Oregon Caves National Monument Butterfly Guide 🦋

Wingspan: around 1 in (24-29mm)
Host Plants: wild lilacs (Ceanothus), California buckeye (Aesculus), blackberries (Rubus), and several others
Overwintering stage: Pupae
Mate-Location system: patrolling
Flight: June-October

Conservation: Not usually necessary, but conserve native habitats with their native butterfly species
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery less ↑

Wingspan: 7/8 - 1 1/4 inches (2.2 - 3.2 cm)
Host Plants: legumes (Family Fabaceae), milk-vetches (Astragalus spp.), lupines (Lupinus spp.), showy locoweed (Oxytropis lambertii), vetches (Vicia spp.), goldenbeans (Thermopsis spp.), alfalfa (Medicago sativa), white sweet clover (Melilotus alba)
Overwintering stage: chrysalis

Mate-Location system: patrolling
Flight: June-August

Conservation: Conserve all remaining habitat for the Palos Verdes Blue. Investigate status and conservation needs of subspecies pseudoxerces
NCGR: T1 - Critically imperiled globally because of extreme rarity (5 or fewer occurrences, or very few remaining individuals), or because of some factor of its biology making it especially vulnerable to extinction. Subspecies xerces is TX - Presumed extinct. Subspecies pseudoxerces is rank T2. less ↑

Wingspan: 1 1/8 - 1 3/8 inches (2.9 - 3.5 cm)
Host Plants: shrubby legumes (Family Fabaceae)
Overwintering stage: second-stage caterpillars
Mate-Location system: patrolling
Flight: April-August

Conservation: The Mission Blue, subspecies missionensis, is endangered in California. The largest remaining population is protected in San Bruno Mountain County Park, where monitoring of the butterfly population and control of invasive species continues.
NCGR: Plebeius icarioides missionensis --> T1 - Critically imperiled because of extreme rarity (5 or fewer occurrences, or very few remaining individuals), or because of some factor of its biology making it especially vulnerable to extinction.
Management Needs: Maintain or improve habitat and ensure adequate host and nectar plants for all rare populations. less ↑

Wingspan: 1 - 1 1/4 inches (2.5 - 3.2 cm)
Host Plants: Clovers (Trifolium spp.)
Overwintering stage: half-grown caterpillars
Mate-Location system: patrolling
Flight: May-July

Conservation: Restore meadow habitat in Big Pine Recreation Area
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery (excluding San Gabriel Blue - TX) less ↑