Species Apodemia mejicanus - Mexican Metalmark - Hodges#4402.2

4402.2

These names may be seen variously treated as synonyms or subspecies.

Distinguished from A. mormo by more easterly and southerly distribution (but overlapping widely), and by the red/orange coloring which forms a band through the middle of the wings above and includes or replaces most of the white median spot band on the hind wing.

Not reliably distinguishable from A. virgulti except by location.

From se. Wyoming southward along the east side of the Southern Rockies into northern Mexico, and westward across New Mexico and Chihuahua into Arizona, Sonora, Sinaloa, & Baja California Sur.

Reported from Dakotas and Montana (perhaps misidentifications?).

Open sunny areas where host plants grow; usually gravelly to rocky and usually in mountains, canyons or other broken terrain; from deserts up into openings of Montane woodlands.

Adult flight varies with regional climate and rainfall patterns. Mostly one brood in north, in June, July or August.

Mostly one or two flights in south (sometimes three), depending on elevation, rains, etc. Most areas with a strong spring flight about April or May, with often another in August or September depending upon the season. Some areas usually autumn and less often in spring. Sometimes seen as early as February and as late as November.

Larval host - Eriogonum species [Krameria glandulosa is also reported]. Adults use many plants for nectar, but favor Eriogonum species as well.

A member of the Apodemia mormo complex or "superspecies", of which members are all considered as a single variable species by some authors, while other authors recognize varied numbers of distinct species. Certain types that look different may coexist in the same location and remain distinct [i.e. mormo and mejicanus], which implies that in those areas there are at least two species. Relationships between various populations are still being sorted out.

A. duryi appears to be just a southern subspecies of A. mejicanus as evidenced by intermediate specimens found where they meet, but this question needs more study. The two are left separate here for now.