Montana Spring and Summer Butterflies
When you’re out and about exploring this spring and summer, see how many of our lovely butterfly species you can find! Look for the Mourning Cloak cruising on a sunny late winter or early spring day. Other early spring flyers are the Satyr Anglewing (also known as the Satyr Comma) and the beautiful Orange Tip. If you can capture the Orange Tip, look at the spectacular underside coloring pattern. A little later in the season, look along the Kim Williams trail in Missoula for the large Two-tailed Tiger Swallowtail. See how many butterflies you can find this summer—and think about the intricate dance they and other insects have performed with our flowering plants for the past hundred million years. Learn more about butterflies, bees, and pollination here.
This guide was originally published in the Spring/Summer 2014 issue of Montana Naturalist magazine, and may not be reproduced in part or in whole without the written consent of the Montana Natural History Center. ©2014 The Montana Natural History Center.
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