Subfamily Libytheinae - Snouts |
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| Butterfly | Link to photos | Where and When | Host plant |
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| Libytheana carinenta streckeri American Snout |
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Fall stray into eastern California. | Hackberry Trees (Celtis spp.) |
Subfamily Danainae - Monarchs |
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| Butterfly | Link to photos | Where and When | Host plant |
| Danaus plexippus Monarch |
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All year in many places. | Milkweeds (Asclepias ssp.) inc. curassavica, speciosa, fascicularis, tuberosa, californica, subulata, eriocarpa |
| Danaus gilippus thersippus Striated Queen |
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Most commonly seen in the desert, Mar - Nov. | Milkweeds (Asclepias ssp.) inc. curassavica, fascicularis, tuberosa, subulata |
Subfamily Heliconiinae - Heliconians and Fritillaries |
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| Butterfly | Link to photos | Where and When | Host plant |
| Agraulis vanillae incarnata Western Gulf Fritillary |
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Most of the year in gardens where host Passionvines grow. | Passionflower vines (Passiflora spp.) |
| Euptoieta claudia Variegated Fritillary |
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Rare stray from Arizona, mostly fall. | Passionflower vines, Violets, others |
| Speyeria coronis semiramis 'Semiramis' Coronis Fritillary |
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Summer in the transverse ranges. Easily found around Big Bear. | Violets |
| Speyeria coronis hennei 'Henne's' Coronis Fritillary |
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June to early Sept. in the northern mtns of Kern, Ventura Cos. | Violets |
| Speyeria callippe comstocki 'Comstock's' Callippe Fritillary |
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May to mid-July, mountain meadows from LA/SB Cos. south. | Violets |
| Speyeria callippe macaria 'Macaria' Callippe Fritillary |
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Late May to July, Tehachapis and Piutes to Mt Piños, Frazier Park. | Violets |
| Speyeria egleis egleis Great Basin Fritillary |
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Southern Sierras, Greenhorns, peaking in July - August. | Violets |
| Speyeria egleis tehachapina Tehachapi Fritillary |
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Late July/early August in Piute Mtns at high elev.; rare. | Violets |
| Speyeria mormonia mormonia Mormon Fritillary |
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July - Sept. in meadows along Sherman Pass Road. | Violets |
Subfamily Nymphalinae - True Brushfoots |
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| Butterfly | Link to photos | Where and When | Host plant |
| Chlosyne leanira wrighti 'Wright's' Leanira Checkerspot |
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Late April to mid-June, scarce in the transverse ranges. Mt Baldy area is good spot if it's flying. | Paintbrush (Castilleja spp.) |
| Chlosyne leanira alma 'Alma' Leanira Checkerspot |
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Late March to mid-May, desert hills. East of Walker Pass is good spot to check. | Paintbrush (Castilleja spp.) |
| Chlosyne californica California Patch |
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Desert flyer March to May, e.g. Anza-Borrego, Joshua Tree. | Desert Sunflower (Viguiera deltoidea), Parish Viguiera (Viguiera parishii) |
| Chlosyne lacinia crocale Bordered Patch |
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April to Oct., eastern Calif. | Parish Viguiera (Viguiera parishii), Western Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) |
| Chlosyne palla palla Northern Checkerspot |
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Mid-April through June, Sherman Pass to Frazier Park. | Asters, Rabbitbrush |
| Chlosyne gabbii gabbii Gabb's Checkerspot |
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Late March to early July. Can be common in mountains. | Asters such as Cudweed Aster, Sawtooth Goldenbush, Telegraph Weed |
| Chlosyne acastus neumoegeni 'Neumoegen's' Sagebrush Chkspot. |
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March to early May, desert washes. | Desert Aster |
| Dymasia dymas imperialis Tiny Checkerspot |
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Spring brood Mar - Apr; fall brood dep. on rainfall. Deserts around host. | Chuperosa (Justicia californica) |
| Phyciodes mylitta mylitta Mylitta Crescent |
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Late Feb. through Oct. Along streams in the mountains. | Thistles (Cirsium), some other Asters |
| Phyciodes pulchellus pulchellus Field Crescent |
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March to early Oct.; isolated colonies in the San Gabriels, more common to the north. | Western Lance-leaf Aster (Aster lanceolatus var. hesperius) |
