Wing span: 3.4-3.8 cm.
Flight time: Early to mid-June
Status: Almost extirpated breeding resident.
Distinguishing features: This butterfly is orange-tan to orange-brown above without marks. The underside has orange-tan forewings with one ocelli at the apex. The hindwing is olive-brown with a diffuse light mark across the end of the discal cell that sometimes crosses the whole wing.
Distribution and habitat: Extremely rare and limited to high quality xeric gravel prairies in the far northwest.
Natural History: Larvae consume various grasses; the preferred host species in Iowa are unknown. Adults were once common in the Blood Run valley in far northwestern Iowa as recently as a decade ago. However, since the initiation of fire management in this area and at Cayler Prairie, these populations have vanished. The only remaining population may survive along a railroad/highway prairie in Osceola County, but the precarious nature of these sites leaves even the fate of this population in serious doubt.
Record # | Date | Locale | State | Lat/Lon | Collected By | Count |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
308720 | 2020-06-21 | Gwinn Cemetery | Michigan | 46.28916 -87.4369 | Anita Westphal | 2 |
264229 | 2020-04-28 | Necedah National Wildlife Refuge | Wisconsin | 44.037222 -90.16376 | Tom Schilke | 1 |
224993 | 2018-05-31 | Necedah Oak-Pine Savanna State Natural Area | Wisconsin | 44.12916 -90.17436 | Tom Schilke | 1 |
52351 | 2004-06-12 | Highway 60 MN-IA | Iowa | 43.4968 -95.6956 | Frank Olsen | 2 |
52349 | 2003-06-12 | Highway 60 MN-IA | Iowa | 43.4968 -95.6956 | Jessica Ski Davis | 1 |
52350 | 2003-06-09 | Highway 60 MN-IA | Iowa | 43.4968 -95.6956 | Jessica Ski Davis | 1 |
52339 | 1993-06-26 | Blood Run Preserve | Iowa | 43.468461 -96.568663 | Mike Saunders | 1 |
52340 | 1993-06-26 | Blood Run Preserve | Iowa | 43.468461 -96.568663 | Mike Saunders | 1 |
52343 | 1992-06-13 | Blood Run Preserve | Iowa | 43.468461 -96.568663 | Tim Orwig | 1 |
52341 | 1991-06-03 | Blood Run Preserve | Iowa | 43.468461 -96.568663 | Tim Orwig | 1 |
52342 | 1991-06-03 | Blood Run Preserve | Iowa | 43.468461 -96.568663 | Tim Orwig | 1 |
52348 | 1991-06-03 | Gitchie Manitou State Preserve | Iowa | 43.4997 -96.5983 | Tim Orwig | 1 |
52358 | 1991-06-03 | Granite | Iowa | 43.46767 -96.55917 | Tim Orwig | 1 |
52353 | 1991-06-02 | Granite | Iowa | 43.46767 -96.55917 | Jeff Nekola | 1 |
106860 | 1991-06-02 | Lyon County | Iowa | 43.3936 -96.2479 | Tim Orwig | 1 |
21527 | 1990-07-04 | Tim Orwig Specimen No data-x | Iowa | 42.64444 -96.35806 | Tim Orwig | 1 |
21528 | 1990-07-04 | Tim Orwig Specimen No data-x | Iowa | 42.64444 -96.35806 | Tim Orwig | 1 |
21529 | 1990-07-04 | Tim Orwig Specimen No data-x | Iowa | 42.64444 -96.35806 | Tim Orwig | 1 |
52354 | 1989-06-06 | Granite | Iowa | 43.46767 -96.55917 | Tim Orwig | 1 |
52352 | 1989-06-04 | Granite | Iowa | 43.46767 -96.55917 | Jeff Nekola | 1 |
52355 | 1989-06-04 | Granite | Iowa | 43.46767 -96.55917 | Tim Orwig | 1 |
52356 | 1989-06-04 | Granite | Iowa | 43.46767 -96.55917 | Tim Orwig | 1 |
52357 | 1989-06-04 | Granite | Iowa | 43.46767 -96.55917 | Tim Orwig | 1 |
52359 | 1989-06-04 | Granite | Iowa | 43.46767 -96.55917 | Tim Orwig | 1 |
52360 | 1989-06-04 | Granite | Iowa | 43.46767 -96.55917 | Tim Orwig | 1 |
52344 | 1978-06-16 | Cayler Prairie State Preserve | Iowa | 43.3972 -95.2459 | J C Downey | 1 |
106859 | 1978-06-15 | Palo Alto County | Iowa | 43.090301 -94.688715 | J C Downey | 1 |
52346 | 1974-06-12 | Gitchie Manitou State Preserve | Iowa | 43.4997 -96.5983 | J C Downey | 1 |
52347 | 1973-06-13 | Gitchie Manitou State Preserve | Iowa | 43.4997 -96.5983 | J C Downey | 1 |
52345 | 1973-06-12 | Gitchie Manitou State Preserve | Iowa | 43.4997 -96.5983 | J C Downey | 1 |
2450 | 1950-06-01 | Dickinson County | Iowa | 43.404938 -95.184921 | USGS - NPWRC | 1 |
2451 | 1950-06-01 | Lyon County | Iowa | 43.3936 -96.2479 | USGS - NPWRC | 1 |
2452 | 1950-06-01 | Palo Alto County | Iowa | 43.158089 -94.645035 | USGS - NPWRC | 1 |
106858 | 1950-06-01 | Dubuque County | Iowa | 42.47609 -90.822022 | B Nickolson | 1 |