Utah Lepidopterists' Society

Founded 6 Nov 1976

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Utah Habitats for Butterflies and Moths

Utah's Dixie--West Black Ridge

1. Wasatch Canyons

2. Wasatch Valley Riparian

3. Wasatch Valley Meadows

4. Wasatch Hilltops

5. Arctic Alpine

6. Basin and Range Province

7. Canyon Country

8. Montane

9. Utah's Dixie

For many Utah butterfly enthusiasts, West Black Ridge is an icon representing a wonderful escape from Utah's "frozen north" to a lava filled hill just west of St. George's airport hill.  It is here where you can find, early spring butterflies such as Anthcharis cethura pima (pima orangetip), as well as Chlosyne neumoegeni neumoegeni (desert checkerspot).

Adults of pima orangetip can be found as early as late February whereas adults of the desert checkerspot can be found a few weeks later.  

Accessing West Black Ridge requires you to take St. George Blvd west until it intersects with Bluff Street.  Proceed west through the intersection to Airport Rd. and follow the road as it immediately shifts to the south.  Turn west again at 265 South.  Proceed west a couple of blocks, park, and hike  to the south and seek out the main "temple quarry trail".  (See the animated gif above). 

Butterfly Species Checklist For this Habitat:

Swallowtails and Parnassians (Family Papilionidae)       

          Two-tailed Swallowtail (Papilio multicaudata multicaudata)
 
         
          

Brush-footed Butterflies (Family Nymphalidae)

          Desert Checkerspot (Chlosyne neumoegeni neumoegeni)
Thistle Crescent (Phyciodes mylitta mylitta)
Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa)
Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)
West Coast Lady (Vanessa carye annabella)
Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia)

 

Gossamer-wing Butterflies (Family Lycaenidae)

Western Pygmy-Blue (Brephidium exile)
Melissa Blue (Plebejus melissa melissa)

    Metalmarks (Family Riodinidae)

    Mormon Metalmark (Apodemia mormo mormo)
     
     

    Milkweed Butterflies (Family Danaidae)

    Monarch (Danaus plexippus)
            
     

     

    Skippers (Family Hesperiidae)

    Small Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus scriptura)
    White Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus albescens)
    Northern White-Skipper (Heliopetes ericetorum)
    Common Sootywing (Pholisora catullus)
    Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus phyleus)
    Field Skipper (Atalopedes campestris campestris)
    Eufala Skipper (Lerodea eufala)
    Yucca Giant-Skipper (Megathymus yuccae coloradensis)
     

     

    Whites, Orange-Tips and Sulphurs (Family Pieridae)

    Checkered White (Pieris protodice)
    Cabbage White (Pieris rapae)
     
    Desert Marble (Euchloe hyantis lotta)
    Desert Orangetip (Anthocharis cethura pima)
    Yellow Sulphur (Colias philodice eriphyle)
    Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme)
    Dainty Sulphur (Nathalis iole)
     

     

    All images of Limenitis weidemeyeri on the ULS Info Bar courtesy Jay Cossey

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