Oeneis uhleri

(Reakirt, 1866)

Uhler's Arctic

Oeneis uhleri, commonly known as Uhler's , is a in the . It is a member of the 'Arctic' group of butterflies, named for their association with high-elevation and northern . The species exhibits a with fourth- . Larvae feed on specific grass including Festuca, Koeleria, and Poa. The species is distributed across western North America from Alaska to northern New Mexico, with multiple recognized occupying distinct geographic ranges.

Oeneis uhleri by (c) Nick Block, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Nick Block. Used under a CC-BY license.Oeneis uhleri by (c) Nick Block, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Nick Block. Used under a CC-BY license.Oeneis uhleri down250686 by Atylotus. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Oeneis uhleri: /ˈiːnɪs ˈjuːləriː/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Images

Habitat

Slopes in dry, open bunch grass areas, tundra, and openings in pine forests. Associated with high mountain areas and northern latitudes.

Distribution

North America: north-eastern Alaska, Yukon, western Northwest Territories, central Alberta south through the Rocky Mountains to northern New Mexico, and east through the Canadian prairie provinces to western Minnesota.

Seasonality

active in summer. Fourth- overwinter and emerge in spring.

Diet

feed on various grasses and sedges, specifically including Festuca, Koeleria, and Poa .

Host Associations

  • Festuca - larval grass
  • Koeleria - larval grass
  • Poa - larval grass

Life Cycle

Fourth- overwinter and emerge in spring. (one per year).

More Details

Subspecies

Six are recognized with distinct geographic distributions: O. u. uhleri (Colorado: eastern slope), O. u. cairnesi (Yukon, north-western Northwest Territories, north-eastern Alaska), O. u. nahanni (Northwest Territories: Mackenzie Mountains), O. u. reinthali (Colorado: western slope), and O. u. varuna (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, western Minnesota).

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Sources and further reading