Observation date: March 23, 2009
Submitted by: pdevries
Specimen type: Photograph
Observation notes: The plant the butterfly is on is Amsinckia vernicosa
Status: Resident
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: December 22, 2012
Coordinator notes: This is Morrison's Desert Orange-tip, a fairly common Mojave Desert species (morrisoni is the subspecies in the southern San Joaquin Valley) in the early spring in wet years, but can be rare or absent in dry years. These can delay emergence in the pupae state for many years. They may not have flown there in 2012 or in most years. You may have some very interesting butterflies in the Bitter Creek Preserve, the Small Blue (Philotiella speciosa) may occur there but only in very wet years.-Ken Davenport located in Bakersfield (661-366-3074).
