Euphydryas editha

• Overview
• Interesting Facts
• Common Names
• Description
• Biology
• Taxonomy
• Similar Species
• More Info
• Further Reading
• Notes

Overview

Interesting Facts

Common Names

Description

Family Nymphalidae

'The Nymphalidae are members of the Superfamily Papilionoidea, the true butterflies. Distributed worldwide, butterflies of this family are especially rich in the tropics. They are highly variable, and there are more species in this family than in any other. Adults vary in size from small to large, and their front legs are reduced, unable to be used for walking. Wing shape is also highly variable: some species have irregular margins (anglewings and commas), and others have long taillike projections (daggerwings). Browns, oranges, yellows, and blacks are frequent colors, while iridescent colors such as purples and blues are rare. Adults of some groups are the longest-lived butterflies, surviving 6-11 months. Adult feeding behavior depends on the species, where some groups primarily seek flower nectar while others only feed on sap flows , rotting fruit, dung, or animal carcasses. Males exhibit perching and patrolling behaviors when seeking mates. Egg-laying varies widely, as some species lay eggs in clustsers, others in columns, and others singly. Caterpillar appearance and behavior vary widely. Brushfoots overwinter as larvae or adults.

'[1]

Subfamily Nymphalinae

Brushfoots are the most prevalent members of the Family Nymphalinae. Distributed worldwide, this is a diverse group that contains several tribes , each with somewhat different structural and biological features. Adults of North American species are predominantly orange, brown, and black. Wing shape and mating systems are variable. Most checkerspots and crescentspots patrol for mates, while the remainder of groups exhibit either perching or perching and patrolling . Migration varies widely; some strong migrants are found in the lady butterflies, tortoiseshells, and anglewings, while other species are local in occurrence. Most species limit their host plants to a few species, but the Painted Lady has one of the widest host palettes of all butterflies. Eggs are laid singly or clustered in groups, and caterpillars be found feeding alone or communally. Brushfoots overwinter as young caterpillars or hibernating adults.[2]

Physical Description

Habitat

From sea level to treeline through diverse habitats including coastal chaparral , meadows, fields , foothills, open woods , alpine fellfields.

Typically found at an altitude of 0 to 2,875 meters (0 to 9,432 feet).[3]

Biology

Diet

Caterpillar hosts: Various species of paintbrush (Castilleja), beardtongues (Penstemon), lousewort (Pedicularis), owl's clover (Orthocarpus), Chinese houses (Collinsia), and plantain (Plantago). Adult food: Flower nectar.

Reproduction

Males perch or patrol all day to find females. Eggs are laid in groups on underside of leaves or on flowers of the host plant. Caterpillars eat leaves and flowers; sometimes using different host plants before and after hibernation. Young caterpillars live in loose silk webs; third- and fourth-stage caterpillars hibernate.

Behavior

Flight: One brood; from March-May at low elevations , June-August at high elevations and in the north.

Taxonomy

Notes

Name Status: Accepted Name . Latest taxonomic scrutiny: June 24, 1996.

Similar Species

Members of the genus Euphydryas

ZipcodeZoo has pages for 39 species and subspecies in this genus:

E. anicia (Anicia Checkerspot) · E. aurinia (Marsh Fritillary) · E. chalcedona (Chalcedon Checkerspot) · E. chalcedona anicia (Variable Checkerspot) · E. chalcedona bakeri (Chalcedon Checkerspot) · E. chalcedona chuskae (Chalcedon Checkerspot) · E. chalcedona cloudcrofti (Chalcedon Checkerspot) · E. chalcedona colon (Chalcedon Checkerspot) · E. chalcedona corralensis (Chalcedon Checkerspot) · E. chalcedona kingstonensis (Chalcedon Checkerspot) · E. chalcedona macyi (Chalcedon Checkerspot) · E. chalcedona magdalena (Chalcedon Checkerspot) · E. chalcedona morandi (Morand's Checkerspot) · E. chalcedona paradoxa (Chalcedon Checkerspot) · E. chalcedona perdiccas (Island Checkerspot) · E. chalcedona trinitina (Chalcedon Checkerspot) · E. chalcedona chalcedona (Variable Checkerspot) · E. colon (Colon Checkerspot) · E. cynthia (Cynthia's Fritillary) · E. editha (Edith's Checkerspot) · E. editha alebarki (Alebark's Checkerspot) · E. editha augusta (Augusta Checkerspot) · E. editha baroni (Baron's Checkerspot) · E. editha bayensis (Bay Checkerspot Butterfly) · E. editha bingi (Edith's Checkerspot) · E. editha ehrlichi (Edith's Checkerspot) · E. editha insularis (Island Checkerspot) · E. editha karinae (Edith's Checkerspot) · E. editha koreti (Koret's Checkerspot) · E. editha lehmani (Lehman Caves Checkerspot) · E. editha monoensis (Mono Lake Checkerspot) · E. editha quino (Quino Checkerspot; Wright's Checkerspot) · E. editha tahoensis (Edith's Checkerspot) · E. editha taylori (Taylor's Checkerspot) · E. gillettii (Gillette's Checkerspot) · E. maturna (Scarce Fritillary) · E. phaeton (Baltimore) · E. phaeton ozarkae (Baltimore Checkerspot) · E. phaeton phaeton (Baltimore Checkerspot)

