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Project Noah Nature School
Chlosyne leanira
The Leanira Checkerspot (Chlosyne leanira) is a butterfly of the Nymphalidae family. It is found from western Oregon south to California, Nevada, Utah and western Colorado, as well as Baja California. The wingspan is 35-45 mm. Adults feed on flower nectar. The larvae feed on Castilleja species. They feed on the leaves and flowers of their host plant. Young larvae live together in a loose web. Third instar larvae hibernate. Wikipedia
Mitchell Canyon Road Hiking Trail in Mount Diablo State Park, CA.
The caterpillars are feeding on Indian Paintbrushes blossoms. The Leanira Checkerspots (black body with orange patches) and Variable Checkerspot caterpillars (black body with orange spines) look very similar: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/107...
Thank you so much much for the species clarification EarlyStages. I would have never realized they were different species. I will move the Leanira Checkerspot to another spotting. That is so amazing that they survived 10 months of hiding/waiting!
Misako, actually only two of your photos show Variable Checkerspot caterpillars (black body with orange spines), the other four being Leanira Checkerspots (black body with orange patches). This sharing of hostplant is common in the foothills of Mt. Diablo in April, when the two larvae are conspicuous on the red bracts of hemiparasitic Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja affinis) – the Leaniras usually far outnumbering the Variables. FYI, these recently awakened caterpillars are the lucky ones that survived 10 months of hiding/waiting in large groups for the return of favorable conditions in order to continue their development.
Spotted on Apr 29, 2012
Submitted on Apr 29, 2012
