Chalcedon Checkerspot
Euphydryas chalcedona (Doubleday, [1847])
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Nymphalinae
Identification: Extremely variable. Forewing narrow. Upperside is black to dark orange-brown with yellow, red, and sometimes white spots. Underside with yellow and orange-red bands.
Wing Span: 1 1/4 - 2 1/4 inches (3.2 - 5.7 cm).
Life History: Males perch or patrol all day for females. Eggs are laid in large groups on underside of leaves of host plants. Caterpillars feed together on leaves, flowers, or bracts in a silk nest. Third- and fourth-stage caterpillars hibernate under rocks or in litter. Caterpillars in high elevations can hibernate for several years.
Flight: One flight; April-June in California and Oregon, June-July in the north and higher elevations. Several flights from April-October in western Arizona, southern Nevada, and the Mojave Desert.
Caterpillar Hosts: Besseya, penstemon, and Indian paintbrush (Scrophulariaceae); snowberry and honeysuckle (Caprifoliaceae); and plants from several other families including Boraginaceae and Rosaceae.
Adult Food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Sagebrush flats, chaparral, desert hills, high prairie, open forest, alpine tundra.
Range: Alaska south along the Pacific Coast through California and Arizona to Baja California and Mexico; east to Montana, the Dakotas, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico.
Conservation: Some subspecies and unnamed populations may require monitoring, management, or preservation.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: Maintain habitat integrity, host plant colonies, and nectar sources. Note: This species used to include these additional separate species Euphydryas anicia, E. chalcedona, and E. colon.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 998 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 20, 2025
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Santa Barbara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 24, 2025
Observation date: Jun 14, 2025
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Santa Barbara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 17, 2025
Observation date: Jun 14, 2025
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Santa Barbara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 17, 2025
Observation date: Jun 09, 2007
Submitted by: papilio1
Region: Washoe County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 16, 2025
Observation date: Jun 09, 2025
Submitted by: Springbok
Region: Josephine County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 12, 2025
Observation date: May 22, 1982
Submitted by: papilio1
Region: Tehama County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 12, 2025
Observation date: Jun 09, 2025
Submitted by: Zencoyote
Region: Contra Costa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 09, 2025
Observation date: Jun 07, 2025
Submitted by: Zencoyote
Region: Alameda County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 09, 2025
Observation date: May 21, 2025
Submitted by: Fladder
Region: Tuolumne County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 03, 2025
Observation date: May 21, 2025
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Plumas County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 02, 2025
Observation date: May 25, 2025
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Santa Barbara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 29, 2025
Observation date: May 25, 2025
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Santa Barbara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 29, 2025
Observation date: May 14, 2025
Submitted by: Sophia Reyes
Region: San Benito County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 24, 2025
Observation date: May 23, 2025
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 24, 2025
Observation date: May 20, 2025
Submitted by: thebirdingviking
Region: Santa Clara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 22, 2025
Observation date: May 16, 2025
Submitted by: Zencoyote
Region: Alameda County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 18, 2025
Observation date: May 11, 2025
Submitted by: mstanek
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 12, 2025
Observation date: May 09, 2024
Submitted by: Lauenstein
Region: Santa Cruz County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 29, 2025
Observation date: Mar 26, 2025
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Santa Clara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 27, 2025
Observation date: May 23, 2014
Submitted by: papilio1
Region: Sierra County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 24, 2025
Observation date: Jun 11, 2022
Submitted by: Alison Davies
Region: Fresno County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 09, 2024
Observation date: Jul 30, 2024
Submitted by: ASchmierer
Region: Alpine County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 02, 2024
Observation date: Jul 13, 2024
Submitted by: sarabseth
Region: Contra Costa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 31, 2024
Observation date: Jun 19, 2024
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 22, 2024
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