There are approximately 200,000 Lepidoptera throughout the world. How many in Washington?
Where does the butterfly/moth/skiper scientific name come from?
Butterflies, moths, and skippers all have membranous wings covered with scales which give their taxonomic name Lepidoptera, meaning "scaly wings."
Above is a magnified picture of a butterflies wing.
What is the difference between a moth and a butterfly?
They first thing to notice when trying to identify a specimen as either a butterfly or moth is its color. Butterflies tend to have bright colors, while moth coloring tend to be dull. A second key characteristic of a moth is that they have a frenulum, which is a wing-coupling device that butterflies do not have. Frenulums join the fore-wing to the hind wing, so that the wings can work in unison. Another difference occurs earlier on in development.When moths pupate they spin silk to make their cocoons from, while butterflies make a chrysalis, a hardened protein shell.
What is the difference between a butterfly and a skipper?
Butterfly:- When at rest, holds its forewings and hind-wings in an extended, vertical spread above the body
- Graceful flight
- Scale-covered wings
- Antennae have club-like tips
- Intermediate between a butterfly (colorful) and a moth (drab in color)
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- When at rest, holds it wings at a near vertical position; forewings and hind-wings at slightly different angles
- Body like a moth
- Darting flight
- More than 3500 recognized species
- Antennae is clubbed hooked backward like a crochet hook
What are the common moths of the University of Washington and what do they look like?
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What are the common butterflies/skippers of the University of Washington area and what do they look like?
Red admiral Vanessa atalanta
Can be found March-October.
Painted Lady Vanessa cardui
Can be found April-November. Painted lady's can be found around holyhock which we have here on the UW farm!
Anise swallowtail Papilio zelicaon
Western tiger swallowtail Papilio rutulus
Note: This butterfly is often mislabeled as a Monarch Butterfly, when in fact Seattle is not home to any Monarchs despite their abundance elsewhere. Found April-September. Try looking for this guy around willow trees!
Satyr comma Polygonia satyrus
Woodland skipper Ochlodes sylvan ides
Note: This is Washington State’s most common species of butterfly.Woodland skippers are often mistaken for moths, but if you look closely you will notice that their pairs of wings are not attached a key characteristic of a true butterfly. Found July-October.
Mylitta crescent Phyciodes mylitta
Echo Blue Celastrina ladon
This guy likes dogwood! Found February-October.
Cabbage White Pieris rapae
Typically the cabbage white will be the first butterfly to show its face in the mists of spring.
Where should I go to find butterflies?
- best time to view butterflies:
- May-August
- active during warmer part of the day ~ 9am-noon and 2-4pm
- where to find them:
- look under shrubs/large leaves (they like shade, especially when it’s raining)
- open grasslands, near ponds
What plants around campus typically attract butterflies?
Oregano Origanum vulgare
Attracts: Anise Swallowtail, Cabbage White, Pacific Fritillary
On campus locations: UW Farm, herb garden
Butterfly Bush Buddleja
Note: Flower colors include blue, pink, red, violet, yellow, and white, and the shrub grows 5 to 10 feet tall and wide, depending on the variety.
Attracts: Anise Swallowtail, Western Tiger Swallowtail, Cabbage White, Painted Lady, Pacific Fritillary
On campus locations: NE Stevens Way near Pacific St.
For a full list of plants in Washington state that attract butterflies please visit the Washington Fish and Wildlife Organization's website
Resources:
http://wdfw.wa.gov/living/butterflies/index.html#pnwbutterflies
An article on how to spot butterflies, and where to find them throughout the Pacific Northwest.
http://www.wta.org/magazine/1190.pdf
Butterflies and Moths. St Martin’s Press, 2002.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/homegarden/2003798205_butterflies210.html
http://www.desertusa.com/animals/moth-butterfly-skipper.html
