Butterflies (superfamily Papilionoidea) and moths form the order Lepidoptera. Butterflies differ from moths in nearly always being active during the day, often folding their wings vertically rather than horizontally, and having slender club-like antennae without feathering.
Swallowtails and Parnassians (Papilionidae )
Western Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio rutulus – 2.7″-3.8″. Huge yellow wings with black stripes on forewing and black border on rear wings. Final crescent on tail is yellow. Found in open areas. (photo © bhallberg )
Western Tiger Swallowtail larva Marie Heuberger )
Pale Swallowtail (Papilio eurymedon – 2.5-3.3″. Like Western Tiger except paler yellow or creamy white. Final crescent on tail is orange. Found in forest openings, often near water. (photo © Noah Strycker )
Pale Swallowtail larva – Similar to Western Tiger Swallowtail, use food plant to identify. Feeds on California lilac, also coffeeberry, alder, ironwood, and others. (photo © Marlin Harms )
Anise Swallowtail (Papilio zelicaon zelicaon ) Nature Ali )
Anise Swallowtail larva astonishingnature )
Clodius Parnassian (Parnassius clodius claudianus ) Subspecies “Claudianus Parnassian”. – 2.3-3″. White with translucent-gray sections. Pair of black-bordered red spots on rear wing. Found in openings in wet forest. (photo © Delda Findeisen )
Clodius Parnassian larva – Deep black with single row of yellow spots. Feeds on Pacific Bleeding Heart. (photo © C.H. )
Brush-footed Butterflies (Nymphalidae )
Monarchs (Danainae ) and Fritillaries (Heliconiinae )
Monarch (Danaus plexippus plexippus – 3.4″-4.5″. Orange wings with black veins and white dots on borders. Engages in large migrations up and down the coast in spring and fall. (photo © Nicholas Sly )
Monarch stormcatcher )
Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele pugetensis Subspecies “Puget Sound Fritillary”. – 2.5″-4″. Largest fritillary. Small silver spots. Males orange-brown, females black inner wings and yellowish outer. Found in forests near boggy areas. (photo © Mike Hansen )
Great Spangled Todd Stout )
Hydaspe Fritillary (Speyeria hydaspe rhodope Subspecies “Rhodope Fritillary”. – 2″-2.5″. More reddish above and rusty hind wing below. Spots cream not silver. Found in forest. (photo © Ken Chamberlain )
Hydaspe Jim Brock )
Pacific Fritillary (Boloria epithore chermocki Subspecies “Western Meadow Fritillary”. – 1.3″-1.7″. Small, lacks the silver spots of larger fritillaries. Found in forest openings and meadows, especially on hills. (photo © cschelz7 )
Pacific Fritillary Todd Stout )
Ladies, Crescents, and Checkerspots (Nymphalinae )
American Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta rubria – 1.8″-2.5″. Dark above with red-orange bands, white spotting at end of forewing. Bottom is marbled brown with light band in middle of forewing. (photo © jbarlett79 )
American Red Admiral – Brown to black, speckled in white, with white or yellowish broken stripe on side. Many branching spines. Feeds on nettle and several similar plants. (photo © Eddie Dunbar )
Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui – 2″-2.9″. Above orange with brown markings and eyespots. Bottom of wings marbled in many colors, with 4-5 eyespots on back of rearwing. The most widely distributed butterfly on Earth. (photo © David Cappaert )
Painted Lady Rich Hoyer )
West Coast Lady (Vanessa annabella – 1.5″-2.3″. Similar to Painted Lady but eyespots below are darker and less conspicuous. Above has small orange bar at edge of forewing. (photo © David B. Richman )
West Coast Lady Nancy Betty )
American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis – 1.8″-2.4″. Has just two large eyespots on bottom of rearwing. Forewing edge is more abruptly concave than in other “Ladies”. (photo © John Koenig )
American Lady salamanderdance )
Commas, Tortoiseshells, and Mourning Cloak (Nymphalinae )
Rustic Green Comma (Polygonia faunus rusticus – 1.8″-2.5″. Reddish-brown to orange above with broad brown borders. Brown below with light bands. Wings ragged at edge. Found in riparian woodland. (photo © manzanita-pct )
Green Comma Jason Dombroskie )
Western Satyr Comma (Polygonia satyrus neomarsyas – 1.8″-2.5″. Also called “Satyr Anglewing”. Wings above have narrower brown margin. Below bands relatively uniform in color. Found in riparian woodland. (photo © lohump )
Satyr Comma Donna Pomeroy )
Oreas Comma (Polygonia oreas silenus ) – Subspecies “Silenus Anglewing”. – 1.6″-1.9″. Upper surface has more distinct yellow chevrons along dark border. Below dark grayish-brown. Found in forests. (photo © Mike Patterson )
