The butterfly at the top, the Jutta Arctic, uses Cotton-grasses as a host plant. The butterfly at the bottom, the Bog Copper, relies on cranberries to support its eggs and caterpillars.
The Jutta Arctic occurs in the northern latitude bogs and tundra of Europe, Asia and North America. Aside from cotton-grasses (of which there are 5 species in Vermont), they will also host on sedges in the Carex genus (145 species in Vermont) and possibly Mannagrasses (Glyceria) and Rushes (Juncus). The adults prefer to nectar on Bog Labrador Tea. Due to their northern distribution, their life cycle sometimes takes two years with caterpillars hibernating during both winters. In Vermont, they’re an uncommon butterfly who have only been found (publicly) in the Silvio O. Conte wildlife refuge.
The Bog Copper by contrast only occur in a section of the US and Canada from New Jersey to Minesota and up to southern Ontario and Quebec. They are weak fliers and populations will spend their entire lives in a single wet, acidic Sphagnum-Cranberry bog. In Vermont, they will host on three plants: the Bog Cranberry, American Cranberry and Small Bog Cranberry. The adults similarly prefer to nectar on cranberry flowers. They will hibernate in the egg stage, often submerged in water. The female and male communicate their intent to mate (or not) with one another through wing vibration patterns. In Vermont, they have been found in several locations in Washington and Lamoille counties and in the Silvio O. Conte wildlife refuge.
Photo credit
Sheathed Cotton-grass by Kent McFarland (iNaturalist)
Jutta Arctic by Kent McFarland (iNaturalist)
Bog Copper by Megan Massa (iNaturalist) CC-By-NC
Picture copped/resized for this quiz.
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