More Info

• Search for Pictures: images.google.com
• Search for Scholarly Articles: Google Scholar
• Search using Scientific Name and Vernacular Names: All the Web | AltaVista Canada | AltaVista | Excite | Google | HotBot | Lycos
• Search using Specialized Databases: GenBank | Medline | Scirus | CISTI/CAL | Agricola Periodicals | Agricola Books

Further Reading

• Bibliography (Lepidoptera: Rhopalocera) / Charles A. Bridges. Urbana, Ill.: C.A. Bridges, c1993. url p. 129, p. 136, p. 214, p. 301, p. 342.
• Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences. Los Angeles, Calif.: The Academy, 1902-1971. url , , p. 1, p. 59.
• Catalog of hymenoptera in America north of Mexico / prepared cooperatively by specialists on the various groups of Hymenoptera under the direction of Karl V. Krombein. .. [et al.]. Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1979- url p. 249.
• Chemical interactions among milkweed plants (asclepiadaceae) and lepidopteran herbivores / by James A. Cohen. 1983. url p. 144.
• Comparative ecology and mimetic relationships of ithomiine butterflies in eastern Ecuador / by Boyce Alexander Drummond III. 1976. url p. 211, p. 355.
• Entomological news. [Philadelphia]American Entomological Society, 1925- url p. 193, p. 244, p. 39.
• Foraging selectivity in adult butterflies: morphological, ecological, and physiological factors affecting flower choice / by Peter Gregory May. 1985. url p. 118, p. 140, p. 148, p. 167, p. 27, p. 95.
• Occasional papers of the California Academy of Sciences. San Francisco: California Academy of Sciences, url p. 20, p. 21.
• Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. Washington, etc.: Entomological Society of Washington url p. 368, p. 406, p. 596.
• Proceedings of the United States National Museum. Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press, [etc.] url p. 555.
• The Canadian field-naturalist. Ottawa, Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club. url p. 90.
• The Great Basin naturalist. 47 1987 Provo, Utah: M.L. Bean Life Science Museum, Brigham Young University, 1939-1999. url p. 196, p. 338, p. 339.
• The IUCN Invertebrate Red Data Book IUCN url p. 481, p. 482, p. 483.
• The Lepidopterists' news: the monthly newsletter of the Lepidopterists' Society. Cambridge, Mass.: Lepidopterists' Society, 1947-1958. url p. 125, p. 82, p. 82, p. 88, p. 89, p. 89.
• The population phenetics and behavioral ecology of the Florida scrub lizard (Sceloporus woodi). 1972. url p. 115.
• The process of evolution [by] Paul R. Ehrlich [and] Richard W. Holm. Illustrated by Anne H. Ehrlich. New York, McGraw-Hill[1963] url p. 76.
• Transactions of the San Diego Society of Natural History. 6 1930 [San Diego]: The Society, 1905-1989. url p. 15.

Notes

Contributors

• Brands, S.J. (comp.) 1989-present. The Taxonomicon. Universal Taxonomic Services, Zwaag, The Netherlands. Accessed January 10, 2012.

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 12, 2007:

• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Butterflies and Skippers of Alberta Project
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Canadian National Collection
• of Insects, Arachnids and Nematodes
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Crispin S. Guppy Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, E.C. Manning Park Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Gerald Hilchie Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Lepidopterists Society Season Summaries 1973-1997
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Lyman Entomological Museum
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Norbert Kondla Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History, Halifax, NS, Canada
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Royal British Columbia Museum Entomology Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Royal Ontario Museum: Entomology
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Royal Saskatchewan Museum Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, University of Guelph, Department of Environmental Biology
• University of Alberta Museums, University of Alberta Lepidoptera Collection

Identifiers

• Biodiversity Heritage Library NamebankID: 2603009
• Catalogue of Life Accepted Name Code: ITS-201290
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 14824115
• Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Taxonomic Serial Number (TSN): 201290
• Natural Heritage Network Species Identifier: IILEPK4050
• Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 14792

Footnotes

1. http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/taxonomy?f=18&sci=Nymphalidae&com=Brush-footed Butterflies [back]
2. http://bugguide.net/index.php?q=search&keys=Editha&search=Search [back]
3. Mean = 1,186.580 meters (3,892.979 feet), Standard Deviation = 727.700 based on 278 observations. Altitude information for each observation from British Oceanographic Data Centre. [back]

©2004-2012 David Stang. All rights reserved.