California Tortoiseshell
Nymphalis californica (Boisduval, 1852)
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Nymphalinae
Identification: Upperside is orange-brown with large black spots and dark wing borders. Underside looks like a dead leaf and is dark mottled brown with darker wing bases; hindwing does not have a centered silver spot.
Wing Span: 1 1/4 - 2 3/4 inches (3.2 - 7 cm).
Life History: Males perch in the late afternoon to look for females. Eggs are laid in bunches on the host plant; caterpillars eat leaves and feed together when young. Adults hibernate.
Flight: One brood overwinter. They fly the following spring until April or May, mating and laying eggs for the next brood.
Caterpillar Hosts: Various species of wild lilac (Ceanothus).
Adult Food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Chaparral, woodland, brush areas, forest clearings and edges.
Range: British Columbia south along the Pacific Coast to Baja California Norte, east to Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico. Rare migrants to Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York, and Vermont after periodic population explosions in Mexico.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Comments: NULL
Alternate Scientific Names:
Nymphalis california
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 751 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 20, 2016
Submitted by: lesdit
Region: Fresno County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 24, 2019
Observation date: Mar 18, 2019
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 19, 2019
Observation date: Mar 14, 2019
Submitted by: jctobserve579
Region: San Luis Obispo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 15, 2019
Observation date: Mar 14, 2019
Submitted by: jctobserve579
Region: San Luis Obispo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 15, 2019
Observation date: Mar 14, 2019
Submitted by: jctobserve579
Region: San Luis Obispo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 15, 2019
Observation date: Mar 12, 2019
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 14, 2019
Observation date: Feb 21, 2019
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Sonoma County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 21, 2019
Observation date: Sep 09, 2018
Submitted by: hydapse
Region: Park County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Feb 01, 2019
Observation date: Jul 06, 2018
Submitted by: altairpilot
Region: Kittitas County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jan 29, 2019
Observation date: Jan 19, 2019
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jan 20, 2019
Observation date: Jul 05, 2018
Submitted by: J_Martineau
Region: Garfield County, Utah, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jan 09, 2019
Observation date: May 04, 2018
Submitted by: J_Martineau
Region: Sheridan County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Dec 20, 2018
Observation date: Sep 29, 2018
Submitted by: storolaf
Region: Calaveras County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Dec 16, 2018
Observation date: Jul 16, 2018
Submitted by: Paul Prappas
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Norbert Kondla
Verified date: Nov 24, 2018
Observation date: Sep 06, 2018
Submitted by: Nigel Horsley
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Norbert Kondla
Verified date: Nov 24, 2018
Observation date: Oct 15, 2018
Submitted by: Paul Prappas
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Norbert Kondla
Verified date: Nov 24, 2018
Observation date: Sep 06, 2018
Submitted by: lizmcd
Region: Teton County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Oct 25, 2018
Observation date: Oct 19, 2018
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 22, 2018
Observation date: Jul 05, 2018
Submitted by: mbalame99
Region: Clatsop County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 20, 2018
Observation date: Sep 18, 2018
Submitted by: pdxgene711
Region: Marion County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 09, 2018
Observation date: Jul 08, 2018
Submitted by: Bilderbeck
Region: Linn County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 09, 2018
Observation date: Aug 13, 2018
Submitted by: b-reasonable
Region: Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 09, 2018
Observation date: Sep 25, 2018
Submitted by: Linda Fink
Region: Yamhill County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 09, 2018
Observation date: Oct 07, 2018
Submitted by: RichHubie
Region: Mendocino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 08, 2018
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