Gabb's Checkerspot
Common NameGabb's Checkerspot
Scientific NameChlosyne gabbii
FamilyNymphalidae
SubfamilyNymphalinae
Wingspan (mm)38.5
Primary Colorsorange, black, yellow
HabitatChaparral, coastal sage scrub, dry foothills, canyons
Geographic RangeSouthern California, Baja California
Host PlantsHazardia squarrosa, Hazardia cana, Baccharis pilularis
Flight PeriodMarch to July
Flight Styledarting
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesEggs are laid in clusters on host plant leaves. Larvae are spiny, black with orange markings, and feed communally when young, overwintering as larvae before pupating.
Identification TipsLook for the characteristic checkered pattern of orange-yellow and dark brown, and its association with host plants like Sawtooth Goldenbush in dry, open habitats of Southern California.
Description
A medium-sized butterfly with a distinctive checkered pattern of orange-yellow and dark brown or black on its dorsal wings, often with a row of pale spots near the wing margins.
