Dotted Checkerspot
Poladryas minuta (W.H. Edwards, 1861)
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Nymphalinae
Identification: Upperside bright red-orange with submarginal band of small crescents. Underside orange. Hindwing outer margin with row of white spots and then a row of white crescents bordered with black. White median band has thin black line or 2 rows of black spots.
Wing Span: 1 1/4 - 1 7/8 inches (3.2 - 4.8 cm).
Life History: Males perch on low plants on ridgetop openings during the morning hours; in the afternoons they patrol around flowers. Females lay eggs in batches on the underside of host plant leaves. Caterpillars eat leaves and feed together in groups when they are young. Hibernation is by the third-stage caterpillars.
Flight: Several flights from January-September.
Caterpillar Hosts: Various beardtongues (Penstemon species) in the figwort family (Scrophulariaceae).
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers including yellow composites.
Habitat: Foothill ridges, grasslands, open mountain meadows.
Range: Western Nebraska, southeast Wyoming, and eastern Nevada south through south-central Texas, New Mexico, Arizona south to southern Mexico. Isolated population in southern Sierra Nevada of California.
Conservation: Not usually of conservation concern, but ssp. monache and minuta are of restricted range or in need of monitoring.
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
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 156 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 08, 2021
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Harding County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Mar 12, 2022
Observation date: Aug 08, 2021
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Harding County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Mar 12, 2022
Observation date: Jun 05, 2021
Submitted by: joeschelling
Region: Harding County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 15, 2021
Observation date: Jun 08, 2019
Submitted by: Christian.Nunes
Region: Las Animas County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Sep 21, 2019
Observation date: Jun 07, 2019
Submitted by: joeschelling
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 19, 2019
Observation date: Apr 08, 2018
Submitted by: gpstewart
Region: Texas, Val Verde County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Apr 11, 2018
Observation date: Apr 15, 2010
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Janice Hipsher)
Region: Coleman County, Texas, United States
Verified by: kmortensen
Verified date: Mar 04, 2011
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: BAMONA
Region:
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Sep 06, 2010
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: BAMONA
Region:
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Sep 06, 2010
Observation date: Jun 04, 2006
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Carlton Collier)
Region: Texas, Val Verde County, United States
Verified by: nick.grishin (Nick Grishin)
Verified date: Apr 02, 2007
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Kane County, Utah, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: La Plata County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Catron County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Johnson County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Rio Grande County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Briscoe County, Texas, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Greenlee County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Las Animas County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Borden County, Texas, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Yavapai County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Coahuila De Zaragoza, Mexico
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Texas, Real County, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Larimer County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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