Tiny Checkerspot
Common NameTiny Checkerspot
Scientific NameChlosyne gorgone
FamilyNymphalidae
SubfamilyNymphalinae
Wingspan (mm)32.5
Primary Colorsorange, black, cream
HabitatPrairies, open fields, grasslands, savannas, roadsides
Geographic RangeCentral North America, from southern Canada south through the Great Plains to Texas and parts of the Midwest
Host Plantssunflower, ragweed, Rudbeckia
Flight PeriodApril to September
Flight Styledarting
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesEggs are laid in clusters on host plant leaves. Larvae are gregarious, black with orange spines, and feed communally before pupating.
Identification TipsLook for its small size and the intricate, somewhat irregular checkerboard pattern of orange and pale spots. The underside of the hindwing often shows a prominent orange band.
Description
A small butterfly with a distinctive checkerboard pattern of orange and cream or white cells outlined in black across its wings.
