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
Pollinator Week was June 20-26, 2022!
Butterflies and moths are accidental pollinators of many flowering plants. While most species do not have special structures to carry pollen, they do brush against pollen and transfer it to other flowers.
Did you know? The Eastern Tailed-Blue (Cupido comyntas) flies close to the ground and uses its short proboscis to probe flowers of wild strawberry, white sweet clover, and other low-lying plants.
Verified Sightings
Displaying 25 - 48 of 179 verified sightings
Observation date: Nov 04, 2018
Submitted by: hydapse
Region: Texas, Starr County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Dec 14, 2018
Observation date: Nov 27, 2018
Submitted by: wallap74
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Dec 11, 2018
Observation date: Nov 05, 2018
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Nov 25, 2018
Observation date: Nov 05, 2018
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Nov 25, 2018
Observation date: Nov 07, 2018
Submitted by: hiker96
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Nov 21, 2018
Observation date: Nov 04, 2018
Submitted by: Paul Prappas
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Nov 20, 2018
Observation date: Oct 30, 2018
Submitted by: marley
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Nov 15, 2018
Observation date: Nov 08, 2018
Submitted by: Paul Prappas
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Nov 15, 2018
Observation date: Jul 31, 2018
Submitted by: philip.woodscc@...
Region: Texas, Nueces County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 01, 2018
Observation date: Nov 08, 2013
Submitted by: Tommie Rogers
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jun 07, 2018
Observation date: Sep 06, 2012
Submitted by: Tommie Rogers
Region: Cochise County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Apr 20, 2018
Observation date: Apr 14, 2018
Submitted by: Raul Delgado
Region: Texas, United States, Zapata County
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Apr 19, 2018
Observation date: Nov 10, 2017
Submitted by: Laurie Sheppard
Region: Grayson County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Nov 11, 2017
Observation date: Sep 08, 2012
Submitted by: Tommie Rogers
Region: Cochise County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Sep 01, 2017
Observation date: May 01, 2017
Submitted by: 4wildlife
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 25, 2017
Observation date: Mar 30, 2017
Submitted by: msteinhelper
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Apr 30, 2017
Observation date: Mar 25, 2017
Submitted by: rhedden
Region: Crosby County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Apr 11, 2017
Observation date: Mar 28, 2017
Submitted by: The Crafty Gardener
Region: Texas, Lampasas County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Mar 28, 2017
Observation date: Mar 25, 2017
Submitted by: Redheart Canyonlands
Region: Bandera County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Mar 28, 2017
Observation date: Mar 25, 2017
Submitted by: abwest
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Mar 26, 2017
Observation date: Nov 12, 2016
Submitted by: abwest
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Nov 13, 2016
Observation date: Oct 20, 2016
Submitted by: TCollins
Region: Texas, Kerr County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Oct 20, 2016
Observation date: Oct 08, 2016
Submitted by: Redheart Canyonlands
Region: Bandera County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Oct 16, 2016
Observation date: Aug 15, 2016
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 24, 2016
- ‹ previous
- 2 of 8
- next ›