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 97 - 120 of 1024 verified sightings
Observation date: Mar 23, 2022
Submitted by: Seth Mueller
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 28, 2022
Observation date: Mar 16, 2019
Submitted by: camflies
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 28, 2022
Observation date: Mar 08, 2022
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Santa Clara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 21, 2022
Observation date: Mar 19, 2022
Submitted by: Chrustay
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Mar 21, 2022
Observation date: Mar 02, 2022
Submitted by: Thebillygoatranch
Region: Spokane County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Mar 03, 2022
Observation date: Apr 03, 2017
Submitted by: diwalks2@gmail.com
Region: Orange County, California, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 26, 2022
Observation date: Jul 24, 2019
Submitted by: Scott Burgess
Region: Humboldt County, California, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 23, 2022
Observation date: Sep 05, 2021
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Park County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jan 24, 2022
Observation date: Jul 31, 2021
Submitted by: J_Martineau
Region: Cochise County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jan 12, 2022
Observation date: Jul 10, 2021
Submitted by: Harry Forbes
Region: Iron County, Utah, United States
Verified by: RaisingButterfl...
Verified date: Dec 16, 2021
Observation date: Jun 09, 2019
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Nov 30, 2021
Observation date: Sep 03, 2021
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Teton County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Nov 29, 2021
Observation date: Jul 30, 2017
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Alpine County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 13, 2021
Observation date: Apr 03, 2020
Submitted by: panya uch
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 28, 2021
Observation date: Oct 10, 2021
Submitted by: jhintermeister
Region: Alpine County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 21, 2021
Observation date: Jun 12, 2018
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Monterey County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 14, 2021
Observation date: Oct 03, 2021
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Spokane County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Oct 08, 2021
Observation date: Sep 25, 2021
Submitted by: sg
Region: Spokane County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Sep 29, 2021
Observation date: Sep 24, 2021
Submitted by: Luna-Linuche.76
Region: Pacific County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Sep 29, 2021
Observation date: Sep 23, 2021
Submitted by: topper72
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 28, 2021
Observation date: Sep 25, 2021
Submitted by: Linda Fink
Region: Yamhill County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 25, 2021
Observation date: Sep 25, 2021
Submitted by: Birder2
Region: Sherman County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 25, 2021
Observation date: Sep 18, 2021
Submitted by: WYbutterflyer1
Region: Carbon County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Sep 20, 2021
Observation date: May 13, 2020
Submitted by: Rob Wu
Region: Socorro County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 09, 2021
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