Back on June 15 Colin Croft sent me a link to some pictures he had taken earlier that day, wondering if I might know what it was. Knowing my limitations I passed it along to Steve Spomer who shared it with Mike Fisher and James Scott. They were in agreement that Colin had found a Field Crescent, Phyciodes pulchella – (formerly P. pratensis). This butterfly is found infrequently in western Nebraska and had yet to be recorded from Scotts Bluff County. The Nebraska Natural Heritage Program has this species listed as S1, Tier 2, making this a really good find. For more photographs and an updated distribution map with the species profile follow this link to the Field Crescent species account.
