Wing span:
Flight time:Early-April to late-May.
Status: Breeding resident.
Distinguishing features: This gorgeous butterfly is named for the striking green marbling on the hindwing below, which barely shows through above. The forewing above is flecked with short bands of gray. These wing colors help it blend into the early spring landscape of dead grass with the first hint of new, green growth. Some fresh specimens exhibit a rosy blush over the apical third of the forewings, which fades following pinning and storage.
Distribution and habitat: Found throughout the Loess Hills, rare in northwestern Iowa on dry gravel prairies and on sandy bedrock glades in the northeast.
Natural History: Larvae consume various rock cress (Arabis) species; likely Arabis hirsuta in western Iowa, and Arabis lyrata in the northeast. Adults are weak fliers, often barely rising above the dead grass of the previous summer. Populations are often small, with only single individuals being observed at a given time. This, in combination with its emergence before most other species, has lead Loess Hills’ lepidopterist Tim Orwig to call it our "loneliest butterfly". These factors suggest that it may be overlooked and be more common than current records indicate.
Record # | Date | Locale | State | Lat/Lon | Collected By | Count |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
211130 | 2014-05-18 | Mills County | Iowa | 41.202 -95.641 | Jennifer Hengel | 1 |
55162 | 2006-04-27 | Hitchcock Nature Center | Iowa | 41.41733 -95.85388 | Frank Olsen | 1 |
107056 | 1993-05-12 | Port Neal Rest Stop | Iowa | 42.373941 -96.35428 | Tim Orwig | 2 |
55177 | 1992-04-29 | War Eagle Park | Iowa | 42.49332 -96.4508 | Tim Orwig | 2 |
107059 | 1992-04-28 | Sergeant Floyd Monument | Iowa | 42.462464 -96.377962 | Tim Orwig | 2 |
55160 | 1989-05-12 | Gitchie Manitou State Preserve | Iowa | 43.4997 -96.5983 | Tim Orwig | 1 |
55161 | 1989-05-12 | Gitchie Manitou State Preserve | Iowa | 43.4997 -96.5983 | Tim Orwig | 1 |
55174 | 1989-05-09 | Sioux City State Prairie Preserve | Iowa | 42.5241 -96.4362 | Tim Orwig | 1 |
55167 | 1989-05-07 | Preparation Canyon State Park | Iowa | 41.89133 -95.91407 | Tim Orwig | 1 |
55168 | 1989-05-07 | Preparation Canyon State Park | Iowa | 41.89133 -95.91407 | Tim Orwig | 1 |
55183 | 1989-04-25 | War Eagle Park | Iowa | 42.49332 -96.4508 | Tim Orwig | 2 |
107058 | 1989-04-24 | Sergeant Floyd Monument | Iowa | 42.462464 -96.377962 | Tim Orwig | 3 |
55173 | 1989-04-23 | Sioux City State Prairie Preserve | Iowa | 42.5241 -96.4362 | Tim Orwig | 1 |
107061 | 1989-04-23 | Sunken Grove State Game Management Area | Iowa | 42.63 -94.896134 | Ron Harms | 1 |
107062 | 1989-04-23 | Sunken Grove State Game Management Area | Iowa | 42.63 -94.896134 | Ron Harms | 1 |
55186 | 1988-05-12 | Woodbury County | Iowa | 42.31662 -95.98326 | Tim Orwig | 1 |
55180 | 1988-05-02 | War Eagle Park | Iowa | 42.49332 -96.4508 | Tim Orwig | 1 |
55182 | 1988-05-02 | War Eagle Park | Iowa | 42.49332 -96.4508 | Tim Orwig | 1 |
