PHOTOS OF 75 SPECIES OF OTTAWA BUTTERFLIES
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Note: Butterflies are remarkably like birds. They fly and many are quite beautiful, and since they often catch the keen birder's eye, it is not surprising that many birders also study butterflies at one time or another. There are useful field guides to butterflies, such as the Peterson Field Guides Eastern Butterflies by Paul A. Opler and Vichai Malikul, 1992. Butterflies through Binoculars, The East by Jeffrey Glassberg attempts to allow the study of butterflies without the collection of same. Much as birders have largely replaced the gun with binocs and cameras; this guide leans toward replacing the net with binocs and cameras for butterfly study. Some species, however, are still difficult to identify except in the hand. Butterflying can be great fun, especially in the heat of the day when most birds are quiet.
There are several resources for local butterfly study. High on that list are the Checklist of the Butterflies of the Ottawa District (1996) and The Butterflies of Canada (1998), both by Peter Hall, Ross Layberry & Don Lafontaine. The 3-fold card checklist contains a list of the 87 species occurring locally. It also has a flight chart showing the relative abundance over the April to October time period, in approximately 5 day intervals, for each of the 80 most common species. The splendidly illustrated book covers nearly 300 species found in Canada, and is the first comprehensive guide to the entire nation. Another indispensible tool for local butterfliers is the special butterfly issue of the OFNC's Trail and Landscape, Vol. 16, No. 1, 1982. This issue may still be available at the Flecher Wildlife Garden or through the club itself. On the web check out the Butterflies of Canada site which has great species accounts and specimen photos of Canadian species. Also check out the North American Butterflies and Moths site which has good information and a checklist database, mostly for the USA though.
An excellent local photo site is Rick Cavasin's Butterflies of Ottawa. Another fine local butterfly photo site is at Gillian Mastromatteo's PBase Galleries.
On the page below, rare, local and accidental species are marked R, L and A respectively. (Photos below by Larry Neily, some taken outside the Ottawa area, but of species found here.)
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Click on any picture to display a larger image.
Orange Sulphur
(Colias eurytheme)
Woodbridge, VA
July 4, 2007
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American Copper
(Lycaena phlaeas)
Silk Farm Audubon, Concord, NH
October 3, 1992
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American Copper
(Lycaena phlaeas)
Tremont, N.S.
September 3, 1991
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Bronze Copper
(Lycaena hyllus)
Embrun Sewage Lagoons
August 10, 1991
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Brown Elfin - worn
(Callophrys augustinus)
Monty's Bog, W of Masham,QC
June 18, 2011
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Hoary Elfin
(Callophrys polia)
Golden Line Road, E of Almonte,ON
May 2, 2010
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Hoary Elfin
(Callophrys polia)
Golden Line Road, E of Almonte,ON
May 2, 2010
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Henry's Elfin - L
(Callophrys henrici)
Carp Ridge on Thomas Dolan Parkway
May 8, 1993
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Eastern Tailed Blue f - R
(Everes comyntas)
Occoquan Bay NWR, VA
October 9, 2007
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Eastern Tailed Blue - R
(Everes comyntas)
Woodbridge, VA
July 4, 2007
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Spring Azure (lucia form)
(Celastrina ladon)
Constance Bay (Whistler Road)
April 30, 2010
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Spring Azure (lucia form)
(Celastrina ladon)
Britannia Conservation Area
April 26, 1992
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Aphrodite Fritillary
(Speyeria aphordite)
Paauw Road
July 22, 2003
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Atlantis Fritillary
(Speyeria atlantis)
Chemin Sincennes, Lac La Peche, QC
June 18, 2011
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Atlantis Fritillary
(Speyeria atlantis)
Chemin Sincennes, Lac La Peche, QC
June 18, 2011
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Bog Fritillary
(Boloria eunomia)
Monty's Bog, W of Masham,QC
June 18, 2011
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Bog Fritillary
(Boloria eunomia)
Monty's Bog, W of Masham,QC
June 18, 2011
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Silver-borderedFritillary
(Boloria selene)
Champlain Lookout Trails, Gatineau Park
June 11, 2011
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Silver-borderedFritillary
(Boloria selene)
Monty's Bog, W of Masham,QC
June 18, 2011
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Meadow Fritillary
(Boloria bellona)
Paauw Road
July 22, 2003
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Gorgone Checkerspot - L
(Chlosyne gorgone)
SW of Oxford Mils, ON
July 11, 2010
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Gorgone Checkerspot - L
(Chlosyne gorgone)
SW of Oxford Mils, ON
July 11, 2010
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Silvery Checkerspot - L
(Chlosyne nycteis)
n. Luskville, QC
July 5, 1992
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Harris' Checkerspot - L
(Chlosyne harrisii)
Richmond Road Trails
June 17, 2011
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Eastern Comma
(Polygonia comma)
Huntmar Road
July 1, 1992
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Eastern Comma
(Polygonia comma)
Ottawa West
May 13,2011
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Eastern Comma
(Polygonia comma)
Ottawa West
May 13,2011
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Gray Comma
(Polygonia progne)
Cambrian Road
July 13, 1992
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American Lady
(Vanessa virginiensis)
West Springfield, VA
September 20, 2008
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American Lady
(Vanessa virginiensis)
West Springfield, VA
September 20, 2008
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Painted Lady
(Vanessa cardui)
near Hexton, ON
July 4, 1992
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Red Admiral
(Vanessa atalanta)
Fletcher Wildlife Gardens
July 24, 2011
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Red Admiral
(Vanessa atalanta)
Golden Line Road, E of Almonte,ON
May 2, 2010
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Buckeye - R
(Junonia coenia)
Huntley Meadows Park, VA
October 11, 2007
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Buckeye - R
(Junonia coenia)
Bill Mason Centre, Dunrobin
September 3, 2011
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Buckeye - R
(Junonia coenia)
Bill Mason Centre, Dunrobin
September 3, 2011
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White Admiral
(Limenitis arthemis)
Leitrim Road West
June 19, 1992
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Viceroy
(Limenitis archippus)
NW of Harnett Road
August 1, 2003
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Viceroy
(Limenitis archippus)
Huntley Meadows Park, VA
July 3, 2007
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Hackberry Emperor
(Asterocampa celtis)
Petrie Islands
July 9, 2011
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Hackberry Emperor
(Asterocampa celtis)
Petrie Islands
July 9, 2011
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Hackberry Emperor
(Asterocampa celtis)
Twin Oaks Tavern Winery, Bluemont, VA
August 9, 2012
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Northern Pearly Eye
(Enodia anthedon)
Allen Road, near Grantley, ON
July 12, 1992
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Northern Pearly Eye
(Enodia anthedon)
East of Charlottetown, PEI
July 23, 2007
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Two Spectacular Ottawa Moths
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