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Butterflies of North America

Butterflies of New York

Harris' Checkerspot (Chlosyne harrisii)
JPG -- species photo

Harris' Checkerspot (Chlosyne harrisii [Scudder])

Wing span: 1 7/16 - 2 inches (3.6 - 5.1 cm).

Identification: Upperside is orange with black markings. Underside of hindwing has a red-orange stripe at the margin and a red-orange, white, and black checkered pattern on remainder of wing.

Life history: Females lay eggs in clusters under host plant leaves. Caterpillars feed on leaves communally in a web. Partially-grown caterpillars hibernate at the base of the host plant.

Flight: One brood from June-July.

Caterpillar hosts: Flat-topped white aster (Aster umbellatus).

Adult food: Flower nectar.

Habitat: Moist areas such as marshes, bog edges, pastures, and meadows.

Range: Maritime Provinces west to Manitoba, south to West Virginia, southern Ohio, and northeastern Illinois.

Conservation: Not usually required.

The Nature Conservancy Global Rank: G4 - Apparently secure globally, though it might be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.

Management needs: None reported.

References:


Opler, P. A. and G. O. Krizek. 1984. Butterflies east of the Great Plains. Johns 

     Hopkins University Press, Baltimore. 294 pages, 54 color plates.



Opler, P. A. and V. Malikul. 1992. A field guide to eastern butterflies. Peterson 

     field guide #4. Houghton-Mifflin Co., Boston. 396 pages, 48 color plates.



Scott, J. A. 1986. The butterflies of North America. Stanford University Press, 

     Stanford, Calif. 583 pages, 64 color plates.

Author: Jane M. Struttmann

State and Regional References:


Cech, R. 1993.  A Distributional Checklist of the Butterflies and Skippers of 

     the New York City Area (50-mile Radius) and Long Island.  New York City 

     Butterfly Club Special Publication.  27 pp.



Forbes, W.T.M.  1960.  Lepidoptera of New York and Neighboring States.  Part 

     IV: Agaristidae through Nymphalidae Including Butterflies.  Cornell Univ. 

     Agricultural Experimental Station, Ithaca, N.Y.  Memoir 371.  188 pp.



Glassberg,  J.  1993.  Butterflies Through Binoculars: A Field Guide to 

     Butterflies in the Boston-New York-Washington Region.  Oxford Univ. Press, 

     New York, N.Y.  160 pp. 



Klass, C. and Dirig, R.  1992.  Learning about Butterflies.  Cornell Cooperative 

     Extension Publication, 4-H Member/Leader Guide 139-M-9.  Ithaca, N.Y.  

     36 pp.



Layberry, R.A., Hall, P.W. & Lafontaine, D.J., 1998.  The Butterflies of 

     Canada.  University of Toronto Press, Toronto, ON.  280 pp.

     

Opler, P.A. 1998. A field guide to eastern butterflies, revised format.

     Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston.      



Shapiro, A.M.  1974.  Butterflies and Skippers of New York State.  Cornell Univ.

     Agricultural Experimental Station, Ithaca, N.Y.  Search 4:1-60.   

Harris' Checkerspot (Chlosyne harrisii)
distribution map
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