Gray Buckeye
Common NameGray Buckeye
Scientific NameJunonia grisea
FamilyNymphalidae
SubfamilyNymphalinae
Wingspan (mm)40
Primary Colorsbrown, gray, orange, black, blue
HabitatOpen fields, meadows, grasslands, disturbed areas, roadsides, gardens
Geographic RangeWestern North America (from southern British Columbia south through the western US to Baja California)
Host PlantsPlantago spp. (plantain), Antirrhinum spp. (snapdragon), Linaria spp. (toadflax), Mimulus spp., Verbena spp.
Flight PeriodMarch to October (multiple broods)
Flight Styledarting
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesEggs are laid singly on host plants. Larvae are spiny and black with orange markings. Pupae are typically green or brown chrysalides. Multiple generations occur annually.
Identification TipsDistinguished from the Common Buckeye (*Junonia coenia*) by its generally grayer ground color, less reddish-brown, and often more distinct, less blended eyespots, particularly on the hindwing. The forewing eyespot often has a more distinct blue crescent.
Description
A medium-sized butterfly with a brownish-gray ground color, featuring prominent, multi-ringed eyespots on both forewings and hindwings, and orange and white markings on the forewing.
