Nymphalidae: Brushfoot ButterfliesSubfamily Libytheinae — Snouts |
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Link | Butterfly and host plant |
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Libytheana carinenta streckeri - American Snout |
Hackberry Trees (Celtis spp.) | |
Subfamily Danainae — Monarchs |
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Danaus plexippus plexippus - Monarch |
Milkweeds (Asclepias) inc. speciosa, fascicularis, tuberosa, californica, subulata, eriocarpa | |
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Danaus gilippus thersippus - Striated Queen |
Milkweeds (Asclepias ssp.) inc. fascicularis, tuberosa, subulata and Climbing Milkweeds such as Funastrum hirtellum | |
Subfamily Limentidinae — Admirals and relatives |
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Link | Butterfly and host plant |
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Limenitis lorquini lorquini - Lorquin's Admiral |
Willows, Poplars, Cottonwoods, others | |
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Limenitis lorquini powelli - 'Powell's' Lorquin's Admiral |
Willows, Poplars, Cottonwoods, Chokecherry, others | |
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Adelpha eulalia - Arizona Sister |
Oaks, likely Canyon Oak (Quercus chrysolepis) in CA. | |
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Adelpha californica - California Sister |
Quercus chrysolepis, Coast Live Oak (Q. agrifolia) | |
OthersLimenitis arthemis arizonensis appears to be a rare stray to our side of the CA/AZ border.Limenitis archippus obsoleta - the Viceroy - may be extirpated from CA parts of the Colorado River. | |
Subfamily Heliconiinae — Heliconians and Fritillaries |
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Link | Butterfly and host plant |
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Dione incarnata incarnata - Western Gulf Fritillary |
Most species (not all) of passionflower vines (Passiflora) | |
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Euptoieta claudia - Variegated Fritillary |
Needs to be determined but suspects are Linum lewisii, violets, a few others | |
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Boloria epithore sierra - Western Meadow/Pacific Fritillary |
Violets | |
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Speyeria coronis semiramis - "Semiramis' Coronis Fritillary |
Violets | |
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Speyeria coronis hennei - 'Henne's' Coronis Fritillary |
Violets | |
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Speyeria zerene monticola - Zerene Fritillary |
Violets | |
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Speyeria callippe comstocki - 'Comstock's' Callippe Fritillary |
Violets | |
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Speyeria callippe macaria - 'Macaria' Callippe Fritillary |
Violets | |
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Speyeria callippe laurina - Unsilvered Macaria Fritillary |
Violets | |
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Speyeria egleis egleis - Great Basin Fritillary |
Violets | |
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Speyeria adiaste clemencei - Clemence's Fritillary |
Violets - SLO Co. | |
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Speyeria hydaspe viridicornis - Greenhorn Hydaspe Fritillary |
Violets | |
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Speyeria mormonia mormonia - Mormon Fritillary |
Violets | |
Others• Speyeria egleis tehachapina and Speyeria adiaste atossa are apparently extinct. No records since 1998 and 1960, respectively. | |
Subfamily Nymphalinae — True Brushfoots |
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Link | Butterfly and host plant |
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Vanessa virginiensis - American Lady |
Pseudognaphalium species inc. biolettii, californicum, canescens, other Composites usually but not exclusively. Licorice (Helichrysum petiolare) in the garden. | |
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Vanessa cardui - Painted Lady |
Thistles, Nettles, Mallows, Fiddleneck, et al. Even Lupines. | |
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Vanessa annabella - West Coast Lady |
Mallows inc. natives Hibiscus denudatus, Sidalcea malviflora, varieties of desert mallow, also stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) | |
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Vanessa atalanta rubria - Red Admiral |
Usually stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) in the wild, but (inc. Baby's Tears in gardens is said to work as well. Hops also. | |
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Nymphalis milberti subpallida - Milbert's Tortoiseshell |
Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) | |
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Nymphalis californica californica - California Tortoiseshell |
Ceanothus inc. C. perplexans | |
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Nymphalis antiopa - Mourning Cloak |
Willows, Cottonwoods, Elms | |
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Polygonia satyrus - Satyr Comma |
Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) | |
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Polygonia gracilis zephyrus - Hoary Comma |
Currants (Ribes) | |
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Junonia grisea - 'Gray' Common Buckeye |
Many species in the families Plantaginaceae and Orobanchaceae such as plantain, monkeyflowers, snapdragons | |
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Euphydryas editha editha - Edith's Checkerspot |
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Euphydryas editha insularis - Edith's Checkerspot |
