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
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 497 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 30, 2019
Submitted by: Brynne Bryan
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 13, 2019
Observation date: Jun 30, 2019
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Kern County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 10, 2019
Observation date: Jun 23, 2019
Submitted by: gkingery
Region: Santa Clara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 27, 2019
Observation date: Jun 12, 2019
Submitted by: Ravenhall
Region: Shasta County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 12, 2019
Observation date: Jun 29, 2018
Submitted by: Scott Burgess
Region: Trinity County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 01, 2019
Observation date: Aug 11, 2018
Submitted by: Scott Burgess
Region: Humboldt County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 29, 2019
Observation date: May 25, 2019
Submitted by: Team Kweeper
Region: Placer County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 26, 2019
Observation date: Apr 22, 2019
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Sonoma County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 23, 2019
Observation date: Jan 30, 2019
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 06, 2019
Observation date: Sep 11, 2018
Submitted by: kwgeiger@csuchi...
Region: Butte County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 07, 2018
Observation date: Nov 02, 2018
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Sonoma County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 03, 2018
Observation date: Oct 08, 2018
Submitted by: shakespearenut
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 09, 2018
Observation date: Oct 12, 2015
Submitted by: Mark Ekker
Region: Tulare County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 21, 2018
Observation date: Jun 04, 2017
Submitted by: Team Kweeper
Region: Placer County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 23, 2018
Observation date: Jun 24, 2017
Submitted by: Team Kweeper
Region: El Dorado County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 23, 2018
Observation date: Jul 22, 2018
Submitted by: Bilderbeck
Region: Marion County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 23, 2018
Observation date: Apr 02, 2016
Submitted by: Team Kweeper
Region: San Benito County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 22, 2018
Observation date: Jul 16, 2018
Submitted by: Liane
Region: Marion County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 17, 2018
Observation date: Jun 03, 2018
Submitted by: glennfine
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 13, 2018
Observation date: Jun 21, 2018
Submitted by: Souledout
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 25, 2018
Observation date: Jun 01, 2018
Submitted by: RichHubie
Region: Mendocino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 02, 2018
Observation date: May 29, 2018
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Sonoma County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 30, 2018
Observation date: May 24, 2018
Submitted by: shastamax
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 25, 2018
Observation date: May 21, 2018
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Sonoma County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 22, 2018
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