SILVERY CHECKERSPOT

Chlosyne nycteis

BRUSHFOOT FAMILY (Nymphalidae)

This Crescent has  a wingspan of approximately 1 3/4 inches.  The forewings and hindwings dorsally are orange with black wing bases and wide black margins.  Females are not as dark as males.  The hindwing dorsally has a marginal band of white crescents at the edge of a brown band.  There is an orange submarginal band with a row of black, squarish spots some of which have white centers.  The hindwing ventrally is tan, white and black with a white median band (Photo D).  The Pearl Crescent is similar, but is somewhat smaller and lacks the white centers in the black spots in the submarginal band on the hindwing (see photos A, B, C and E).  The mature caterpillar is about 1 1/4 inches long.  It is black with a dusting of tiny white specks, and is covered with black branching spines.  It frequently has a yellow to orange stripe along the sides.  The head is all black, shiny and cleft.  

This species is more common in some years than others, but usually a few are seen every year nectaring on flowers in spring and summer.

The butterfly lays her eggs in a cluster and the larvae feed together until the 3rd instar.  The larvae feed on the undersides of leaves.  When disturbed, they curl up and drop to the ground.  The larva overwinters half grown.  Host plants are various composites including wingstem, asters, black-eyed susan and sunflowers.