These showy butterflies can be found from British Columbia south to Baja California and inland to Montana and Nevada. Like many butterfly species, there’s an incredible visual difference between the bottom (ventral) side of the wings and the top (dorsal) side of the wings. They frequent river bottomlands, lakeshores, and forest edges where the larvae feed on willows, poplars, and chokecherry.
Size: Wingspan 57 – 70 mm
Photos by: Minnette Wasness Reed on 7/2/22 near Lolo, MT. Credit to Tom and Emma Read, bug catchers extraordinaire!