Habitats: Spring Creek *West of Cedar Fort"

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Butterflies and Moths' Habitat:

Oquirrh Canyons

Spring Creek (West of Cedar Fort)

As was discussed in the habitat section for Pinyon Juniper or Oquirrh Canyons, there are several different taxa of butterflies found in the Basin and Range Province as compared to the Wasatch Range. Spring Creek (west of Cedar Fort) is such a place which has a vastly different mix of butterfly subspecies as compared to American Fork Canyon--which is only roughly 21 miles to the east.

The differences in similar butterflies flying at Spring Creek is especially evident with the family Pieridae (Whites, Sulphurs, and Orangetips.) Instead of finding typical Wasatch Front varieties Utah Stella Orange-tip (Anthocharis stella browningi) and the Spring White (Pieris sisymbri sisymbri,) at Spring Creek, you will find the Southwestern Orangetip (Anthocharis sara thoosa) as well as the Dark-Veined Spring White (Pieris sisymbri nigravenosa.)

A few weeks later, instead of finding large numbers of the Large Marble (Euchloe ausonides coloradensis) as you would in the Wasatch Front, you will find the Desert Marble (Euchloe hyantis lotta) flying amongst the Juniper trees seeking out its principle hostplant Streptanthus cordatus.

Another Wasatch Front taxon is the Variable Checkerspot, (Euphydryas anicia maria.) At Spring Creek, you will find another subspecies common to the Basin & Range Province which is Euphydryas anicia wheeleri. A last instar larva of wheeleri was found in the Spring of 2004 feeding on Indian Paintbrush, (Castilleja chromosa.)

From Spring Creek (west of Cedar Fort,) you can see the snow-packed Wasatch Range 21 miles to the east in the distance. The geological, floral and faunal differences of these two mountain ranges are not subtle.

Butterfly Species Checklist For This Habitat:

Swallowtails (Family Papilionidae)

Anise Swallowtail (Papilio zelicaon gothica)
Two-tailed Swallowtail (Papilio multicaudata multicaudata)

Brush-footed Butterflies (Family Nymphalidae)

Field Crescent (Phyciodes pulchella camillus); Thistle Crescent (Phyciodes mylitta mylitta)
Variable Checkerspot (Euphydryas anicia wheeleri): Satyr Comma (Polygonia satyrus satyrus); California Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis californica); Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa); Milbert's Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis milberti furcillata); Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui); West Coast Lady (Vanessa carye annabella); Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta rubria); Weidemeyer's Admiral (Limenitis weidemeyeri latifascia); Arizona Sister (Adelpha bredowi eulalia)

Gossamer-wing Butterflies (Family Lycaenidae)

Great Purple Hairstreak (Atlides halesus estesi)

Desert Elfin (Incisalia fotis fotis)

Juniper Hairstreak (Mitoura siva chalcosiva)

Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus franki)

Western Pygmy-Blue (Brephidium exile)

Spalding's Dotted-Blue (Euphilotes spaldingi)

Silvery Blue (Glaucopsyche lygdamus oro)

Melissa Blue (Plebejus melissa melissa)

Milkweed Butterflies (Family Danaidae)

Monarch (Danaus plexippus)

Satyrs (Family Satyridae)

Great Basin Wood Nymph (Cercyonis sthenele paulus)

Skippers (Family Hesperiidae)

Common Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus communis)

Juba Skipper (Hesperia juba)

Whites and Sulphurs (Family Pieridae)

Becker's White (Pieris beckeri)
Dark-Veined Spring White (Pieris sisymbri nigravenosa): Checkered White (Pieris protodice); Cabbage White (Pieris rapae)
: Large Marble (Euchloe ausonides coloradensis); Desert Marble (Euchloe hyantis lotta); Southwestern Orangetip (Anthocharis sara thoosa)
: Yellow Sulphur (Colias philodice eriphyle); Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme)

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