Mexican Metalmark
Apodemia mejicanus (Behr, 1865)
Family: Riodinidae
Subfamily: Riodininae
Identification: Upperside orange-brown to black, checkered with black and white spots. Forewing outer portion black with white spots and inner portion with yellow-orange to brick-red patch. Underside gray with white spots to red-orange or yellow-orange with black areas and white spots.
Wing Span: 7/8 - 1 5/16 inches (2.2 - 3.3 cm).
Life History: Males perch in hillside hollows or flats to watch for females. Eggs are laid in groups of 2-4 on lower leaves of host plant, or singly on other parts of plant. Caterpillars rest during the day in shelters of leaves tied together with silk, emerging at night to feed. Young caterpillars feed on leaves, older caterpillars eat leaves and stems. Young caterpillars hibernate inside plant parts such as the dilated stems of E. inflatum.
Flight: Mid- February to mid-November (2-3 flights).
Caterpillar Hosts: Various wild buckwheats (Eriogonum), including Inflated Buckwheat, Wright\'s Buckwheat, others, and possibly Kramerias.
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers of Eriogonum and other plants, especially yellow-flowered composites.
Habitat: Various arid lands including rocky hills and alluvial fans and flats, oak grassland.
Range: Southeastern California, southern Nevada, Arizona, and southwestern New Mexico south to Baja California and mainland Mexico.
Conservation: Sufficient populations, but some may be threatened by invasive alien weeds such as cheatgrass.
NCGR: Probably G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Taxonomy Notes: Subspecies mejicanus also referred to as the Sonoran Metalmark.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 49 - 72 of 201 verified sightings
Observation date: May 31, 2021
Submitted by: jamesvonloh
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Nov 28, 2021
Observation date: Sep 12, 2021
Submitted by: Gordon Berman
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Nov 28, 2021
Observation date: Sep 10, 2021
Submitted by: jamesvonloh
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Nov 26, 2021
Observation date: Sep 10, 2021
Submitted by: jamesvonloh
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Nov 26, 2021
Observation date: Aug 18, 2021
Submitted by: jamesvonloh
Region: New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Nov 26, 2021
Observation date: Sep 14, 2013
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Nov 26, 2021
Observation date: Aug 05, 1988
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Nov 26, 2021
Observation date: Jun 06, 1982
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Nov 26, 2021
Observation date: Sep 22, 2008
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Nov 26, 2021
Observation date: Jun 04, 2012
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Nov 26, 2021
Observation date: Sep 10, 2021
Submitted by: JudyLY
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 15, 2021
Observation date: Aug 26, 2021
Submitted by: Aner
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 09, 2021
Observation date: May 06, 2020
Submitted by: Rob Wu
Region: New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 09, 2021
Observation date: Apr 22, 2019
Submitted by: Rob Wu
Region: Socorro County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 09, 2021
Observation date: Jul 23, 2021
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 28, 2021
Observation date: Jul 19, 2021
Submitted by: topper72
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 24, 2021
Observation date: Jul 13, 2021
Submitted by: topper72
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 16, 2021
Observation date: May 09, 2021
Submitted by: Chrustay
Region: New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 29, 2021
Observation date: Oct 10, 2020
Submitted by: dkaralun
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 17, 2021
Observation date: May 23, 2021
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 14, 2021
Observation date: May 22, 2021
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Socorro County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 14, 2021
Observation date: May 16, 2021
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 19, 2021
Observation date: May 02, 2021
Submitted by: Aner
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 09, 2021
Observation date: May 05, 2021
Submitted by: John Wilson
Region: Socorro County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 09, 2021
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