Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

  Sighting 1259651

Melissa Arctic
Oeneis melissa

Observation date: July 11, 2020
Submitted by: dbrudin
Specimen type: Photograph
Observation notes: Very active once temperatures warmed up.
Status: Resident
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: November 08, 2020
Coordinator notes: Correct ID....usually the most common of the high altitude arctics, males on top of rocky ridges as you described. You can also find the White-veined Arctic on Independence Pass the time you were there....it likes lush tundra grass but this was not a very good year for lush grass at high altitude. My trip to Cottonwood Pass several days earlier than your date on the sighting found the high altitude drier than I have ever seen it before and very few butterflies....other than a few Melissa as you found. Mike
Checklist region(s): United States, Colorado, Lake County