Arizona Checkerspot
Common NameArizona Checkerspot
Scientific NameChlosyne fulvia
FamilyNymphalidae
SubfamilyNymphalinae
Wingspan (mm)38
Primary Colorsorange, black, white
HabitatArid grasslands, open woodlands, desert scrub, rocky hillsides
Geographic RangeSouthwestern United States (Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado) and northern Mexico
Host PlantsMachaeranthera, Aster, Coreopsis
Flight PeriodMarch to October
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesFemales lay clusters of eggs on host plants. Larvae are gregarious, feeding on leaves, and pupate into a chrysalis.
Identification TipsDistinguished by its bright orange and black checkered pattern, particularly the prominent black reticulation and the row of white spots on the submarginal band of both forewings and hindwings.
Description
A medium-sized butterfly with a vibrant orange ground color heavily marked with a complex network of black lines and spots, and a row of white spots along the outer wing margins.
