Butterflies Of Greater Los Angeles

Dr. Rudi Mattoni

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An illustrated guide to all 106 butterfly species of the coastal plain and low mountains from Ventura to Orange counties. Included are the Santa Monica mountains and all of the Los Angeles basin to 2500'. Each species is shown in color with notes on all important aspects of its biology. Extant, extinct, and extirpated species are included. Conservation issues are outlined and all threatened species indicated. This treatment is designed to present the maximum amount of information on the butterflies of Los Angeles in a minimum of space. The illustrations will permit rapid and accurate identification of most species. Butterflies are among the best known animals on earth and serve as key indicators of environmental quality as expressed by biodiverity. The baseline information presented has value for documenting future changes in wild populations. As true for all organisms, butterfly species represent groups of individuals which have evolved and are adapted to exploit specific combinations of environmental conditions. Each species has a characteristic place to live (habitat), pattern of movement (distance travelled), larval foodplants and adult nectar sources, number of generations per year, and stage of life cycle in which development slows to resist adverse conditions (diapause). These features are given for each species by a set of abbreviations outlined below.

Key to abbreviations: (G) following species name indicates can be encourged in gardens by planting both nectar sources (NS) and larval foodplants (LF), =male, =female, uns=underside of wings. Specimens not marked are male. Column 1. General distribution. WS widespread, found nearly everywhere including urban areas NA widespread, but only in undisturbed areas LO localized in colonies or restricted habitat RM regular migrants usually found in area every year SM sporadic migrants Column 2. Usual habitats as plant association of occurrance U universally distributed in all habitat types S coastal sage C chaparral O oak woodland and savannah G grassland R riparian, including freshwater marsh D coastal dunes and strand M saltwater marshes Column 3. Relative abundance as maximum number of individuals which can be sighted on an optimal day during mid flight period. V very rare, none or one R rare, 2-4 O occasional, 5-9 A abundant, 10-49 C common, more than 50 Column 4. Index of relative movement of an average individual during adult lifespan. the values are estimates. 0 moves less than 330 ft. (100 m) 1 moves 330-3300 ft. (100-1000m) 2 moves 3300 ft-30 mi (1-50 km) 3 moves more than 30 miles (50 km) Column 5. Voltinism, or number of complete life cycles in a year. S single, one generation of flight period D double, two discrete generations M multiple, more than two, usually overlapping, generations Months adults can be seen in the field given in parenthesis Column 6. Stage of the life cycle that diapauses. E egg L larva (number gives instar, if known) P pupa A adult Column 7. Span of larval foodplant preferences M monophagous, feeds only on plant species within a genus O oligophagous, feeds on plant species within a family P polyphagous, feeds on plant species in two or more families