Baltimore Checkerspot
Common NameBaltimore Checkerspot
Scientific NameEuphydryas phaeton
FamilyNymphalidae
SubfamilyNymphalinae
Wingspan (mm)55
Wing Patternspotted
Primary Colorsblack, orange, yellow
HabitatWet meadows, marshes, bogs, open woodlands, and other moist areas where host plants grow.
Geographic RangeEastern North America, from southern Ontario and Quebec south to Georgia and west to Manitoba and Missouri.
Host PlantsWhite Turtlehead (Chelone glabra), English Plantain (Plantago lanceolata), Honeysuckle (Lonicera)
Flight PeriodLate May to early July
Flight Stylegliding
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesLarvae are gregarious, feeding on turtlehead. They overwinter as partially grown caterpillars in a silken web, then resume feeding in spring before pupating.
Identification TipsThe unique combination of black wings with multiple rows of orange and yellow-white spots makes it unmistakable among North American butterflies.
Description
A medium-sized butterfly with a distinctive black ground color heavily marked with multiple rows of bright orange and yellow-white spots across both forewings and hindwings.
