Palmer's Metalmark
Apodemia palmeri (W.H. Edwards, 1870)
Family: Riodinidae
Subfamily: Riodininae
Identification: Dark brown or gray with copper tinge. Many small white spots, some forming submarginal bands at margins of both wings. Underside orange with white spots and black submarginal spots.
Wing Span: 3/4 - 1 1/8 inches (2 - 3 cm).
Life History: Eggs are laid singly on leaves of host trees. Caterpillars rest in a nest of leaves tied together with silk, and come out at night to feed on leaves. Third-stage caterpillars hibernate.
Flight: Two broods from May-September in Nevada and Utah, many broods from April-November in the south.
Caterpillar Hosts: Screwbean mesquite (Prosopis pubescens) and honey mesquite (P. glandulosa var. torreyana).
Adult Food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Mesquite desert and thorn scrub.
Range: West Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, southern Utah, southern Nevada, and southern California south to central Mexico and Baja California.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Comments: NULL
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 155 verified sightings
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/metalmark_2.jpeg?itok=xQpMMxch)
Observation date: Aug 19, 2024
Submitted by: asombro_institute
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 20, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/p1420999.jpg?itok=JC63sKXS)
Observation date: Apr 27, 2024
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 04, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/apodemia_palmerii_1_palmers_metalmark.jpg?itok=RjhiK_Sq)
Observation date: Jan 18, 2024
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Baja California Sur, Mexico
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 11, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/apodemia_palmerii_palmerii_1_palmers_metalmark.jpg?itok=xNDqyS0V)
Observation date: Nov 15, 2023
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Baja California Sur, Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Dec 13, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dsc_7136_2.jpg?itok=xc4BqFKe)
Observation date: Sep 10, 2023
Submitted by: camflies
Region: Cochise County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Oct 23, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/palmers_metalmark_8-30-2023.jpg?itok=1SbP0y_J)
Observation date: Aug 30, 2023
Submitted by: cjgoin
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 31, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dsc08739_0.jpg?itok=07WkJjJe)
Observation date: Aug 27, 2023
Submitted by: Marta Reece
Region: Otero County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 28, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/apodemia_palmerii_3.jpg?itok=E3WwKd5D)
Observation date: Dec 08, 2020
Submitted by: Papalotl
Region: Coahuila De Zaragoza, Mexico
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 18, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/palmers_metalmark_2.jpg?itok=ic78m7YO)
Observation date: Jun 17, 2023
Submitted by: MJKrotzer
Region: Catron County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 28, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dscn8203crop.jpg?itok=vgkz9xfC)
Observation date: Jun 02, 2023
Submitted by: J Tinsman
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 08, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/1d708e42-761b-4071-98b6-cdcc18516169.jpeg?itok=Ue-U_Yh4)
Observation date: Sep 19, 2021
Submitted by: Gordon Berman
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Oct 07, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/palmers_metalmark_1.jpg?itok=zOlVtjyF)
Observation date: Jul 27, 2022
Submitted by: cjgoin
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 31, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/p1310312_1.jpg?itok=7Ju4lT4x)
Observation date: Aug 16, 2021
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Otero County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Mar 13, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_0918_9.jpg?itok=gpl17OO_)
Observation date: Nov 16, 2021
Submitted by: Rmclaughlin
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Nov 17, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/palmers_metalmark_9_26_2021.jpg?itok=UTpwN6nh)
Observation date: Sep 26, 2021
Submitted by: dayers@hotmail.com
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Oct 16, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/pame_-_texas_cyn_4may2020_-_d.jpg?itok=v5-fPRpF)
Observation date: May 04, 2020
Submitted by: Rob Wu
Region: New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 09, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/palmers_metalmark_0.jpg?itok=LdZygYGR)
Observation date: Oct 12, 2020
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Jun 09, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/apodemia_palmeri_2017-09-18a_longstreet_ash_meadows_nwr_nv.jpg?itok=grIxte-L)
Observation date: Sep 18, 2017
Submitted by: J Tinsman
Region: Nye County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Dec 10, 2020
![](/sites/default/files/no-image-icon-480x360.png)
Observation date: Oct 03, 2020
Submitted by: John Saba
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Oct 04, 2020
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/palmers_metalmark.jpg?itok=GJKTf1-5)
Observation date: Sep 28, 2020
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Oct 01, 2020
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_5708_1.jpg?itok=jUsuoIXY)
Observation date: Oct 27, 2011
Submitted by: cjbruchman
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Jul 22, 2020
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_4936_3.jpg?itok=aL2tgK2S)
Observation date: Oct 14, 2019
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Nov 10, 2019
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/p1900736.jpg?itok=hNhrhTkl)
Observation date: Oct 12, 2019
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 22, 2019
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_4801_6.jpg?itok=rF9hNERG)
Observation date: Oct 14, 2019
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Oct 20, 2019
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