California Sister
Adelpha californica (Butler, 1865)
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Limenitidinae
Identification: This is a medium to large sized brown-black colored butterfly with a relatively narrow dorsal forewing postdiscal creamy white colored band above with a relatively large orange patch on the forewing. Superficially similar looking above to Lorquin's Admiral (Limenitis lorquini) but can be readily separated by the lower placement of the orange forewing patch and the blue lines on the ventral surface of the wings. Can be difficult to separate from Bredow's Sister (Adelpha bredowii) which does not occur in the U.S. and the Arizona Sister (Adelpha eulalia) which does occur in the U.S. Ranges of californica and eulalia are not known to overlap in the USA. Generally, this species is smaller than eulalia. It is less violet below. The dark and bluish ventral hindwing postdiscal bands are poorly developed, sinuous. There are two basal orange bars on the HW below while eulalia has only one. The blue bar along outer edge of white HW bar is incomplete while <
Wing Span: Usually 2.5-4 inches.
Life History: Two or three broods with main flights overlapping from late March into October, adults sometimes lasting into the winter months. Adults often occur and perch on or near hostplants in canyons with water.
Flight:
Caterpillar Hosts: Various oaks, especially Quercus chrysolepis.
Adult Food: Come to mud, water and rotting fruit. Occasionally come to flowers in the fall months.
Habitat: Occurs in foothills and mid-elevation mountains in oak woodland and mixed coniferous forests, often along the edges of woods or in riparian canyons with small streams. Adults stray higher into Canadian and even occasionally Hudsonian Zone.
Range: Most of California (rarely in deserts or Great Basin), southern Oregon and more northern portions of Nevada. Adults will stray into western edges of deserts in California in the fall months to seek water at springs or streams.
Conservation: Not usually required, usually abundant where found.
NCGR: G5. Demonstrably secure globally.
Management Needs: None noted. Common species.
Comments: Ken Davenport, author, April 2011
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 549 verified sightings
Observation date: Sep 30, 2021
Submitted by: leiredna
Region: Santa Cruz County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 30, 2021
Observation date: Oct 09, 2021
Submitted by: leiredna
Region: Alameda County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 15, 2021
Observation date: Jun 14, 2018
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 14, 2021
Observation date: Aug 30, 2021
Submitted by: Zencoyote
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 31, 2021
Observation date: Aug 28, 2021
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Santa Barbara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 31, 2021
Observation date: Aug 10, 2021
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Butte County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 17, 2021
Observation date: Aug 07, 2021
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Santa Barbara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 10, 2021
Observation date: Jul 24, 2021
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 27, 2021
Observation date: Jul 06, 2021
Submitted by: Karen Richardson
Region: Mendocino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 11, 2021
Observation date: Jul 05, 2021
Submitted by: gp
Region: Lane County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 06, 2021
Observation date: Jul 01, 2021
Submitted by: Stacey A Tullis
Region: San Mateo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 01, 2021
Observation date: Jun 27, 2021
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Kern County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 29, 2021
Observation date: Jun 17, 2021
Submitted by: RoxannaTessman
Region: Jackson County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 17, 2021
Observation date: Sep 09, 2017
Submitted by: michellegreever
Region: Calaveras County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 09, 2021
Observation date: Jun 06, 2021
Submitted by: tideport
Region: Nevada County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 08, 2021
Observation date: May 29, 2021
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Santa Barbara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 05, 2021
Observation date: May 24, 2021
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Kern County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 30, 2021
Observation date: Apr 30, 2021
Submitted by: glennfine
Region: Shasta County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 20, 2021
Observation date: May 09, 2021
Submitted by: lwiesner
Region: Marin County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 09, 2021
Observation date: May 07, 2021
Submitted by: zbeckb
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 07, 2021
Observation date: Sep 12, 2014
Submitted by: Vickie
Region: Lane County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Mar 27, 2021
Observation date: May 08, 2013
Submitted by: camflies
Region: Contra Costa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 20, 2021
Observation date: Oct 21, 2020
Submitted by: sandisk
Region: Mendocino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 21, 2020
Observation date: Oct 05, 2020
Submitted by: lilpringle16
Region: San Mateo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 06, 2020
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