Vesta or Graphic Crescent
Phyciodes graphica (R. Felder, 1869)
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Nymphalinae
Identification: Orange above with markings of fine black lines. Below, forewing has a series of postmedian and submarginal orange circles on a dark background.
Wing Span: 7/8 - 1 1/2 inches (2.2 - 3.8 cm).
Life History: Males patrol for females all day in low areas. Females lay eggs in clumps on leaves of host plant; caterpillars eat leaves.
Flight: Many broods from April-September in the north, February-December in South Texas, all year in Mexico.
Caterpillar Hosts: Hairy tubetongue (Siphonoglossa pilosella) in the acanthus family.
Adult Food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Thorn and mesquite woodlands, desert, prairie, road edges, dry streambeds.
Range: Guatemala north through Mexico to southeast Arizona and central Texas. Temporary colonist to Arkansas, Colorado, and Nebraska.
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
Taxonomy Notes: Includes Phyciodes vesta.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 258 verified sightings
Observation date: Jan 31, 2025
Submitted by: Paul Prappas
Region: Belize District, Belize
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Mar 01, 2025
Observation date: Oct 29, 2024
Submitted by: Paul Prappas
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 12, 2024
Observation date: May 06, 2023
Submitted by: dvollmar
Region: Brewster County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 14, 2024
Observation date: Dec 28, 2022
Submitted by: polylepis
Region: Cameron County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 01, 2024
Observation date: Dec 28, 2022
Submitted by: polylepis
Region: Cameron County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 01, 2024
Observation date: Jun 17, 2024
Submitted by: houdini73
Region: Brown County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 17, 2024
Observation date: Jan 26, 2024
Submitted by: Paul Prappas
Region: Chiapas, Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: May 26, 2024
Observation date: Jul 29, 2023
Submitted by: Marta Reece
Region: Otero County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 30, 2023
Observation date: Mar 14, 2019
Submitted by: Aggielacie
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jun 21, 2023
Observation date: Jul 12, 2022
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Otero County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jan 02, 2023
Observation date: Dec 03, 2017
Submitted by: Medina Molly
Region: Bandera County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 12, 2022
Observation date: Jun 30, 2020
Submitted by: lwhite
Region: Texas, Tom Green County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 10, 2022
Observation date: Jun 30, 2020
Submitted by: lwhite
Region: Texas, Tom Green County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 10, 2022
Observation date: Sep 29, 2020
Submitted by: marley
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 10, 2022
Observation date: Jul 15, 2017
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Chiapas, Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Oct 09, 2022
Observation date: Jul 11, 2017
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Chiapas, Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Oct 09, 2022
Observation date: Jul 11, 2017
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Chiapas, Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Oct 09, 2022
Observation date: May 12, 2021
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Texas, Kimble County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 07, 2022
Observation date: Apr 01, 2022
Submitted by: txcajun
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 25, 2022
Observation date: Sep 16, 2021
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Eddy County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Mar 13, 2022
Observation date: Aug 15, 2021
Submitted by: stevecary
Region:
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Mar 13, 2022
Observation date: Aug 30, 2021
Submitted by: Rob Wu
Region: Lincoln County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 20, 2021
Observation date: Nov 25, 2020
Submitted by: Debee
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Nov 25, 2020
Observation date: May 22, 2019
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Bastrop County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Feb 05, 2020
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