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In the high and dry mountains of Colorado I've seen small green butterflies on the miner's candle (plants with fuzzy sage colored leaves and small white flowers on the spires). They are a very specific match and I've wondered how they find each other. Now I wonder even more! Lovely little creatures! Thank you for the post.
In the high and dry mountains of Colorado I've seen small green butterflies on the miner's candle (plants with fuzzy sage colored leaves and small white flowers on the spires). They are a very specific match and I've wondered how they find each other. Now I wonder even more! Lovely little creatures! Thank you for the post.
I'm not entirely certain of their distribution at elevation, but you could be looking at Juniper Hairstreak or Western Green Hairstreak. Here's the full suite of CO species: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=34&quality_grade=research&subview=map&taxon_id=58554&verifiable=any&view=species
I'll guess they are Juniper Hairsteaks as I live in Juniper Pinyon habitat. I see them in the springtime. Thank you for the link!
Oh, yeah -- and Juniper Hairstreak is the most widespread in North America. Yep, they fly in spring. Something to look forward to!
I'll wish them well for the winter ahead. I saw a Weidemeyer's Admiral (I had to look it up) fly by. Poof, it was here and gone!