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Species Oeneis chryxus - Chryxus Arctic - Hodges#4606

Chryxus Arctic (Oenis chryxus) - Oeneis chryxus

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Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)

Superfamily Papilionoidea (Butterflies and Skippers)

Family Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)

Subfamily Satyrinae (Satyrs, Morphos and Owls)

Tribe Satyrini (Alpines, Arctics, Nymphs and Satyrs)

Genus Oeneis (Arctics)

Species chryxus (Chryxus Arctic - Hodges#4606)

Hodges Number

4606

Other Common Names

Brown Arctic

Size

Wingspan 45-54 mm

Identification

Variable--see guide photos and print references for details.

Range

Eastern Alaska south through Rockies at high elevations to New Mexico. East across Canada to Ontario, Quebec, northern Wisconsin, Michigan. Isolated population in California Sierras (1).

Habitat

Rocky hilltops, meadows, open woodlands with grasses.

Season

Early summer. May-June (Wisconsion, Ontario). May-July (Colorado). June-August (alpine zone, California).

Food

Adults sip mud.

Life Cycle

Males perch on hilltops, etc. on watch for females. Larvae feed on grasses, sometimes sedges, such as Carex spectabilis in California. One flight per year. Large flights in some areas only every other year. Larvae typically overwinter over two winters before pupation (2).

See Also

Other Arctics

Print References

Brock and Kaufman, pp. 248-249 (1)

Scott, #128 (2)

Glassberg, p. 141, plate 44 (3)

Internet References

Butterflies and Moths of North America

Works Cited

1.	Butterflies of North America (Kaufman Focus Guides) Jim P. Brock, Kenn Kaufman. 2003. Houghton Mifflin Co.

2.	The Butterflies of North America: A Natural History and Field Guide James A. Scott. 1992. Stanford University Press.

3.	Butterflies Through Binoculars: The East Jeffrey Glassberg. 1999. Oxford University Press.

Contributed by Joel Kits on 13 June, 2005 - 10:30pm
Additional contributions by cotinis, Hannah Nendick-Mason, Kyhl Austin
Last updated 23 April, 2016 - 2:17pm

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