North American Butterflies and Moths List

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Butterflies of North America

Butterflies of Michigan

Swamp Metalmark (Calephelis muticum)
JPG -- species photo

Swamp Metalmark (Calephelis muticum McAlpine)

Wing span: 15/16 - 1 3/16 inches (2.4 - 3 cm).

Identification: Male with pointed forewing. Upperside of both sexes bright red-brown; dark median band not evident. Wing fringes lightly checkered.

Life history: Eggs are laid singly on underside of host plant leaves, which the caterpillars eat. Fourth and fifth stage caterpillars overwinter.

Flight: One flight from June-August in the Great Lakes region, two flights from May-September in the south.

Caterpillar hosts: Swamp thistle (Cirsium muticum) and roadside thistle (C. altissimum).

Adult food: Nectar from yellow flowers including black-eyed susans.

Habitat: Bogs, marshes, swamps, wet meadows.

Range: Populations in southern Michigan, southern Wisconsin, Ohio, Missouri, and northern Arkansas. Isolated populations in central Kentucky and eastern Iowa.

Conservation: Isolated populations should be conserved wherever found.

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:


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

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



Nielsen, Mogens C., 1999.  Michigan Butterflies and Skippers: A Field Guide 

     and Reference.  Michigan State University Extension, East Lansing, MI.

     248 pp. 

     

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

     Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston.     

Swamp Metalmark (Calephelis muticum)
distribution map
map legend

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