Yellow-dotted Alpine
Erebia pawslowskii Ménétriés, 1859

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Diagnosis: Erebia pawslowskii is dark brown, with a series of orange bars on the upperside of both wings (these frequently merge into a band on the forewing in subspecies canadensis). The underside of the forewing has a reddish flush in the centre and the upperside markings are repeated, but on the underside of the hindwing the light bars are pale cream. Wingspan: 29 to 38 mm.

Subspecies: The nominate subspecies pawslowskii is found in Siberia and there are four others in North America, of which two occur in Canada. Subspecies canadensis is found around Churchill, Manitoba, and alaskensis, with smaller and fewer orange markings, occurs in northern British Columbia, Yukon, and Alaska.

Range: The Yellow-dotted Alpine flies throughout a large area of Alaska and Yukon, with isolated populations in northern British Columbia (Stone Mountain Provincial Park), northern Manitoba (Churchill), and in the U.S. in Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado. A report of pawlowskii in Alberta (Ehrlich, 1958) is likely incorrect.

Similar Species: None, as all other North American Erebia either have eye-spots or lack an orange band, and none has cream-coloured spots on the hindwing below.

Early Stages: Larvae are tan with dark brown dorsal and lateral stripes. The body and head are covered with thick club-like hairs. Foodplants are probably grasses, sedges, or rushes; females often lay eggs on willow (Salix spp.) at Churchill.

Abundance: Erebia pawslowskii is usually found in isolated colonies, although they can be abundant in these limited areas.

Flight Season: Erebia pawslowskii is biennial, although it flies every year, from early July to mid-August.

Habits: At Churchill, the Yellow-dotted Alpine flies on grassy ridges of wet tundra and raised meadows bordered by scrub willow, and in other areas in alpine meadows, bogs, and lakeshores. It does not spend much time flying, but passes most of the day perched on long grass. Males are more active than females, but both have a slow, weak flight and often drop to the ground when alarmed. Both sexes regularly visit flowers (Klassen et al., 1989).

© 2002. This material is reproduced with permission from The Butterflies of Canada by Ross A. Layberry, Peter W. Hall, and J. Donald Lafontaine. University of Toronto Press; 1998. Specimen photos courtesy of John T. Fowler.

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