Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

  Sighting 1317423

Polixenes Arctic
Oeneis polixenes

Observation date: July 07, 2021
Submitted by: Davidemartin
Specimen type: Photograph
Observation notes: These photos were posted on iNaturalist and kindly identified by Christian Nunes. As I hiked on the Tundra brownish butterflies would flush then drop down 20-40 yards away (or leave the vicinity altogether). Even if I knew exactly where they landed, I could never find one until I flushed it again. I decided to get within 15 feet of where I thought one went down and study that spot with my zoom lens. After a few minutes of looking at every stone and twig, I found it sitting there, almost as if it had a cloak of invisibility, blending in so well with the plants and stones. The photos don't show that because I crept up and isolated it, but it was amazingly hard to see. I was disappointed at my first photos into the sun not getting much but translucent wings, so I carefully got to its other side and took a second shot with the sun at my back.
Status: Resident
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: December 31, 2021
Coordinator notes: Thanks David for your observation...correct ID by Christian Nunes...Loveland Pass is a classic locality for Bruce's Arctic (O. polixenes brucei). This is the sight where I first found this species in 1967 at 16 years of age...Guess that dates me accurately. Apparently, surviving quite well...it seems to be more abundant there in odd-numbered years. Mike
Checklist region(s): United States, Colorado, Summit County