Oeneis chryxus

The Chryxus Arctic or Brown Arctic (Oeneis chryxus) is a butterfly, a species of Satyrinae that occurs in North America.

Description

The wingspan is 39 to 54 mm.^[2] The dorsal view is cream or brownish-orange. Forewing has 1–4 small black eyespots near the outer margin, then the hindwing has an additional 1–2. The males have a dark patch of sex scales on their forewings. The ventral view has black and white striations, a broad dark median band and veins of white scales. There is only one black spot near the lower inner margin of the wing.

Subspecies

Listed alphabetically.^[1]

• O. c. calais (Scudder, 1865)
• O. c. caryi Dyar, 1904
• O. c. chryxus
• O. c. socorro Holland, 2010
• O. c. stanislaus Hovanitz, 1937
• O. c. strigulosa McDunnough, 1934
• O. c. valerata Burdick, 1958

Similar species

• Great Arctic (O. nevadensis)
• Macoun's Arctic (O. macounii)
• Uhler's Arctic (O. uhleri)
• Alberta Arctic (O. alberta)
• Sentinel Arctic (O. alpina)^[2]

Range and habitat

Eastern Alaska south through the higher elevated Mexican Rockies, east across Canada into Quebec, Wisconsin, and Michigan. There is a small isolated population in the California Sierras. Within their habitat they are most commonly found on rocky hilltops, meadows, and open woodlands.

Life cycle

There is only one brood and that occurs from May to June every year. They are more numerous in the Great Lakes region than elsewhere. The caterpillars take two years to completely develop, they hibernate as early instars during the first winter and the last instar completes the second winter.

Larval foods

• Danthonia spicata

Adult foods

• Nectar

References

• "Oeneis". Retrieved 2008-11-20. 
• "Species Detail Butterflies and Moths of North America". Retrieved 2008-11-20.