California Tortoiseshell
Nymphalis californica (Boisduval, 1852)
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Nymphalinae
Identification: Upperside is orange-brown with large black spots and dark wing borders. Underside looks like a dead leaf and is dark mottled brown with darker wing bases; hindwing does not have a centered silver spot.
Wing Span: 1 1/4 - 2 3/4 inches (3.2 - 7 cm).
Life History: Males perch in the late afternoon to look for females. Eggs are laid in bunches on the host plant; caterpillars eat leaves and feed together when young. Adults hibernate.
Flight: One brood overwinter. They fly the following spring until April or May, mating and laying eggs for the next brood.
Caterpillar Hosts: Various species of wild lilac (Ceanothus).
Adult Food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Chaparral, woodland, brush areas, forest clearings and edges.
Range: British Columbia south along the Pacific Coast to Baja California Norte, east to Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico. Rare migrants to Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York, and Vermont after periodic population explosions in Mexico.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Alternate Scientific Names:
Nymphalis california
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 1066 verified sightings
Observation date: Nov 09, 2025
Submitted by: Zencoyote
Region: Contra Costa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 10, 2025
Observation date: Oct 16, 2025
Submitted by: c.y.anderson
Region: Alameda County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 23, 2025
Observation date: Oct 06, 2025
Submitted by: madamirie
Region: Alameda County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 13, 2025
Observation date: Oct 07, 2025
Submitted by: madamirie
Region: Alameda County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 13, 2025
Observation date: Oct 06, 2025
Submitted by: madamirie
Region: Alameda County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 13, 2025
Observation date: Sep 28, 2025
Submitted by: Hank and Karen
Region: King County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Sep 29, 2025
Observation date: Sep 26, 2025
Submitted by: Team Kweeper
Region: Sacramento County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 26, 2025
Observation date: Sep 02, 2025
Submitted by: sandyleapt
Region: Benton County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 24, 2025
Observation date: Aug 12, 2025
Submitted by: regina rochefort
Region: Pierce County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Sep 21, 2025
Observation date: Aug 08, 2025
Submitted by: NeoDoc
Region: Whatcom County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Sep 06, 2025
Observation date: Sep 02, 2025
Submitted by: ebianco
Region: Whatcom County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Sep 04, 2025
Observation date: Jun 18, 2020
Submitted by: blgreco
Region: Mineral County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Aug 31, 2025
Observation date: May 25, 2025
Submitted by: sandyleapt
Region: Harney County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 31, 2025
Observation date: Jul 10, 2025
Submitted by: Bob Patton
Region: Grant County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 30, 2025
Observation date: Jul 30, 2025
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Baker County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 21, 2025
Observation date: Aug 09, 2025
Submitted by: Mischief Magic
Region: Cowlitz County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 21, 2025
Observation date: Aug 11, 2025
Submitted by: RobSlater
Region: Whatcom County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 14, 2025
Observation date: Aug 05, 2025
Submitted by: Vickie1960
Region: Linn County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 09, 2025
Observation date: Jul 27, 2025
Submitted by: mstanek
Region: Flathead County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Aug 07, 2025
Observation date: Jul 23, 2025
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Aug 06, 2025
Observation date: Jul 23, 2025
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Aug 06, 2025
Observation date: Jul 23, 2025
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Aug 06, 2025
Observation date: Jul 08, 2025
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Ada County, Idaho, United States
Verified by: stevekohler
Verified date: Aug 06, 2025
Observation date: Jul 28, 2025
Submitted by: Trinchii
Region: Klamath County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 30, 2025
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