Theona Checkerspot
Chlosyne theona (Ménétriés, 1855)
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Nymphalinae
Identification: Upperside with dark checkered pattern. Black median stripe separates inner yellow-orange band and outer orange band. Underside of hindwing has alternating bands of orange and cream spots, all outlined in black.
Wing Span: 1 1/4 - 1 3/4 inches (3.2 - 4.4 cm).
Life History: Males patrol and sometimes perch to find females. Eggs are laid in groups on the host plant; caterpillars feed on the leaves. Third- or fourth-stage caterpillars hibernate.
Flight: Several flights from April-October in the Southwest, throughout the year in the tropics.
Caterpillar Hosts: Ceniza blanca (Leucophyllum texanum and L. frutescens) in Texas, paintbrush (Castilleja species) in Arizona.
Adult Food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Desert foothills and canyons, subtropical scrub, limestone ridges, open oak or pinyon woodlands.
Range: Colombia north through Central America and Mexico to east-central Texas, southern New Mexico, and central Arizona.
Conservation: Not usually of concern.
NCGR: G4 - Apparently secure globally, though it might be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported. Note: Subspecies chinatiensis, the Chinati Checkerspot, is considered a separate species by some, but it blends completely to more typical theona.
Comments: NULL
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 193 verified sightings
Observation date: Dec 15, 2022
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Jan 16, 2023
Observation date: Apr 19, 2015
Submitted by: Joseramirez21
Region: Quintana Roo, Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Oct 12, 2022
Observation date: Apr 27, 2020
Submitted by: texastrock
Region: Comal County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 11, 2022
Observation date: Mar 27, 2022
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Quintana Roo, Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Oct 11, 2022
Observation date: Jul 11, 2017
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Chiapas, Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Oct 09, 2022
Observation date: Jul 16, 2017
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Chiapas, Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Oct 09, 2022
Observation date: Jul 02, 2020
Submitted by: lwhite
Region: Texas, Tom Green County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 09, 2022
Observation date: Jul 02, 2020
Submitted by: lwhite
Region: Texas, Tom Green County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 09, 2022
Observation date: Mar 17, 2019
Submitted by: chherrmann
Region: Brewster County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 09, 2022
Observation date: Aug 22, 2022
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Cochise County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Sep 18, 2022
Observation date: Mar 23, 2017
Submitted by: gjkoppel
Region: Orange Walk District, Belize
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 10, 2022
Observation date: Jul 31, 2019
Submitted by: MaynorOvando
Region: Honduras
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 10, 2022
Observation date: Feb 21, 2012
Submitted by: DJHiker
Region: Limon, Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Aug 03, 2022
Observation date: Jul 15, 2022
Submitted by: jamesvonloh
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 20, 2022
Observation date: May 15, 2022
Submitted by: Marta Reece
Region: Grant County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 17, 2022
Observation date: Apr 22, 2022
Submitted by: Gordon Berman
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Apr 22, 2022
Observation date: Sep 12, 2021
Submitted by: jamesvonloh
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jan 18, 2022
Observation date: Sep 10, 2021
Submitted by: jamesvonloh
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jan 18, 2022
Observation date: Sep 10, 2021
Submitted by: jamesvonloh
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jan 18, 2022
Observation date: Jul 21, 2021
Submitted by: jamesvonloh
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jan 18, 2022
Observation date: Aug 22, 2021
Submitted by: jamesvonloh
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jan 16, 2022
Observation date: Sep 23, 2021
Submitted by: jamesvonloh
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jan 07, 2022
Observation date: Aug 20, 2021
Submitted by: jamesvonloh
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jan 07, 2022
Observation date: Sep 23, 2021
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Nov 14, 2021
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