Francis Peak

Utah Lepidopterists' Society

Founded 6 Nov 1976

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Utah Habitats for Butterflies and Moths

Wasatch Hilltops--Francis Peak

1. Wasatch Canyons

2. Wasatch Valley Riparian

3. Wasatch Valley Meadows

4. Wasatch Hilltops

5. Arctic Alpine

6. Basin & Range Province

7. Canyon Country

8. Montane

9. Utah's Dixie

At an elevation of 9,547 feet, Francis Peak is located on the county border between Davis and Morgan Counties approximately 4 1/2 miles northeast of Farmington City and 18 miles north of Salt Lake City. Located on the peak are two large domes which are fire surveillance/meteorological stations managed by MesoWest. (The domes themselves are on the Davis County side.)

You can drive to Francis Peak either through Farmington Canyon or from Skyline Drive which originates from Bountiful City and travels through Bountiful Peak (see map above.)

During the summer months, Francis Peak is an outstanding location to find several species of butterflies as well as several species of dayflying moths including Hemileuca spp. The butterflies that you can find hilltopping on the peak as well as nearby summits include several species of Speyeria, blues, hairstreaks, Parnassius smintheus sayii (rocky mountain parnassian), Cercyonis oetus charon (small wood nymph,) Erynnis persius fredericki (persius duskywing,) Coenonympha tullia brenda (common ringlet,) and Papilio indra indra (indra swallowtail.)

Males of Nymphalis milberti furcillata (milbert's tortoiseshell) as well as Pieris occidentalis (western white) are also notable hilltoppers at Francis Peak.

Approximately 0.5 miles south of the peak, amongst the flowers of lupines and Eriogonum spp., one can find several species of blues including Plebejus acmon lutzi (lupine blue,) Glaucopsyche lygdamus oro (silvery blue,) Glaucopsyche piasus daunia (arrowhead blue), Euphilotes enoptes ancilla (rocky mountain dotted-blue,) and Plebejus icarioides ardea (boisduval's blue.)

If you travel down this road and head for the cliffs, you can normally find Papilio indra indra flying along the hillside in association with its hostplant Lomatium graveolens. (See picture below.)

Butterfly Species Checklist For this Habitat:

Swallowtails (Family Papilionidae)

Anise Swallowtail (Papilio zelicaon gothica); Western Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio rutulus rutulus); Two-tailed Swallowtail (Papilio multicaudata pusillus); Pale Swallowtail (Papilio eurymedon)
Indra Swallowtail (Papilio indra indra)

Holarctic Red Pearl (Parnassius smintheus sayii)

Brush-footed Butterflies (Family Nymphalidae)

Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria leto letona)

Zerene Fritillary (Speyeria zerene platina)

Callippe Fritillary (Speyeria callippe harmonia)

Great Basin Fritillary (Speyeria egleis utahensis)

Northwestern Fritillary (Speyeria hesperis wasatchia)

Hydaspe Fritillary (Speyeria hydaspe sakantula)

Northern Checkerspot (Chlosyne palla flavula)

Satyr Comma (Polygonia satyrus satyrus)

Hoary Comma (Polygonia zephyrus)

California Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis californica)

Milbert's Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis milberti furcillata)

American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis virginiensis)

Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)

Weidemeyer's Admiral (Limenitis weidemeyeri latifascia)

Gossamer-wing Butterflies (Family Lycaenidae)

Ruddy Copper (Lycaena rubidus sirius)
: Coral Hairstreak (Satyrium titus immaculosis); Behr's Hairstreak (Satyrium behri behri); Western Green Hairstreak (Callophrys affinis affinis); Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus franki)
: Western Tailed-Blue (Everes amyntula); Spring Azure (Celastrina ladon echo); Arrowhead Blue (Glaucopsyche piasus daunia); Silvery Blue (Glaucopsyche lygdamus oro); Melissa Blue (Plebejus melissa melissa); Boisduval's Blue (Plebejus icarioides ardea); Lupine Blue (Plebejus acmon lutzi)

Milkweed Butterflies (Family Danaidae)

Monarch (Danaus plexippus); Satyrs (Family Satyridae)
Small Wood Nymph (Cercyonis oetus charon): Common Ringlet (Coenonympha tullia brenda)

Skippers (Family Hesperiidae)

Dreamy Duskywing (Erynnis icelus)
Pacuvius Duskywing (Erynnis pacuvius lilius): Persius Duskywing (Erynnis persius fredericki); Two-banded Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus ruralis)
: Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado harpalus); Woodland Skipper (Ochlodes sylvanoides napa)

Whites and Sulphurs (Family Pieridae)

Spring White (Pieris sisymbri sisymbri); Checkered White (Pieris protodice); Western White (Pieris occidentalis); Cabbage White (Pieris rapae)
: Large Marble (Euchloe ausonides coloradensis)
: Yellow Sulphur (Colias philodice eriphyle); Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme)

All images of Limenitis weidemeyeri on the ULS Info Bar courtesy Jay Cossey