Short description of  Group

Greenish Blue (Plebeius saepiolus)

• Wingspan: SMALL - medium - large
• Field Marks: DFW blue or brownish - VFW and VHW light gray with a double row of dark spots encircled by white rings following curve of outer margins - often one or two orange spots on lowest corner of VHS when raised
• Similar Species: six other blues in Denali, but none have the double row of dark spots
• Habitat: most habitats to over 3,000 feet
• Flight period: June to mid-July
• Behavior: attracted to flowers, especially clovers - puddles

Short description of  Group

Western White (Pontia occidentalis)2

• Wingspan: small - MEDIUM - large
• Field Marks: black or charcoal gray pattern on DFW tips and outer margins - DHW may or may not have charcoal gray pattern on outer margins - dark rectangular spot in middle of leading edge of DFW - gray pattern may show on VFW but DHW has greenish-gray marks on veins
• Similar Species: Arctic White may have dark spots on DFW or charcoal-gray tips - marbles have similar markings on DFW as a light Western White, but VHW has green marbling
• Habitat: in nearly all habitats in Alaska - males often found on windy ridges and gravelly areas
• Flight period: mid-May into July
• Behavior: flight,fast and erratic

Second photo taken by Alan Schmierer and made available under the Creative Commons CCO 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.

Short description of Group

Phoebus Parnassian (Parnassius phoebus)

• Wingspan: small - medium - LARGE
• Field Marks: white with black markings - black spots on DFW and DHW often encircled bold red spots - female has larger black/red spots on hindwings
• Similar Species: Eversmann's Parnassian has similar markings on yellow base (or white base with merged band of black and red on DHW) and solid black antennae
• Habitat: moist alpine meadows and ridges, tundra hillsides - typically found close to larval host plant Rhodiola rosea (Roseroot)
• Flight period: late June to early July
• Behavior: males fly low when foraging, fast when disturbed - often attracted to flowers or bask on bare soil and gravel

Short description of Group

Western Arctic Skipper (Carterocephalus skada)

• Wingspan: SMALL - medium - large
• Field Marks: blocky yellow spots on dark brown background on DFW and DHW - large head
• Similar Species: other local skippers have much different markings
• Habitat: boggy areas, clearing in boreal forests, roadsides
• Flight period: June
• Behavior: flight weak - perch on stems of grass or flowers - attracted to moist soil