MT/WY

We recently returned from a quick trip to Montana and back.  Generally speaking, it was very hard to find much in the way of dragonflies.  Most of my focus ended up being on butterflies and here are some pictures from the trip.

I have spent more time interested in butterflies in the eastern US and because of that, I still needed some very common western species.  For example, this was the first time I had seen COMMON RINGLETS. These were in North Dakota:

Also in North Dakota, this group of butterflies consisted of MELISSA BLUES (the ones with orange below) and SILVERY BLUES (no orange, only small black spots below):

Nothing special, just another SILVERY BLUE.  They ended up being abundant throughout the trip.

Another common species that I finally caught up to on this trip was the COMMON ALPINE.  This one was in Glacier National Park:

At the same spot, I found another lifer, WESTERN TAILED-BLUE:

Another common species in the mountains was the GIANT MARBLE:

I was really happy to find this elfin in Glacier National Park.  Best I can tell, it's a WESTERN PINE ELFIN:

And hey, a butterfly I knew right away... a MOURNING CLOAK:

I stumbled on a few commas on our trip.  This one shows a third, lower black spot on the hindwing and yet the edges are dusky brown.  I  suppose it's a GREEN COMMA:

As far as I can tell, this comma also shows a weak third dark spot on the hindwing.  I suppose it's another GREEN COMMA:

I think this comma looks identical to the previous two BUT it appears to NOT have that third, dark spot on the hindwing.  Might it be a HOARY COMMA?

There were a couple of species that I couldn't get photos of but COULD identify.  Those included STELLA ORANGETIP and PALE SWALLOWTAIL.

Maybe the only dragonfly I saw this trip was my lifer FOUR-SPOTTED SKIMMER in North Dakota:

Damselflies always take me a long time to figure out but I think this is an ALKALI BLUET.  It was in western North Dakota:

I think this bluet from Glacier National Park is either a NORTHERN BLUET or BOREAL BLUET.  The field guide says that they are indistinguishable from each other so I'll have to leave it be.

Stay tuned for a post about the butterflies/dragonflies/damselflies I stumbled on in northeastern Missouri.