Attributes of Euphydryas editha
Edith's Checkerspot
Euphydryas editha (Boisduval, 1852)
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Nymphalinae
Identification: Variable. Front wing rounded at tip. Upperside is black with red and pale yellow or white bands. Submarginal band of small yellow or white spots; wide postmedian band is red. Underside of hindwing with alternating bands of yellow-orange and cream.
Wing Span: 1 1/4 - 2 inches (3.2 - 5.1 cm).
Life History: Males perch or patrol all day to find females. Eggs are laid in groups on underside of leaves or on flowers of the host plant. Caterpillars eat leaves and flowers; sometimes using different host plants before and after hibernation. Young caterpillars live in loose silk webs; third- and fourth-stage caterpillars hibernate.
Flight: One brood; from March-May at low elevations, June-August at high elevations and in the north.
Caterpillar Hosts: Various species of paintbrush (Castilleja), beardtongues (Penstemon), lousewort (Pedicularis), owl's clover (Orthocarpus), Chinese houses (Collinsia), and plantain (Plantago).
Adult Food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: From sea level to treeline through diverse habitats including coastal chaparral, meadows, fields, foothills, open woods, alpine fellfields.
Range: Southern British Columbia and Alberta south to Baja California, Nevada, Utah, and Colorado.
Conservation: Two subspecies, the Bay Checkerspot (Euphydryas editha bayensis) and the Quino Checkerspot (E. e. quino) are listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973.
NCGR: The bay checkerspot (subspecies bayensis) has The Nature Conservancy Global Rank of T1 - Critically imperiled because of extreme rarity (5 or fewer occurrences, or very few remaining individuals), or because of some factor of its biology making it especially vulnerable to extinction. (Critically endangered throughout its range). The other subspecies of Euphydryas editha have The Nature Conservancy Global Rank of G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: Protect remaining habitat from development and alteration. Refer to Fish & Wildlife Service recovery plans.
Taxonomy Notes:
Images of Euphydryas editha
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The map below displays all verified sighting records in the BAMONA database for this species. Each record is indicated with a yellow dot. The orange dots on the map provide access to information about the 400 most recently verified sightings of this species. In some instances, there are several records at the same location. Use the table view to access these records.
Instructions: Click on the map and move your mouse to pan.
Zoom by using the plus [+] and minus [-] on the left side of the map.
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The fifty most recently verified sightings are below. See more recently verified sightings of all species.
| Observation Date | Submitter | Region |
Verified Date |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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May 02, 2013 | PDunwiddie | Thurston County, Washington, United States | May 04, 2013 | Details |
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June 30, 2009 | tjantscher | Albany County, Wyoming, United States | January 10, 2013 | Details |
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August 03, 2012 | swittwa | Pierce County, Washington, United States | December 17, 2012 | Details |
| May 08, 1984 | legacy.reporter (George T. Austin) | Lyon County, Nevada, United States | December 01, 2012 | Details | |
| June 29, 1987 | legacy.reporter (George T. Austin) | Humboldt County, Nevada, United States | December 01, 2012 | Details | |
| August 01, 1987 | legacy.reporter (Wayne Dawes) | Esmeralda County, Nevada, United States | December 01, 2012 | Details | |
| July 18, 1989 | legacy.reporter (George T. Austin) | White Pine County, Nevada, United States | December 01, 2012 | Details | |
| June 17, 1990 | legacy.reporter (George T. Austin) | Lincoln County, Nevada, United States | December 01, 2012 | Details | |
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August 12, 2012 | plex1ppus | Okanogan County, Washington, United States | September 22, 2012 | Details |
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September 02, 2012 | PDunwiddie | Pierce County, Washington, United States | September 03, 2012 | Details |
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July 04, 2012 | eal79 | Tulare County, California, United States | July 17, 2012 | Details |
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July 05, 2012 | eal79 | Tulare County, California, United States | July 17, 2012 | Details |
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July 01, 2012 | eal79 | Fresno County, California, United States | July 16, 2012 | Details |