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Euphydryas editha augustina - 'August' Edith's Checkerspot |
I've seen larvae mostly on Castilleja applegatei, but also on Pedicularis semibarbata. Probably uses Castilleja affinis and other paintbrushes as well. | |
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Euphydryas editha quino - Quino Checkerspot |
Dwarf Plantain (Plantago erecta), Wooly Plantain (Plantago patagonica), White Snapdragon (Antirrhinum coulterianum), Bird's Beak (Cordylanthus rigidus) | |
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Euphydryas editha ehrlichi - Ehrlich's Checkerspot |
Mojave Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja plagiotoma) | |
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Euphydryas editha luestherae - LuEsther's Checkerspot |
Pedicularis species | |
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Euphydryas chalcedona chalcedona - Chalcedon or Variable Checkerspot |
Several, inc. Keckellia ternata, monkey flower and penstemons. | |
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Euphydryas chalcedona kingstonensis - Desert Mountain Checkerspot |
Keckiella antirrhinoides var microphyllum | |
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Euphydryas chalcedona corralensis - Rock Corral Checkerspot |
Keckiella antirrhinoides var microphyllum | |
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Euphydryas chalcedona hennei - 'Henne's' Chalcedon Checkerspot |
Keckiella antirrhinoides var microphyllum, Wooly Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja foliolosa) | |
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Euphydryas chalcedona olancha - Olancha Checkerspot |
Keckiella is one | |
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Chlosyne leanira elegans - 'Elegant' Leanira Checkerspot |
Paintbrush (Castilleja spp.) - coastal dunes in SLO and SBarb Cos. | |
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Chlosyne leanira wrighti - 'Wright's' Leanira Checkerspot |
Paintbrush (Castilleja spp.) | |
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Chlosyne leanira alma - 'Alma' Leanira Checkerspot |
Castilleja chromosa | |
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Chlosyne californica - California Patch |
Parish Viguiera (Bahiopsis parishii) | |
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Chlosyne lacinia crocale - Bordered Patch |
Parish Viguiera (Bahiopsis parishii), Western Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) | |
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Chlosyne acastus neumoegeni - 'Neumoegen's' Sagebrush Checkerspot |
Desert Aster (Xylorhiza tortifolia), Rayless goldenhead (Acamptopappus sphaerocephalus) | |
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Chlosyne gabbii gabbii - Gabb's Checkerspot |
Asters, usually Corethrogyne flaginifolia. | |
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Chlosyne gabbii atrifasciata - Gabb's Checkerspot |
Hazardia cana (island hazardia) and Corethrogyne filaginifolia (common sandaster) mentioned in original description; Santa Cruz and Anacapa Islands | |
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Chlosyne palla australomontana - Northern Checkerspot |
Asters, Rabbitbrush | |
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Microtia dymas imperialis - Tiny Checkerspot |
Chuperosa (Justicia californica) | |
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Phyciodes mylitta mylitta - Mylitta Crescent |
Thistles (Cirsium), some other Asters | |
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Phyciodes pulchella pulchella - Field Crescent |
Western Lance-leaf Aster (Aster lanceolatus var. hesperius) | |
Others• Athanassa texana texana is a rare stray to southern California.• Asterocampa celtis appears to be a stray as well, though it may use Hackberry in the E. Mojave and was found in Death Valley in 2012. • Phyciodes tharos tharos has been extirpated from agricultural areas in Imperial Co. • Phyciodes phaon jalapeno has disappeared from some, perhaps all, of its known habitat. Status along Colorado River unknown. KD has no records in nearly 30 years. • Junonia nigrosuffusa apparently rarely strays into California and is in fact an Arizona, New Mexico, Texas butterfly. Because grisea has dark forms - some very dark - there has been confusion about the status of nigrosuffusa in California. True nigrosuffusa has tell-tale marks distinguishing it, the most important of which is pale-clubbed antennae, according to Nick Grishin. • Ken Davenport lists unnamed segregates for a So. Sierra Nev. population of Phyciodes pulchella; a Euphydryas editha Sherman Pass high elevation population; and a Walker Pass population of editha as well in the Emmel update publication. | |
Subfamily Satyrinae — Satyrs |
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Link | Butterfly and host plant |
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Coenonympha california california - California Common Ringlet |
Poa pratensis, Koeleria spp. | |
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Cercyonis pegala australosierra - Southern Sierra Common Wood-Nymph |
Grasses | |
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Cercyonis sthenele masoni - 'Mason's' Great Basin Wood Nymph (E. Mojave; Nev.) |
Grasses | |
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Cercyonis sthenele behrii - 'Behr's' Great Basin Wood Nymph |
Grasses | |
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Cercyonis sthenele hypoleuca - Great Basin Wood Nymph |
Grasses; Santa Cruz Island | |
Others• Ken Davenport mentions a mysterious Santa Barbara Co. population of Cercyonis pegala that is undescribed. | |
©Dennis Walker