November 11, 2026 Meeting

The Oregon Butterfly Atlas 2026: Dot-Maps, Patterns and Other Insights

by Jeff Miller

 7:15-9:00 p.m., presentation 7:30-8:30 p.m.

Main Hall, Hilyard Community Center, 2580 Hilyard St, Eugene (map)

In 1980, Ernst Dornfield published The Butterflies of Oregon which was the first comprehensive work on butterfly distributions for the state of Oregon. When this book went out of print, John Hinchliff published in 1994 An Atlas of Oregon Butterflies, which was a one volume mapped inventory of butterfly records for Oregon. In 2026, Jeff Miller published a two-volume set entitled Butterflies of Oregon: An Updated Atlas Honoring John Hinchliff. In this talk, Dr. Jeff Miller will discuss the contents of this Atlas. In Volume 1, each butterfly species has a page with color photos of the butterfly and a color map of its distribution in Oregon as well as a text discussion. Jeff will present the components of the Volume 1 species pages (nomenclature, biological anecdotes, occurrence in neighboring States) along with some of the content in the appendices (counts of records). Volume 2 offers a synthesis of biogeographic patterns revealed by Oregon’s butterflies, including information on caterpillar food plants and maps of food plant distribution. Jeff will demonstrate how unrelated butterflies create distinct conglomerate distributions using the Volume 2 overlays of Oregon’s ecoregions, patterns in species richness, and the geographical concurrence between butterflies and their caterpillar foodplants. Copies of Butterflies of Oregon: An Updated Atlas will be available to purchase at this event.

Sample Species page from the Atlas, Volume 1

Jeff Miller first studied Entomology in 1971 as an undergraduate student at the University of California Davis. He continued his studies there as a graduate student, then Post-Doctorate Scholar, then Instructor until 1979. The UC Davis era was followed by a career at Oregon State University from 1979 to 2015 starting as Assistant Professor, then full Professor of Entomology, and currently Professor Emeritus. Jeff’s teaching included 16 course titles ranging among General Ecology, Biological Control, Taxonomy, Biodiversity, and Photoshop. His research included insect management in agricultural and forest systems, insect biodiversity in woodlands and coniferous forests of Oregon, and insect biosystematics with an emphasis on Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) and their caterpillars. Photography has been a relevant and rewarding activity for Jeff, culminating in six books primarily featuring images focused on caterpillars. He started studying caterpillar foodplants in 1986 and assessing nontarget impacts of a biological insecticide (Btk).

Sample Foodplant Map page from the Atlas, Volume 2