Oreas Comma Bryan Kelly-McArthur )
Western Milbert’s Tortoiseshell (Aglais milberti subpallida – 1.3″-2.5″. Dark above with wide yellow/orange band. Dark brown below with lighter band near margin. Found in wet areas near forest. (photo © blcomegys )
Milbert’s Tortoiseshell crgillette )
Admirals and Sisters (Limenitidinae )
Satyrs (Satyrinae )
White and Sulphers (Pieridae )
Pine White (Neophasia menapia menapia ) – 1.7″-2.2″. White with characteristic black marking on end of forewing. Black front border. Rear wing has black veins beneath. Found wherever pines and firs grow. (photo © Eli Loftis )
Pine judith holm )
Western White (Pontia occidentalis occidentalis – 1.5″-2.1″. White with grayish markings on end of forewing and darker markings inset. Grayish veins beneath. Found in most open habitats. (photo © Paul Prappas )
Western White Todd Stout )
Cabbage White (Pieris rapae rapae ) – 1.2″-2″. White with 1-2 small black spots on forewing. No color on veins. Found in all habitats, especially disturbed spaces like crops and gardens. (photo © Noah Strycker )
Cabbage Andrew Dilley )
Margined White (Pieris marginalis marginalis ) – 1.5″-2.2″. White with grayish veins below, no black markings. Found in wet forest, often in riparian zones or shaded areas. (photo © Mike )
Margined White Caitlin LaBar , used with permission)
Western Clouded Sulpher (Colias philodice eriphyle ) – 1.2″-2″. Yellow to white with no orange on forewing. Narrow dark border and dark spot on each wing. Found in disturbed habitats. (photo © RJ Baltiera )
Clouded Sulpher Dave Wagner )
Orange Sulpher (Colias eurytheme – 1.3″-2.8″. Males orange/yellow with dark border and spot on each wing. Females yellow to white with light spots in wider dark border. Sweeps in during boom years. (photo © Liz Osborn )
Orange Sulpher Whitney Cranshaw, Bugwood.org )
Julia Orangetip (Anthocharis julia flora ) – Subspecies “Flora Orangetip” – 1″-1.3″. White, characteristic orange marking on end of forewing has black borders. Found in roadsides and meadows. (photo © spinyurchin )
Julia Orangetip Todd Stout )
Hairstreaks, Coppers and Blues (Lycaenidae )
Coppers (Lycaeninae
Purplish Copper (Tharsalea helloides ) – 1.1″-1.5″. No tail. Males brown with purple sheen, females orange and brown. Gray/brown below with black dots. Found in damp ditches and stream margins. (photo © Mike Patterson )
Purplish Copper larva
Hairstreaks (Theclinae )
Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus atrofasciata – 1.1″-1.4″. Dark gray above, not brown. Below black marks bordered in white; two orange dots are prominent. Found on hilltops, yards, and gardens. (photo © Jeff Ward )
Gray Hairstreak larva – Green to brown to pink, often with row of white diagonal dashes on each side. Feeds on wild buckwheat, lupine, mallow, strawberries, blackberries, and many other plants. (photo © Chhaya Werner )
Sylvan Hairstreak (Satyrium sylvinus nootka ) – 1″-1.4″. Brown above. Gray below with 1-2 rows of black dots, not obviously bordered in white. Orange dot in front of wispy tail. Found in riparian forests. (photo © Noah Strycker )
Sylvan Hairstreak larva Todd Stout )
Brown Elfin (Callophrys augustinus iroides ) – Subspecies “Western Elfin”. – 0.9″-1.1″. Gray-brown to red-brown with indistinct black patches/dots below on rear wing. Found in mixed forest. (photo © Don Henise )
Brown Elfin larva Todd Stout )
Moss’s Elfin (Callophrys mossii mossii – 1.1″-1.4″. Brown above. Below dark brown interior separated from lighter exterior by wandering squiggle. Found on rocky cliffs. (photo © Brandon Hawn )
Moss’s Elfin larva – Red (sometimes lighter) with light/dark diagonal marks in a line. Feeds on stonecrop on south-facing rocky outcrops. (photo © hormshaw )
Nelson’s Hairstreak (Callophrys – 0.9″-1.`1″. Underside chestnut-brown with white wavy arcs. Smaller than Johnson’s Hairstreak, with a lilac tint and less complete white line. Found in wet forests. (photo © Joe Engler )
Nelson’s Hairstreak larva – Green, marked in yellow or white with raised squarish pattern above and dashes below. Feeds on cedar. (photo © Jeffrey Miller )
Coastal Green Hairstreak (Callophrys dumetorum Also known as “Lotus Hairstreak”. – 1″-1.3″. No tail. Brownish above, gray and greenish below. Found in meadows and openings on coastal hills. (photo © Stefan )
Coastal Green Hairstreak larva Lotus sp. (photo © Kojiro Shiraiwa )
Blues (Polyommatinae )
The dorsal photos below are all males. Female “blues” can vary from brown to partly blue to mostly blue, depending on the season.
