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Genus Apodemia

Mormon Metalmark (Uh, make that Behr's Metalmark) - Apodemia virgulti - male Nais Metalmark? - Apodemia nais butterfly, metalmark sp ? - Apodemia mormo butterfly, black & red with white spots - Apodemia mormo Metalmark Butterfly - Apodemia virgulti Butterfly - Apodemia virgulti Checkered Butterfly - Apodemia palmerii - female Apodemia mormo
Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Superfamily Papilionoidea (Butterflies and Skippers)
Family Riodinidae (Metalmarks)
Subfamily Riodininae
Tribe Emesiini
Genus Apodemia
Identification
These could be confused for Checkerspots and perhaps with Coppers, but the details of the pattern, and the green eyes of the living insects will immediately distinguish them. Coppers have black eyes and no white spots above, while Checkerspots have eyes in shades of gray to brown and broad antenna clubs. Metalmarks hold their antennae straighter than do Coppers.

Other Metalmarks found north of Mexico have distinctly different (often more plain or even) wing patterns without bold white spots above, and often have narrow chains of metalic silver to bluish spots toward the outer margins of the wings.
Range
western North America
Food
Larvae primarily on Eriogonum species. Adults favor a wide variety of flowers, but seem to have a fondness for Eriogonum and Composite flowers.
Internet References
Butterflies of America (Thumbs of live and pinned specimens, some immatures, and habitat.)