Observation date: May 08, 2018
Submitted by: A_baldini
Specimen type: Photograph
Observation notes: Time: 5:30 p.m. Temperature: ~78 degrees. Wind Speed: ~5 mph. Sky: Mostly sunny. Notes: A very large population of these crescents seems to reside in and around a short grass prairie west of southern Dixon Reservoir. There were some white asters growing at the edge of the trail, which the population probably uses as host plants. Of the three individuals I captured, two were smaller and more uniformly orange (3rd and 4th photos), while the third was larger and had some whitish-yellow coloration in addition to orange (1st and 2nd photos). I determined the larger one was a female, as it was sticking out its abdomen to display in the presence of the other two. I ruled out Northern Crescent for a couple of reasons: they’re not nearly as common as pearl, especially in eastern Colorado, and their ventral hindwing is pale, whereas the Pearl Crescent has a spring form with a mottled brown hindwing.
Status: Resident
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: June 25, 2018
Coordinator notes: You are correct on all accounts you wrote. Northern Crescentspots fly later in spring normally and usually a little more in the mountains where it is moist also (higher altitude). Our subspecies name is orantain. It is oranger (oran) and flies on the high plains and lower mountains in some places (tain). Mike
