Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

  Sighting 906800

Weidemeyer's Admiral
Limenitis weidemeyerii

Observation date: June 23, 2013
Submitted by: cologator
Specimen type: Photograph
Observation notes: The butterfly was quite docile, allowing it to be held in the palm of the hand. It originally landed on a person's clothing and allowed me to remove and hold it. No camera was immediately available for photographs. After a couple of minutes it flew off. Only after it had flown off about 70 feet did a camera arrive for a picture (attached). It was a black butterfly with white spots forming a single line interior to the wing edges on the upper surface. Between the white "line" and the body was a single very small white dot on each wing. Outside (exterior) of the white line near the tip of the forewings were additional small white dots. The undersurface of the wings were basically white with rust and black "stripes".
Status: Resident
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: December 04, 2013
Coordinator notes: Correctly identified by the submitter. A more interesting record for this butterfly from the SE corner of Colorado. This is a Baca County record assuming that none have been reported to this website any later than 2007. This should be just about the maximum limit of this species distribution to the east. I suppose it might occur on out along the Arkansas River into Kansas as mostly a stray.
Checklist region(s): United States, Colorado, Baca County