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Little Metalmark
Calephelis virginiensis (Guérin-Méneville, [1832])
Family: Riodinidae
Subfamily: Riodininae
Identification: The only metalmark of the southeast Atlantic coastal plain. Small. Upperside rusty orange, with fringes dark and not checkered. Underside brighter orange.
Wing Span: 1/2 - 1 inch (1.3 - 2.5 cm).
Life History: Males perch on low-growing plants to wait for females. Eggs are laid singly on host plant leaves. Caterpillars rest underneath leaves during the day, emerging at night and on cloudy days to feed.
Flight: Three to five broods from March-October.
Caterpillar Hosts: Yellow thistle (Cirsium horridulum).
Adult Food: Short-flowered composites including yarrow, lance-leaved coreopsis, fine-leaved sneezeweed, and blue mist flower.
Habitat: Grassy areas of the coastal plain and in open pine woods, savannah, and salt-marsh meadows.
Range: Atlantic coastal plain and piedmont from Maryland south to Florida and the Keys; west along the Gulf coast to southeast Texas.
Conservation: Colonies are localized but apparently conservation concern is minimal.
NCGR: G4 - Apparently secure globally, though it might be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Comments: NULL
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 253 verified sightings
Observation date: May 26, 2025
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: McIntosh County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Jul 20, 2025
Observation date: Oct 07, 2023
Submitted by: dvollmar
Region: Osceola County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 12, 2024
Observation date: Jun 29, 2024
Submitted by: jfox16
Region: Davidson County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jul 04, 2024
Observation date: Aug 16, 2016
Submitted by: ridgeboy
Region: Osceola County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 31, 2023
Observation date: Aug 25, 2022
Submitted by: Pkleinsasser
Region: St. Johns County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 08, 2022
Observation date: Jun 26, 2022
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: McIntosh County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Jun 28, 2022
Observation date: Jun 26, 2022
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: McIntosh County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Jun 28, 2022
Observation date: May 12, 2022
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: McIntosh County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: May 14, 2022
Observation date: Apr 18, 2018
Submitted by: Brian Ahern
Region: Hillsborough County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: May 05, 2022
Observation date: Feb 18, 2022
Submitted by: datilson
Region: Brevard County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 19, 2022
Observation date: Oct 04, 2021
Submitted by: Ryan84
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Feb 11, 2022
Observation date: Nov 04, 2021
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: McIntosh County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Nov 05, 2021
Observation date: Sep 24, 2021
Submitted by: Tommie Rogers
Region: Glynn County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Oct 05, 2021
Observation date: Sep 27, 2019
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Osceola County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 29, 2021
Observation date: Oct 24, 2020
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Osceola County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 26, 2021
Observation date: Jul 05, 2021
Submitted by: baedwards
Region: McIntosh County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Jul 08, 2021
Observation date: May 15, 2021
Submitted by: Michael Weisensee
Region: Sarasota County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: May 20, 2021
Observation date: May 15, 2021
Submitted by: Michael Weisensee
Region: Sarasota County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: May 20, 2021
Observation date: Jul 04, 2015
Submitted by: DVL
Region: Charlotte County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 31, 2021
Observation date: Apr 21, 2013
Submitted by: DVL
Region: Charlotte County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 31, 2021
Observation date: Jun 26, 2016
Submitted by: ShieldsM
Region: Onslow County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Dec 09, 2020
Observation date: Sep 03, 2017
Submitted by: ShieldsM
Region: Onslow County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Dec 07, 2020
Observation date: Oct 17, 2020
Submitted by: Michael Weisensee
Region: Charlotte County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 18, 2020
Observation date: Oct 17, 2020
Submitted by: Michael Weisensee
Region: Charlotte County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 18, 2020
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