, peak in July and August.
• Caterpillars feed on juniper mistletoe.
• Can occasionally be seen in the southern portion on Lava Beds, including the Indian Well Campground.

 

Brown Elfin

Sue Anderson

Brown Elfin (Callophrys augustinus)

· Peak flying month is May.

· Caterpillar host-plants include a large variety of plants, such as manzanita, antelope bitterbrush, big sagebrush, and sulphur-flower buckwheat.

· Can occasionally be seen in the southern portion of Lava Beds.

 

Zerene Fritillary

NPS

Zerene Fritillary (Speyeria zerene)

· Peak flying month is July.

· Caterpillar host-plants include goosefoot violet.

· Can commonly be seen throughout Lava Beds, including the Indian Well Campground.

 

California Tortoiseshell

Dave Hays

California Tortoiseshell

(Nymphalis californica)

· Peak flying months are May and August.

· Caterpillar host-plants include snowbrush ceanothus.

· Can commonly be seen throughout Lava Beds, particularly in the southern portion.

 

Great Basin Wood-nymph

Jennifer Tiehm

Great Basin Wood-nymph

(Cercyonis sthenele)

· Peak flying months are July and August.

· Caterpillar host-plants include various native bunchgrasses.

· Can commonly be seen throughout Lava Beds, including the Indian Well Campground.

 

Juba Skipper

Jennifer Tiehm

Juba Skipper (Hesperia juba)

· Peak flying months are May and September.

· Caterpillar host-plants include various native bunchgrasses.

· Can commonly be seen throughout Lava Beds, including the Indian Well Campground.