Move over Sara! Up until a few years ago, this beautiful butterfly was typically referred to as the Sara Orangetip (and still is according to just about every butterfly guide). But this formerly considered subspecies of the Sara Orangetip has been broken out as its own species and is what we find here in Montana …so that’s the name we’re using here. They are typically found from late April into late June in western Montana. The larval food plants are various native and exotic mustards.
Size: Wingspan 1 – 1 1/4 inches (2.5 – 3.1 cm.)
Photo by: Kelly Dix on 5/5/22 near Florence, MT
Photos by: Wendy Brooke on 5/12/22 near Polson, MT