Lumpers or Splitters
I've really been scratching my head about a butterfly ID, an Edith's Checkerspot found the last weekend in June up Cheam mountain here in the Fraser Valley. Usually to ID something I go to Google images and check out what else people have posted, and what they've written, starting with the general and going to the specific.
So for this butterfly, there are many different subspecies, many of which are critically endangered and which it is important to track sightings of, particularly as it is an indicator of global warming...as the lowlands warm up, as nitrogen and other gasses from cars, and so forth, affect lower meadows, butterflies such as this one move with their plant hosts up mountains and farther north, following the coolness.
But the darn things all look alike! First I thought it was the Bay Checkerspot, which it looks very close to, except the lowest row of deep orange spots on the dorsal surface of the hind wings do not show a pale spot in the middle, and the black scales on the veins is not as clearly a distinct row. Then I thought it was maybe Euphydryas anicia var. anicia, or Quino's, which has a row of very deep red on the lower wing then Taylor's Checkerspot which is actually redder and has less distinct eye spots, and now I am thinking Mr. Bean's...though to my eyes they are all extremely similar to each other. This butterfly is darker than all the images of Bean's Checkerspots that I can find. Looking at the wing patterning alone this one still looks the most similar to Bay's in my mind, but that would be impossible so far out of range...even given our recent extremely early and warm spring.
So for now, Mr. Bean wins. Or that's the verdict of a local lepidopterist who specializes in this butterfly! He's a splitter. I, on the other hand, am a lumper, and think Edith's Checkerspot is accurate enough. Plus she's a lady.
http://i4.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article1443682.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/Rowan%20Atkinson%20as%20Mr%20Bean