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July 01, 2012 | eal79 | Fresno County, California, United States | July 16, 2012 | Details |
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July 02, 2012 | eal79 | Fresno County, California, United States | July 16, 2012 | Details |
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July 02, 2012 | eal79 | Tulare County, California, United States | July 16, 2012 | Details |
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July 03, 2012 | eal79 | Tulare County, California, United States | July 16, 2012 | Details |
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August 21, 2011 | PDunwiddie | Pierce County, Washington, United States | May 21, 2012 | Details |
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May 12, 2012 | PDunwiddie | Thurston County, Washington, United States | May 14, 2012 | Details |
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August 30, 2011 | lhrobinson9672 | Teton County, Wyoming, United States | March 08, 2012 | Details |
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August 19, 2011 | Tom Jenkins | Linn County, Oregon, United States | January 23, 2012 | Details |
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July 28, 2011 | Christopher Christie | Washington County, Idaho, United States | January 09, 2012 | Details |
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July 28, 2011 | Christopher Christie | Washington County, Idaho, United States | January 09, 2012 | Details |
| May 22, 2012 | Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport) | Tulare County, California, United States | January 01, 2012 | Details | |
| May 22, 2012 | Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport) | Tulare County, California, United States | January 01, 2012 | Details | |
| April 25, 2010 | legacy.reporter (Alex Grkovich) | Washoe County, Nevada, United States | January 01, 2012 | Details | |
| April 26, 2010 | legacy.reporter (Alex Grkovich) | Washoe County, Nevada, United States | January 01, 2012 | Details | |
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March 23, 2011 | Doug Taron | Riverside County, California, United States | November 06, 2011 | Details |
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July 10, 2011 | lhrobinson9672 | Jefferson County, Washington, United States | November 01, 2011 | Details |
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July 27, 2011 | Christopher Viney | Mono County, California, United States | July 31, 2011 | Details |
| April 12, 1983 | legacy.reporter (Jim Brock) | San Mateo County, California, United States | May 01, 2011 | Details | |
| June 12, 1977 | legacy.reporter (Jim Brock) | San Bernardino County, California, United States | May 01, 2011 | Details | |
| April 03, 1966 | legacy.reporter (unknown) | San Mateo County, California, United States | May 01, 2011 | Details | |
| June 14, 1985 | legacy.reporter (unknown) | San Bernardino County, California, United States | May 01, 2011 | Details | |
| March 20, 1945 | legacy.reporter (unknown) | Riverside County, California, United States | May 01, 2011 | Details | |
| March 26, 1927 | legacy.reporter (unknown) | San Diego County, California, United States | May 01, 2011 | Details | |
| April 30, 1978 | legacy.reporter (unknown) | California, United States | May 01, 2011 | Details | |
| June 19, 2000 | legacy.reporter (unknown) | Mendocino County, California, United States | May 01, 2011 | Details | |
| April 20, 1974 | legacy.reporter (unknown) | Napa County, California, United States | May 01, 2011 | Details | |
| July 11, 2008 | legacy.reporter (John Lane) | Modoc County, California, United States | May 01, 2011 | Details | |
| June 21, 2010 | legacy.reporter (Jim Brock) | San Bernardino County, California, United States | May 01, 2011 | Details | |
| May 26, 2009 | legacy.reporter (Jim Brock) | Kern County, California, United States | May 01, 2011 | Details | |
| May 13, 2005 | legacy.reporter (William Bouton) | Kern County, California, United States | May 01, 2011 | Details | |
| March 05, 2008 | legacy.reporter (Kim Davis & Mike Stangeland) | San Diego County, California, United States | May 01, 2011 | Details | |
| July 15, 2007 | legacy.reporter (William Bouton) | Sierra County, California, United States | May 01, 2011 | Details | |
| June 09, 1989 | legacy.reporter (Jim Brock) | Del Norte County, California, United States | May 01, 2011 | Details | |
| June 02, 1989 | legacy.reporter (Jim Brock) | Humboldt County, California, United States | May 01, 2011 | Details | |
| September 06, 2011 | legacy.reporter (Jim Dreier) | Alpine County, California, United States | May 01, 2011 | Details | |
| April 06, 2002 | legacy.reporter (John G. Pasko) | Inyo County, California, United States | May 01, 2011 | Details | |
| August 17, 2011 | Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport) | Mono County, California, United States | May 01, 2011 | Details |
