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.
Comments: NULL
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 819 verified sightings
Observation date: May 29, 2017
Submitted by: mudgrub12
Region: Placer County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 24, 2017
Observation date: Jun 17, 2017
Submitted by: topcat
Region: Contra Costa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 23, 2017
Observation date: Jul 15, 2010
Submitted by: joshuagsmith
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 21, 2017
Observation date: Apr 15, 2017
Submitted by: Teresa Amarillas
Region: Santa Barbara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 12, 2017
Observation date: May 29, 2017
Submitted by: clblaney
Region: Riverside County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 04, 2017
Observation date: May 24, 2017
Submitted by: alazere
Region: Orange County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 31, 2017
Observation date: May 13, 2017
Submitted by: ninadanza
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 27, 2017
Observation date: May 04, 2017
Submitted by: diwalks2@gmail.com
Region: Orange County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 08, 2017
Observation date: May 02, 2017
Submitted by: tiorickbutterfly
Region: Orange County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 07, 2017
Observation date: May 04, 2017
Submitted by: joyce94582
Region: Contra Costa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 07, 2017
Observation date: Apr 22, 2017
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 29, 2017
Observation date: Apr 23, 2017
Submitted by: Ribbonweaver
Region: Santa Barbara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 27, 2017
Observation date: Apr 15, 2017
Submitted by: Selwyn Quan
Region: Santa Clara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 25, 2017
Observation date: Apr 14, 2017
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: