Behr's Metalmark
Apodemia virgulti (Behr, 1865)
Family: Riodinidae
Subfamily: Riodininae
Identification: Upperside red-brown to black, checkered with black and white spots. Brick-red patch on forewing [absent or nearly so in subspecies dialeucoides. Hindwing often has brick-red patch on hindwing. Underside gray with white spots; forewing with brick-red patch.
Wing Span: 3/4 - 15/16 inch (19 - 24 cm).
Life History: Males perch in hillside hollows 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 dried flower heads of Eriogonum fasciculatum.
Flight: March - Sept. (1-2 flights), all year in coastal San Diego County, Calif.
Caterpillar Hosts: Most often Fasciculate Buckwheat, but Wright\'s Buckwheat for subspecies dialeuca and dialeucoides.
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers of Eriogonum and other plants.
Habitat: Various arid lands
Range: Cen. Calif. south to cen. Baja Calif.
Conservation: Subspecies pratti (Emmel and Emmel), davenporti (Emmel, Emmel, and Pratt), nigrescens (Emmel and Emmel), mojavelimbus (Emmel, Emmel, and Pratt), arenaria (Emmel, Emmel, and Pratt), and dialeucoides (Emmel, Emmel, and Pratt) are known from relatively few populations in habitats that may be in the process of being invaded by aliens weeds, especially cheatgrass.
NCGR: G3,G4 - Very rare or local throughout its range or found locally in a restricted range OR Apparently secure globally, though it might be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery. All subspecies are of conservation concern.
Management Needs: Habitat restoration, cultivation of the host plant, and captive breeding of the butterfly may be necessary. Comment: Behr's Metalmark was formerly considered a subspecies of the Mormon Metalmark.
Comments: NULL
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 49 - 72 of 383 verified sightings
Observation date: Oct 21, 2020
Submitted by: mstanek
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 22, 2020
Observation date: Oct 14, 2020
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Riverside County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 18, 2020
Observation date: Aug 01, 2020
Submitted by: guy_incognito
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 01, 2020
Observation date: Jul 14, 2020
Submitted by: Thomlinson
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 16, 2020
Observation date: Jun 18, 2020
Submitted by: Brynne Bryan
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 20, 2020
Observation date: Oct 03, 2015
Submitted by: camflies
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 28, 2020
Observation date: May 24, 2020
Submitted by: mstanek
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 24, 2020
Observation date: Apr 03, 2020
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 05, 2020
Observation date: Mar 08, 2020
Submitted by: Okole1808
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 10, 2020
Observation date: Mar 04, 2020
Submitted by: Zencoyote
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 06, 2020
Observation date: Nov 18, 2019
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 04, 2020
Observation date: Nov 16, 2019
Submitted by: falco1
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 16, 2019
Observation date: Nov 16, 2019
Submitted by: falco1
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 16, 2019
Observation date: Sep 22, 2019
Submitted by: chrispart
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 22, 2019
Observation date: Jul 13, 2019
Submitted by: Siouxseamac
Region: San Luis Obispo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 18, 2019
Observation date: May 28, 2019
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 14, 2019
Observation date: Jun 03, 2019
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 08, 2019
Observation date: Jun 03, 2019
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 05, 2019
Observation date: Apr 27, 2019
Submitted by: ramonapioneergirl
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 29, 2019
Observation date: Apr 15, 2019
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 15, 2019
Observation date: Mar 26, 2019
Submitted by: Zencoyote
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 26, 2019
Observation date: Aug 23, 2018
Submitted by: ltlredwagon
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 09, 2018
Observation date: Aug 01, 2018
Submitted by: treichard
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 29, 2018
Observation date: Jun 01, 2018
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 21, 2018
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