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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Butterflies (excluding skippers) (Papilionoidea) » Brushfooted Butterflies (Nymphalidae) » Crescents, Checkerspots, Anglewings, etc. (Nymphalinae) » Checkerspots (Euphydryas)
Photo#96516
Euphydryas sp. - Euphydryas
Copyright © 2007 Hartmut Wisch

Euphydryas sp. - Euphydryas
Camino Cielo, Santa Ynez Mountains, Santa Barbara County, California, USA
February 23, 2007
Size: 13mm
Feeding on Castilleja foliolosa (Woolly Paint Brush), the food plant listed for Chlosyne (=Thessalia) leanira wrightii in the Anza Borrego ((1)).
Perhaps another variety of Leanira Checkerspot for which the genus Castilleja is listed as a caterpillar foodplant ((2), and Art Shapiro's Butterfly Site).
Update: I've learned that both Edith's and Variable Checkerspots have a top row of orange spines. This caterpillar shows rather extensive orange spots in addition to the spines. As far as images go, 'Anicia' Variable Checkerspot is a possibility. Yet, because of reported similarities of editha and chalcedona, as well as my inexperience, I'll go with Euphydryas sp. for the time being.

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Euphydryas sp. - Euphydryas Euphydryas sp. - Euphydryas Euphydryas sp. - Euphydryas
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Contributed by Hartmut Wisch on 25 February, 2007 - 6:46pm
Last updated 31 January, 2009 - 12:13pm

Euphydryas editha seems likely
Just wanted to comment that these match almost exactly photos of Euphydryas editha larvae take in San Diego County, California. However, I can't rule out Euphydryas chalcedona, since I don't know them well enough to be sure some can't look the same. The subspecies of E. editha in Santa Barbara County is (or at least was) bayensis, but is quite similar to the more southerly subspecies quino (also has been called wrighti). A lot of new subspecies names have been given (seems like one for every hill in California almost!) within the last dozen years, and another may actually be more accurate.

See Mariposas Mexicana web site.

Sorry, tagged and cluttered these with "non-moves" by mistake (for any editor looking on - would love to learn if there is a way to remove this sort of clutter?). I thought I was being careful, but my super slow connection speed sometimes causes unforseen problems.
… David J. Ferguson, 31 January, 2009 - 12:13pm login or register to post comments

 
Thanks, David,
Every input is food for thought. I've seen the one on Mariposas Mexicanas. My computer folder still reads Euphydryas chalcedona or editha. I'll search for some more soon, since its that time of year again.
Because Plantago erecta seems to be the preferred foodplant of the Coastal Checkerspot (now E. editha editha = E. e. bayensis Sternitzky; insularis being only on Santa Rosa Island), this may be the Variable after all.
I don't really know how to distinguish their larvae, or whether they can be distinguished.
… Hartmut Wisch, 31 January, 2009 - 3:40pm login or register to post comments

.
.
… David J. Ferguson, 31 January, 2009 - 10:59am login or register to post comments

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