55187 | 1988-05-02 | Woodbury County | Iowa | 42.31662 -95.98326 | Tim Orwig | 1 |
107057 | 1988-05-02 | South Ravine Park | Iowa | 42.455455 -96.369567 | Tim Orwig | 1 |
55157 | 1988-05-01 | Fish Farm Mounds Wildlife Area | Iowa | 43.4331 -91.2842 | 1 | |
55179 | 1988-04-30 | War Eagle Park | Iowa | 42.49332 -96.4508 | Tim Orwig | 1 |
55181 | 1988-04-30 | War Eagle Park | Iowa | 42.49332 -96.4508 | Tim Orwig | 1 |
107060 | 1988-04-27 | Huser's Prairie | Iowa | 42.650399 -96.468816 | Tim Orwig | 1 |
55171 | 1988-04-19 | Sioux City State Prairie Preserve | Iowa | 42.5241 -96.4362 | Tim Orwig | 1 |
55158 | 1987-04-30 | Five Ridge Prairie State Preserve | Iowa | 42.67867 -96.53473 | Tim Orwig | 1 |
55159 | 1987-04-30 | Five Ridge Prairie State Preserve | Iowa | 42.67867 -96.53473 | Tim Orwig | 1 |
240160 | 1987-04-25 | War Eagle Park | Iowa | 42.49332 -96.4508 | Tim Orwig | 1 |
55172 | 1987-04-19 | Sioux City State Prairie Preserve | Iowa | 42.5241 -96.4362 | Tim Orwig | 1 |
55170 | 1987-04-17 | Sioux City State Prairie Preserve | Iowa | 42.5241 -96.4362 | Tim Orwig | 2 |
240159 | 1987-04-17 | Sioux City State Prairie Preserve | Iowa | 42.5241 -96.4362 | Tim Orwig | 1 |
55175 | 1973-04-21 | Stone State Park | Iowa | 42.55333 -96.46194 | Ron Royer | 1 |
55184 | 1969-05-06 | Waubonsie State Park | Iowa | 40.676 -95.689 | Ron Royer | 1 |
55164 | 1967-05-13 | Ledges State Park | Iowa | 41.994 -93.8749 | Ron Royer | 1 |
55185 | 1962-04-29 | Waubonsie State Park | Iowa | 40.676 -95.689 | Ron Royer | 1 |
55165 | 1961-05-14 | Polk County | Iowa | 41.6278 -93.50034 | Ron Royer | 1 |
55166 | 1958-04-13 | Polk County | Iowa | 41.6278 -93.50034 | Ron Royer | 1 |
3076 | 1950-04-30 | Allamakee County | Iowa | 43.243076 -91.443466 | USGS - NPWRC | 1 |
3077 | 1950-04-30 | Sidney | Iowa | 40.74004 -95.645798 | USGS - NPWRC | 1 |
3078 | 1950-04-30 | Harrison County | Iowa | 41.693386 -95.814285 | USGS - NPWRC | 1 |
3079 | 1950-04-30 | Lyon County | Iowa | 43.3936 -96.2479 | USGS - NPWRC | 1 |
3080 | 1950-04-30 | Mills County | Iowa | 41.06245 -95.645798 | USGS - NPWRC | 1 |
3081 | 1950-04-30 | Monona County | Iowa | 42.001595 -95.983261 | USGS - NPWRC | 1 |
3082 | 1950-04-30 | Plymouth County | Iowa | 42.776665 -96.152695 | USGS - NPWRC | 1 |
3083 | 1950-04-30 | Pocahontas County | Iowa | 42.691803 -94.645035 | USGS - NPWRC | 1 |
3084 | 1950-04-30 | Polk County | Iowa | 41.627842 -93.500343 | USGS - NPWRC | 1 |
3085 | 1950-04-30 | Pottawattamie County | Iowa | 41.391151 -95.477783 | USGS - NPWRC | 1 |
3086 | 1950-04-30 | Sac County | Iowa | 42.357353 -95.143204 | USGS - NPWRC | 1 |
3087 | 1950-04-30 | Winneshiek County | Iowa | 43.236259 -91.909927 | USGS - NPWRC | 1 |
3088 | 1950-04-30 | Woodbury County | Iowa | 42.316616 -95.983261 | USGS - NPWRC | 1 |
55163 | 1930-05-01 | Ledges State Park | Iowa | 41.994 -93.8749 | Mike Overton | 1 |
55176 | 1930-05-01 | Story County | Iowa | 42.10405 -93.50034 | Mike Overton | 1 |
107055 | 1930-04-02 | Mills County | Iowa | 41.030434 -95.642009 | Tim Orwig | 1 |