Edith's Checkerspot
Euphydryas editha (Boisduval, 1852)
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Nymphalinae
Identification: Variable. Front wing rounded at tip. Upperside is black with red and pale yellow or white bands. Submarginal band of small yellow or white spots; wide postmedian band is red. Underside of hindwing with alternating bands of yellow-orange and cream.
Wing Span: 1 1/4 - 2 inches (3.2 - 5.1 cm).
Life History: Males perch or patrol all day to find females. Eggs are laid in groups on underside of leaves or on flowers of the host plant. Caterpillars eat leaves and flowers; sometimes using different host plants before and after hibernation. Young caterpillars live in loose silk webs; third- and fourth-stage caterpillars hibernate.
Flight: One brood; from March-May at low elevations, June-August at high elevations and in the north.
Caterpillar Hosts: Various species of paintbrush (Castilleja), beardtongues (Penstemon), lousewort (Pedicularis), owl's clover (Orthocarpus), Chinese houses (Collinsia), and plantain (Plantago).
Adult Food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: From sea level to treeline through diverse habitats including coastal chaparral, meadows, fields, foothills, open woods, alpine fellfields.
Range: Southern British Columbia and Alberta south to Baja California, Nevada, Utah, and Colorado.
Conservation: Two subspecies, the Bay Checkerspot (Euphydryas editha bayensis) and the Quino Checkerspot (E. e. quino) are listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973.
NCGR: The bay checkerspot (subspecies bayensis) has The Nature Conservancy Global Rank of T1 - Critically imperiled because of extreme rarity (5 or fewer occurrences, or very few remaining individuals), or because of some factor of its biology making it especially vulnerable to extinction. (Critically endangered throughout its range). The other subspecies of Euphydryas editha have The Nature Conservancy Global Rank of G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: Protect remaining habitat from development and alteration. Refer to Fish & Wildlife Service recovery plans.
Get your BAMONA Gear!
Please donate!
We depend on donations to keep Butterflies and Moths of North America freely available. We want to express our gratitude to all who showed their support by making a contribution this year. You can donate to support this project at any time.
Advertise with us!
Do you have a product or service that you think would interest BAMONA users? If you would like to advertise on this website, contact us by email, or use the contact form and select the "Advertising" category.
Verified Sightings
Displaying 49 - 72 of 782 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 25, 2011
Submitted by: Christopher Christie
Region: Adams County, Idaho, United States
Verified by: Allen B
Verified date: Mar 11, 2022
Observation date: Apr 14, 2013
Submitted by: icosahedron
Region: Sonoma County, California, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 10, 2022
Observation date: Apr 12, 2014
Submitted by: suebisme
Region: Monterey County, California, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 26, 2022
Observation date: Jul 07, 1990
Submitted by: papilio1
Region: Mono County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jan 02, 2022
Observation date: Jun 16, 2018
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Josephine County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 19, 2021
Observation date: Jul 17, 2021
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Sep 18, 2021
Observation date: Apr 23, 2021
Submitted by: IDBluecat
Region: Lemhi County, Idaho, United States
Verified by: stevekohler
Verified date: Sep 04, 2021
Observation date: Jun 12, 2018
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 03, 2021
Observation date: Jul 29, 2020
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 31, 2021
Observation date: Jul 07, 2021
Submitted by: tsimpson
Region: Klamath County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 23, 2021
Observation date: Jul 23, 2021
Submitted by: Breck Breckenridge
Region: Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 26, 2021
Observation date: Jun 29, 2020
Submitted by: Artemisia
Region: Clallam County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 22, 2021
Observation date: Jun 03, 2021
Submitted by: glennfine
Region: California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 04, 2021
Observation date: May 16, 2021
Submitted by: Butterflycindy61
Region: Ravalli County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jun 02, 2021
Observation date: May 30, 2021
Submitted by: guy_incognito
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 31, 2021
Observation date: May 02, 2021
Submitted by: glennfine
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 21, 2021
Observation date: May 20, 2008
Submitted by: Dwaine Wagoner
Region: Natrona County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: May 10, 2021
Observation date: Apr 27, 2021
Submitted by: MarkCatesby
Region: Mariposa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 04, 2021
Observation date: Jun 04, 2019
Submitted by: DVL
Region: Teton County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Apr 27, 2021
Observation date: Apr 23, 2021
Submitted by: MikeandShelley
Region: Thurston County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Apr 23, 2021
Observation date: Jun 04, 2019
Submitted by: DVL
Region: Teton County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Mar 27, 2021
Observation date: Jul 22, 2017
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Carbon County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Mar 09, 2021
Observation date: May 29, 2020
Submitted by: WYbutterflyer1
Region: Albany County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Feb 16, 2021
Observation date: May 30, 2020
Submitted by: WYbutterflyer1
Region: Albany County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Feb 16, 2021
- ‹ previous
- 3 of 33
- next ›