Long Valley Creek, Lassen County - August 18, 2007

All of these photos were taken along Long Valley Creek, along Hwy 395, about 10 miles south of Doyle in Lassen County

Pale form of Great Basin Snaketail, male.

Same individual, different angle.

White-belted Ringtail, male -- this is the first record for Lassen County.

Paiute Dancer, male.

Emma's Dancer, worn female.

River Bluet, male.

River Bluet, male.

Purplish Copper.

By process of elimination, I've concluded this to be a Woodland Skipper. According to the website "Butterflies and Moths of North America" (http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org), the following Grass Skippers are found in Lassen County: Alkali Skipper (Pseudocopaeodes eunus), Juba Skipper (Hesperia juba), Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado), Lindsey's Skipper (Hesperia lindseyi), Nevada Skipper (Hesperia nevada), Sachem (Atalopedes campestris), Sandhill Skipper (Polites sabuleti), Sonora Skipper (Polites sonora), and Woodland Skipper (Ochlodes sylvanoides). The only skippers on this list with an under-hindwing pattern coming close to resembling this one are Sonoran Skipper and Woodland Skipper. Sonoran can be ruled out because it has a very even looking spot-band (forming a smooth arc), while on this individual the two upper spots on the spot-band are not connected to the others, giving the spot-band a more angled, dis-jointed look. Also, the upper forewing pattern is a very good match for Woodland Skipper (reference above web site and "Butterflies of North America," by Brock and Kaufman).

The Woodland Skipper pictured above is on the left. On the right is a Sonoran Skipper, also photographed in Lassen County. Both photographs have been enhanced to better show the spot bands. Note how the spot band on Sonoran Skipper is thinner and forms and a smooth arc. That of the Woodland Skipper is thicker, blockier, and not as continuous. The basal spot of the Woodland Skipper was too indistict to trace.

Same individual.

Same individual (nectaring ?).