Sighting for June 12, 2021
Brian McGurgan
Mt. Baldy, Eagle River
Anchorage Municipality, AK
- Old World Swallowtail 4
- Western White 3
- Mustard White 1
- Freija Fritillary 8
- Mourning Cloak 1
- White-veined Arctic 4
- Jutta Arctic 2
- Grizzled Skipper 4
- Arctic Skipper 3
A beautiful day with temperatures in the upper sixties and a mix of bright sun and clouds. Conservative counts given. The fritillaries were a challenge for me as always with a toss-up between Boloria freija and Boloria chariclea butleri (Arctic fritillary), and I ultimately decided on Arctic - although more than one species may have been present. All species were very active and skittish. Most observations were well above the treeline at about 3,000 feet and higher in alpine habitat, especially near the peak of Mt. Baldy, but the margined white (logged as mustard white) and the Arctic and Grizzled Skippers were found lower down during our descent.