A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife
Project Noah Nature School
Phyciodes phaon
Wing Span: 1 - 1 1/2 inches (2.5 - 3.8 cm). Forewing is dark orange and black with a pale cream median band. Underside of hindwing is cream to yellowish; spring and fall butterflies (form marcia) have a gray hindwing. Life Cycle: Males patrol during daytime near the host plant. Eggs are laid in small groups on underside of host plant leaves; caterpillars eat leaves.
Openings in thorn forest, open areas with closely cropped plants, dunes, pastures, road edges. Range: Guatemala north through Cuba and Mexico to southern California, east through South Texas and Florida to coastal South Carolina. Strays to eastern Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, and Missouri. Flight: Many broods southern Florida; February-October in California; April-September in New Mexico. Adult Food: Nectar from flowers of Lippia and composites including shepherd's needle. Caterpillar Hosts: Fogfruit (Lippia lanceolata) and mat grass (Lippia nodiflora) in the verbena family.
Found this today on a nature walk along the Medina River. The wingspan was about 1 1/2 inches long.
Thank you Francis. ") @Adarsha... I have to wonder how many colors can be captured in it with the way the body and wing fur are shimmering like gold.
Yeah! Wings are so patterned...Just artistic color combination it...Even the outer border is amazing!
Thanks Adarsha. Would have loved to have gotten a better shot of it's wings. Thanks for the favorite, Agnes.
Thanks KarenL ") I have that in my browsers favs as well. I just haven't found it as user friendly, yet.
You are welcome nexttogone! Here is a resource you might find useful http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/check... You can use this to check out the species that can be found in your state down to county level. Great for butterflies but the moths database is not so well developed.
Thank you, Karen and Leana. @Karen, I don't think that I would have found this without your help, thanks again. ")
Spotted on Nov 17, 2012
Submitted on Nov 18, 2012
+1
