California Tortoiseshell
Nymphalis californica (Boisduval, 1852)
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Nymphalinae
Identification: Upperside is orange-brown with large black spots and dark wing borders. Underside looks like a dead leaf and is dark mottled brown with darker wing bases; hindwing does not have a centered silver spot.
Wing Span: 1 1/4 - 2 3/4 inches (3.2 - 7 cm).
Life History: Males perch in the late afternoon to look for females. Eggs are laid in bunches on the host plant; caterpillars eat leaves and feed together when young. Adults hibernate.
Flight: One brood overwinter. They fly the following spring until April or May, mating and laying eggs for the next brood.
Caterpillar Hosts: Various species of wild lilac (Ceanothus).
Adult Food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Chaparral, woodland, brush areas, forest clearings and edges.
Range: British Columbia south along the Pacific Coast to Baja California Norte, east to Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico. Rare migrants to Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York, and Vermont after periodic population explosions in Mexico.
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.
Alternate Scientific Names:
Nymphalis california
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 25 - 48 of 1021 verified sightings
Observation date: May 02, 2024
Submitted by: weflybye
Region: Mason County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: May 06, 2024
Observation date: Apr 23, 2024
Submitted by: Luna-Linuche.76
Region: Deschutes County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 26, 2024
Observation date: Mar 15, 2024
Submitted by: Dobber31
Region: San Mateo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 17, 2024
Observation date: Mar 14, 2024
Submitted by: RichHubie
Region: Mendocino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 15, 2024
Observation date: Jul 09, 2023
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Eagle County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Oct 15, 2023
Observation date: Oct 08, 2023
Submitted by: Carlaselvin
Region: Josephine County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 09, 2023
Observation date: Aug 14, 2023
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Salt Lake County, Utah, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 21, 2023
Observation date: Jul 30, 2017
Submitted by: dingoqueen
Region: Box Elder County, Utah, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 21, 2023
Observation date: Jul 30, 2017
Submitted by: mhearell
Region: Box Elder County, Utah, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 21, 2023
Observation date: Jul 24, 2023
Submitted by: madamirie
Region: Shasta County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 03, 2023
Observation date: Jul 24, 2023
Submitted by: madamirie
Region: Shasta County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 03, 2023
Observation date: Aug 02, 2023
Submitted by: weflybye
Region: Mason County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 03, 2023
Observation date: Jul 29, 2023
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Carbon County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Aug 03, 2023
Observation date: Jul 02, 2023
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Lassen County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 15, 2023
Observation date: Jan 26, 2019
Submitted by: VanzeeGirl
Region: Ada County, Idaho, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jun 24, 2023
Observation date: Jun 09, 2023
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Contra Costa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 13, 2023
Observation date: Jun 01, 2023
Submitted by: wtaylor1321
Region: Pend Oreille County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 03, 2023
Observation date: May 20, 2023
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Carbon County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jun 02, 2023
Observation date: Apr 09, 2023
Submitted by: Trillium
Region: Jackson County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 10, 2023
Observation date: Aug 12, 2022
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Park County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Mar 14, 2023
Observation date: Oct 25, 2022
Submitted by: Christian.Nunes
Region: Boulder County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Mar 04, 2023
Observation date: Mar 03, 2022
Submitted by: Christian.Nunes
Region: Boulder County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Mar 04, 2023
Observation date: Jul 15, 2022
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Carbon County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Feb 28, 2023
Observation date: Sep 03, 2022
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Carbon County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Feb 21, 2023
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