Species Chlosyne nycteis - Silvery Checkerspot

Classification · Identification · Range · Food · Life Cycle · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited

Checkerspot? But which? - Chlosyne nycteis

Silvery Checkerspot Cats?? - Chlosyne nycteis

Silvery Checkerspot turning ino a chrysalis - Chlosyne nycteis

Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)

Superfamily Papilionoidea (Butterflies)

Family Nymphalidae (Brushfooted Butterflies)

Subfamily Nymphalinae (Crescents, Checkerspots, Anglewings, etc.)

Genus Chlosyne

Species nycteis (Silvery Checkerspot)

Identification

Caterpillars are nearly black, dusted with tiny white spots. May have a broad yellow to orange stripe or two thinner stripes along each side. Branched spines,typical of this family.

Range

S. Canada south to Georgia and Texas but absent from much of the Coastal Plain (1)

Food

Larvae feed on members of the Asteraceae (daisy family) - especially Wingstem (Verbesina) and Sunflower (Helianthus), but also Aster and Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia).

Life Cycle

Overwinters as a third-instar larva.

Print References

Wagner(1), p.127

Internet References

Butterflies and Moths of North America

Pinned specimens

Works Cited

1.	Caterpillars of Eastern North America By David L. Wagner

Contributed by Troy Bartlett on 16 February, 2004 - 12:32pm
Additional contributions by Hannah Nendick-Mason
Last updated 15 August, 2006 - 9:09am

Disclaimer: Dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service. We strive to provide accurate information, but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world. If you need expert professional advice, contact your local extension office.

Contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content.
Click the contributor's name for licensing and usage information.
Everything else copyright © 2003-2008 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by Iowa State University Entomology.

Printer Friendly Version