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.
BAMONA Shop
Please donate!
We depend on donations to keep Butterflies and Moths of North America freely available. We want to express our gratitude to all who showed their support by making a contribution this year. You can donate to support this project at any time.
Advertise with us!
Do you have a product or service that you think would interest BAMONA users? If you would like to advertise on this website, contact us by email, or use the contact form and select the "Advertising" category.
Verified Sightings
Displaying 49 - 72 of 982 verified sightings
Observation date: Apr 08, 2022
Submitted by: yhelfman
Region: Santa Clara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 09, 2022
Observation date: May 01, 2022
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 02, 2022
Observation date: Apr 30, 2022
Submitted by: icosahedron
Region: Sonoma County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 01, 2022
Observation date: Apr 16, 2022
Submitted by: mstanek
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 17, 2022
Observation date: Apr 07, 2022
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Santa Barbara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 16, 2022
Observation date: Apr 09, 2022
Submitted by: yhelfman
Region: Santa Clara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 16, 2022
Observation date: Apr 03, 2022
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 07, 2022
Observation date: Jun 02, 2012
Submitted by: yhelfman
Region: Alameda County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 31, 2022
Observation date: May 09, 2014
Submitted by: yhelfman
Region: Alameda County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 30, 2022
Observation date: Mar 04, 2018
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 25, 2022
Observation date: Apr 10, 2018
Submitted by: starmock
Region: Mariposa County, California, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 25, 2022
Observation date: May 27, 2018
Submitted by: J. Tiehm
Region: Modoc County, California, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 25, 2022
Observation date: Jun 22, 2019
Submitted by: alicecas
Region: Contra Costa County, California, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 23, 2022
Observation date: Jul 17, 2019
Submitted by: amcboulder
Region: San Francisco County, California, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 23, 2022
Observation date: Mar 06, 2020
Submitted by: Wrinkleyme
Region: Sonoma County, California, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 21, 2022
Observation date: Mar 12, 2020
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: San Mateo County, California, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 21, 2022
Observation date: Mar 22, 2020
Submitted by: Anthony.robinson
Region: Santa Clara County, California, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 21, 2022
Observation date: Mar 26, 2020
Submitted by: Jennolsen79
Region: Madera County, California, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 21, 2022
Observation date: Mar 22, 2020
Submitted by: Ellen1
Region: Alameda County, California, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 21, 2022
Observation date: Jun 01, 2018
Submitted by: Noelle Nordstrom
Region: Skamania County, Washington, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 05, 2022
Observation date: Jun 08, 2018
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: San Benito County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 11, 2021
Observation date: Jun 15, 2018
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 29, 2021
Observation date: Jun 13, 2016
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Tulare County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 29, 2021
Observation date: Jun 18, 2016
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 29, 2021
- ‹ previous
- 3 of 41
- next ›