Western Tailed-Blue (Cupido amyntula amyntula – 0.9″-1.3″. Bluish above, chalky-white below with scattered black dots. Found in damp ditches and stream margins. (photo © Bruce Newhouse )
Western Tailed-Blue larvaTodd Stout )
Eastern Tailed-Blue (Cupido comyntas sissona ) – 1″-1.2″. Darker with more distinct markings than Western Tailed. Found in roadsides and fields. Introduced from east coast. (photo © Patricia )
Eastern Tailed-Blue larva Tom Murray )
Echo Azure (Celastrina echo echo ) Subspecies “Pacific Azure”. – to 1.2″. Sky blue above, frosty gray below with a row of black dashes backed by fainter chevrons. Found near host plants. (photo © Jim Johnson )
Echo Azure larvaTodd Stout )
Behr’s Silvery Blue (Glaucopsyche lygdamus incognitus ) – 0.9″-1.2″. Silvery blue or darker above. Grayish under with row of white-fringed round black spots. (photo © blcomegys )
Silvery Blue larva Karl Krocker )
Acmon Blue (Icaricia acmon – 0.7″-1.1″. Males light blue above, females dark brown with blue base. Gray below with white-bordered black spots. Red-orange band, above often black-bordered in front. Found in fields. (photo © Koji Shiraiwa )
Acmon Blue larva Dennis Walker )
Skippers (Hesperiidae )
Spread-winged Skippers (Pyrginae)
Common Checkered-Skipper (Burnsius communis – 1″-1.5″. Brown wings with broken rows of squarish white blotches. Found in open fields and disturbed roadside. (photo © Mike Hansen )
Common Checkered-Skipper Sandy Schwinn )
Two-banded Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus ruralis ruralis ) – 1″-1.2″. Darker brown with uneven rows of shorter white spots. Found in meadows and forest clearings. (photo © Leslie Flint )
Two-banded Checkered-Skipper Todd Stout )
Propertius Duskywing (Erynnis propertius – to 1.7″. Forewings dark brown, more brightly marked than persius . Line of glassy dots near end. Hind wings brown. Found in oak woodlands. (photo © Rich Hoyer )
Propertius Duskywing larvaStephanie A. Rivest )
Dreamy Duskywing (Erynnis icelus – 1.1″-1.5″. Dark forewings dusted in gray with a line of dark spots. No light dots on top of forewing. Hindwings lighter with a light fringe. Found in moist forest openings. (photo © Robin Gwen Agarwal )
Dreamy Duskywing larva christine123 )
Persius Duskywing (Erynnis persius ) – 1.1″-1.6″. Dark brown-black forewing goes to gray at end, with indistinct markings and a few clear dots. Dark fringe on the brown hindwing. Found in forest clearings. (photo © Robb Hannawacker )
Persius Duskywing larva – Pale green with light lines on sides and dark heart line above. Head yellow to reddish-brown. Feeds on lupines, false lupines, and Nevada Deervetch. (photo © Todd Stout )
Dicot Skippers (Eudaminae ) and Skipperlings (Heteropterinae )
Pacific Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus californicus ) – to 1.8″. Brown wings with blocky yellow-orange patch, lighter dots. White patch below. Found in open wet forest and riparian areas. (photo © Paul Prappas )
Silver-spotted Skipper larva David Cappaert, Bugwood.org )
Western Arctic Skipper (Carterocephalus skada – 0.8″-1.3″. Above dark brown with orange squares, below orange with outlined light squares. Found in wet meadows and along stream margins. (photo © guylmonty )
Western Arctic Skipper Tom Murray )
Grass Skippers (Hesperiinae )
Juba Skipper (Hesperia juba – 1.2″-1.6″. Orange inner with distinct brown toothed border. Males have black line on forewing. Jagged white blocks on gray-brown underwing. Body reflects blue. Found in open areas. (photo © Michael Woodruff )
Juba Skipper Dennis Walker )
Field Sachem (Atalopedes campestris campestris ) – 1.4″-1.6″. Yellow-orange with indistinct brown border, black block in center. Underwing patches dull yellow. Found in yards, meadows, and open woods. (photo © Rich Hoyer )
Field Sachem Dale Clark )
Sonoran Skipper (Polites sonora siris ) Subspecies “Dog Star Skipper”. – 1″-1.2″. Wings orangish-brown with brown border. Black mark in center. Arc of small light spots above and below. Found in prairies and old fields. (photo © Tom Benson )
Sonoran Skipper Todd Stout )
Woodland Skipper (Ochlodes sylvanoides sylvanoides ) – 1″-1.3″. Orange wings with brown border and dark diagonal marking. Tan indistinctly marked underwing. Found in almost any habitat. (photo © Noah Strycker )
Woodland Skipper Todd Stout )
Western Dun Skipper (Euphyes vestris vestris ) – 1.2″-1.4″. Chocolate-brown wings. Males have small black mark, females a few light dots. Found in open fields, riparian corridors, and wet meadows. (photo © Noah Strycker )
Dun Skipper Todd Stout )
Common Roadside-Skipper (Amblyscirtes vialis – 0.9″-1.2″. Dark brown with a checkered fringe. Indistinct white notch on both sides of forewing. Found in roadside gullies and small meadows. (photo © Paul Prappas )
Common Roadside-Skipper larva Todd Stout )
Butterflies no longer present in Columbia County
All of the following species were once found in northwestern Oregon, but appear to now be extirpated due to habitat loss from the reduction in native meadows and intact forest.
Valley Silverspot (Speyeria zerene bremnerii – 2.1″-2.7″. Tawny orange-brown. Willamette Valley native, now extinct in Oregon due to habitat loss. The Oregon Silverspot on the coastMichael Ferguson )
Valley Silverspot Jim Brock )
Callippe Fritillary (Speyeria callippe elaine ) – 2″-2.5″. More buffy-tan than other fritillaries. Silver spots different from Valley Silverspot. Once in Coast Range but now extirpated west of Cascades. (photo © Ken Kertell )
Callippe Fritillary Zaman et al. )
Field Crescent (Phyciodes pulchella pulchella – 1″-1.4″. Above darker than Mylitta Crescent, below sometimes less sharply patterned. Only found in native prairies, may no longer exist here. (photo © cschelz7 )
Field Crescent Todd Stout )
Taylor’s Checkerspot (Euphydryas editha taylori – to 2.3″. Below hindwing from edge has red-white-red-red -white pattern of lines. On the brink of extinction due to loss of native prairie habitat. Only two populations in Oregon. (photo © Steve Ansell )
Taylor’s Checkerspot Anne MS )
Tailed Copper (Tharsalea arota – 1.1″-1.4″. Has “tail”. Males brown with purple sheen, females orange and brown. Gray below, rows of black dots backed with white squiggle. Rediscovered in Polk County after 100 years of no Willamette Valley sightings. (photo © Noah Strycker )
Tailed Copper larva – Bright green body is thick with small hairs. White dorsal dashes form a line on the back. Feeds on currants and gooseberry. (photo © Jeffrey Miller )
Johnson’s Hairstreak (Callophrys johnsoni ) – 1.1″-1.4″. Chestnut-brown with white wavy arcs on the underside of each wing. Wispy tail. Found in old growth forest, so likely extinct in our county. (photo © Ken Kertell )
Johnson’s Hairstreak larva David McCorkle )
Greenish Blue (Icaricia saepiolus ) – 1″-1.3″. Males blue or greenish-blue above, females brown with blue base. Pale gray below with rows of black spots. Extirpated or extremely rare west of the Cascades. (photo © Liam O’Brian )
Greenish Blue larva – Green, white-green, or reddish-brown, often with red dashes forming dorsal and lateral rows. Feeds on clovers. (photo © Nicky Davis )
Fender’s Blue (Icaricia icarioides fenderi ) – 1.1″-1.4″. Males blue with black margin, females brownish. Tan below with white-bordered black spots. Found only in Willamette Valley prairie. Now an Endangered Species. (photo © Jeff Ward )
Fender’s Blue larva – Bright green body is thick with small hairs. Some have light lateral line. Feeds only on native lupine, especially Kincaid’s Lupine. (photo © Jeffrey Miller )
Lupine Blue (Icaricia lupini – 0.8″-1.2″. Similar to Acmon Blue, above males have broader dark borders on forewing and orangish band without black border in front. Found in meadows. Not recently seen in our area. (photo © Koji Shiraiwa )
Lupine Blue larva Todd Stout )
Mardon Skipper (Polites mardon mardon – 0.9″-1″. Wings brown and orange above. Unique arc of light rectangles below. Now missing from Willamette Valley due to loss of upland prairie habitat. (photo © Tom Kogut, USFWS )
Mardon Skipper Loni Beyer )
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Wild Columbia County 
Just spent some quality time on this website. I want to say how much I enjoyed such a thorough and well-illustrated site.
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Thanks Howard! We do our best.
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