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Exploring the beautiful nature of California


California Nature:  Butterflies


Butterflies are brightly colored flying insects with two pairs of large wings that vary in color and pattern from species to species. Butterfly wings are covered with overlapping rows of tiny scales. Butterflies come in a variety of sizes. The world’s smallest known species, the blue pygmy found in southern California, has a wingspan of just over half an inch. The largest species, New Guinea’s Queen Alexandra's birdwing, can measure up to twelve inches from wingtip to wingtip.

Like other insects, butterflies have a hard exoskeleton, three pairs of jointed legs, antennae, compound eyes and three main body parts: head, thorax and abdomen. On the head are the eyes, antennae and proboscis – the long, flexible "tongue" used to sip nectar and other liquids. The thorax is the point of attachment for the two pairs of wings, forewings and hindwings. The abdomen contains the reproductive and other vital organs.

After hatching, a caterpillar begins to eat the host plant.  The caterpillar sheds its skin several times during this stage. It then seeks a sheltered spot, suspends itself by silken threads and sheds one last time to reveal skin that will harden to form the chrysalis or pupa. Days, months or even years later, depending on the species, a fully developed winged adult emerges from the chrysalis and the cycle begins anew.
Monarch butterflies travel through California by the thousands every year It's a sight to behold! Thousands of Monarch butterflies cluster in eucalyptus groves and settle on pine trees all along the California coast. They return every year from as far away as Canada to escape killing winter temperatures. The Monarch butterfly migration begins in mid-October, and by late November the groves are full of roosting butterflies. In late February, they begin to leave the groves in search of milkweed plants where they can lay their eggs. And by March, most have moved on. There are about 200 sites along the California coast where these butterflies congregate. The following sites are some of the best locales accessible to the public. They're listed from north to south.

When visiting a butterfly grove, please be aware that when the temperature is below 55 degrees the butterflies are unable to fly. When it's below 40 degrees, they can't even move. So be careful not to disturb them. On warmer days, you may find Monarchs on the ground sunning or drinking. So watch your step!

The monarch butterfly is sometimes called the "milkweed butterfly" because its larvae eat the plant.  In fact, milkweed is the only thing the larvae can eat!  Most predators have learned that the monarch butterfly makes a poisonous snack.  The toxins from the monarch's milkweed diet have given the butterfly this defense.  In either the caterpillar or butterfly stage the monarch needs no camouflage because it takes in toxins from the milkweed and is poisonous to predators. 
The Gulf Fritillary, whose scientific name is Agraulis vanillae, is one of the showiest butterflies in California. It has long, narrow bright orange-red wings with black spots on the upper surface. But it’s the underside that shines: it’s spangled in iridescent silver. Nothing else in the region looks like it. Its wingspan can reach four inches.

The Gulf Fritillary is a tropical and subtropical butterfly, whose range extends from the southern United States all the way to central Argentina. Its spiny orange-and-black caterpillar feeds only on Passionflower leaves, eating many but not all species of the genus Passiflora. There are no native members of this genus in the state of California, but several are widely cultivated in gardens. The Gulf Fritillary butterfly can only breed where there is a "critical mass" of these plants in a town or neighborhood
the pygmy blue butterfly is common on California's caost Sometimes no bigger that 3/8″ the Western Pygmy Blue is the smallest butterfly in the western United States. Although fairly common, many people probably walk right by these delicate blues because of their tiny size and dainty, low to the ground flight.

Blue-green eggs hatch into light green caterpillars that feed on pickleweed, saltbush and pigweed. The inner portions of the top wing surfaces are metallic blue, giving this beautiful butterfly its name. The butterfly's upper side is a copper brown, with dull blue at the bases of both wings. The underside of the bottom wing is a copper brown with white at the base; 3 small black spots near the base and a row of black spots on the outer margin. The female is larger then the male, and less blue.

This is one butterfly whose populations have probably increased greatly since the coming of man and the introduction of weeds,such as tumbleweed, which have been utilized to a great extent by the Pygmy Blue as larval food plants. Pygmy Blues can be seen on Salt Bush and Russian Thistle. The Pygmy Blue is almost always seen fluttering weakly about one of the larval food plants. The species often occurs in large numbers, but is still easily overlooked. is especially abundant in the coastal areas of California, although it also occurs less commonly in the interior areas of Orange County. Any vacant lot or semi-disturbed area containing the food plant is also likely to harbor populations of the Pygmy Blue.
The Pacific Fritillary (Boloria epithore) is a common smaller fritillary, found along the West Coast and Northern Rocky Mountains areas. Populations in California's Santa Cruz Mountains are limited and may be in jeopardy. Moist, sunny openings in mixed evergreen and deciduous mountain forests, maritime marshes, roadsides, and lush meadows are all spots to find Pacific Fritillary.

Pacific Fritillary  are  1 3/8-1 5/8 inches with orange with small black dots and bars. Caterpillar overwinters half grown, on several violet plants. The Pacific Fritillary takes flight mostly June or July, slightly earlier near coast and a little later in higher mountains.

This species is the most widespread and abundant lesser fritillary in the Northwest. The only member of the group in California, the Western Meadow Fritillary succeeds in a variety of lowland and highland habitats.
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