| Euphydryas editha augustina 'August' Edith's Checkerspot |
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Late May through June, hillsides in the San Bernardinos. | Child's Blue Eyed Mary (Collinsia childii), Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja affinis) |
| Euphydryas editha ehrlichi Ehrlich's Checkerspot |
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Late March to early May in the Ord Mtns near Hesperia. | Mojave Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja plagiotoma) |
| Euphydryas editha quino Quino Checkerspot |
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Spring in Riverside and SD Cos.; endangered species. | Dwarf Plantain (Plantago erecta), Wooly Plantain (Plantago patagonica), White Snapdragon (Antirrhinum coulterianum), Bird's Beak (Cordylanthus rigidus) |
| Euphydryas chalcedona chalcedona 'Chalcedon' Variable Checkerspot |
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March through June, common in the Santa Monicas, San Gabriels esp. | Mostly plants in the Scrophulariaceae family, including species of Keckellia, Monkey Flower and Penstemons. |
| Euphydryas chalcedona hennei 'Henne's' Variable Checkerspot |
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Desert subspecies, Anza-Borrego up through Santa Rosas, multi-brooded beg. Feb. Fall flight with suff. rain. | Desert Bushpenstemon (Keckiella antirrhinoides), Wooly Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja foliolosa) |
| Euphydryas chalcedona corralensis Rock Corral Checkerspot |
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Washes at Rock Corral (no. slope San Bernardinos), late March - April. | Keckiella antirrhinoides microphyllum |
| Junonia coenia grisea 'Gray' Common Buckeye |
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March to November, common in open rural areas. | Scrophulariaceae such as Plantain, Monkeyflowers, Snapdragons |
| Junonia genoveva nigrosuffusa Tropical Buckeye |
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Can stray into the Mojave from Arizona in the fall. | Speedwell, Monkeyflower |
| Polygonia satyrus Satyr Comma |
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Late Feb. to Oct., forests, streamsides and along trails. | Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica) |
| Polygonia gracilis zephyrus Hoary Comma |
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Wooded areas in San Bernardinos esp., March - Sept. | Currants (Ribes) |
| Aglais milberti subpallida Milbert's Tortoiseshell |
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Southern Sierras to Tehachapis, April - Sept. | Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica) |
| Nymphalis antiopa Mourning Cloak |
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Common garden butterfly year-round. | Willows, Cottonwoods, Elms |
| Nymphalis californica californica California Tortoiseshell |
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Can be common in mountains, March - Sept. | Ceanothus |
| Vanessa atalanta rubria Red Admiral |
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Late Feb. to Nov., gardens to rural areas. | Nettles (inc. Baby's Tears in gardens) and Hops |
| Vanessa cardui Painted Lady |
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March to Nov., anywhere and everywhere. | Thistles, Nettles, Mallows, Fiddleneck, et al. |
| Vanessa annabella West Coast Lady |
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March to Nov., gardens to rural areas. | Mallows inc. Hollyhocks, Checkerbloom |
| Vanessa virginiensis American Lady |
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Late Feb. to early Nov., gardens to mountains. | Gnaphalium inc. bicolor, californicum, other Composites. Licorice (Helichrysum petiolare) in the garden. |
Subfamily Limentidinae - Admirals and relatives |
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| Butterfly | Link to photos | Where and When | Host plant |
| Limenitis lorquini powelli Lorquin's Admiral |
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March to late Oct., patrolling paths around Willows almost anywhere. | Willows, Poplars, Cottonwoods, others |
| Adelpha californica California Sister |
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April to Oct., can be common where there are Oak stands. | Usually Canyon Oak (Quercus chrysolepis), Coast Live Oak (Q. agrifolia) |
Subfamily Satyrinae - Satyrs |
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| Butterfly | Link to photos | Where and When | Host plant |
| Coenonympha tullia california 'California' Common Ringlet |
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Multiple-brooded in grasslands, late Feb to Oct. | Grasses |
| Cercyonis sthenele behrii 'Behr's' Great Basin Wood Nymph |
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Late May to early Sept., grasslands. | Grasses |
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