Oeneis alberta

Oeneis alberta
Oeneis alberta
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nymphalidae
Genus: Oeneis
Species: O. alberta
Binomial name
Oeneis alberta
Elwes, 1893[1]
Synonyms
  • Oeneis tarpeia alberta

The Alberta Arctic (Oeneis alberta) is a butterfly of the Nymphalidae family. It is found from the Canadian prairie provinces east to southern Manitoba. Isolated populations are found along the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona.[2]

The wingspan is 35–57 mm. The upperside is light yellow grey while the underside is light brown. Adults are on wing from May to June in one generation per year.

The larvae feed on bunchgrass, possibly Festuca species. The species overwinters in the larval stage.

Subspecies

  • Oeneis alberta alberta (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, Montana, North Dakota)
  • Oeneis alberta oslari Skinner, 1911 (Colorado)
  • Oeneis alberta capulinensis F.M. Brown, 1970 (New Mexico)
  • Oeneis alberta daura (Strecker, 1894) (Arizona)

References

  1. ^ Oeneis at funet
  2. ^ Butterflies and Moths of North America
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