Colorado Alpine (Erebia callias W. H. Edwards)
Wing span: 1 3/8 - 1 1/2 inches (3.5 - 3.8 cm).
Identification: Upperside is dull gray-brown with a slight luster. Forewing above and below has 2 eyespots near the tip, usually in a red patch. Underside of hindwing is silver-gray with tiny dark markings.
Life history: Males patrol over grassy areas to find females. Eggs are deposited singly on dead leaf blades near grasses and sedges.
Flight: One brood from mid-July to mid-August.
Caterpillar hosts: Probably grasses or sedges.
Adult food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Alpine grassy meadows.
Range: Alpine Wyoming and Colorado.
Conservation: Not usually required.
The Nature Conservancy Global Rank: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management needs: None reported.
References:
Scott, J. A. 1986. The butterflies of North America. Stanford University Press, Stanford, Calif. 583 pages, 64 color plates. Tilden, J. W. 1986. A field guide to western butterflies. Houghton-Mifflin Co., Boston, Mass. 370 pages, 23 color plates.
Author: Jane M. Struttmann
State and Regional References:
Elrod, M.J. 1906. The Butterflies of Montana. Bulletin of the University of Montana 30: 1-174. Ferris, C.D. and F.M. Brown. 1980. Butterflies of the Rocky Mountain States. University of Oklahoma Press. Norman. Layberry, R.A., Hall, P.W. & Lafontaine, D.J., 1998. The Butterflies of Canada. University of Toronto Press, Toronto, ON. 280 pp. Opler, Paul A. 1999. Peterson Field Guide to Western Butterflies, revised edition. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, Mass. Stanford, R.E. and P.A. Opler. 1993. Atlas of Western USA Butterflies. Privately published, Denver, Colo. Tilden, J.W. and A.C. Smith. 1986. A Field Guide to Western Butterflies. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, Mass.