''Chlosyne gorgone'', the gorgone checkerspot, is a species of

Nymphalinae The Nymphalinae are a subfamily of brush-footed butterflies (family (biology), family Nymphalidae). Sometimes, the subfamilies Limenitidinae, and Biblidinae are included here as subordinate tribe (biology), tribe(s), while the tribe Melitaeini is ...

butterfly that occurs in North America.

Description

The wingspan is between 32 and 45 mm. The dorsal side of the wings are orange with black markings and the hindwings have a submarginal row of solid black dots. The ventral view has a zigzag pattern of brown and white bands with a median band of white chevrons.

Range and habitat

The gorgone checkerspot's range is in North America from

Alberta Alberta is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Canada. It is a part of Western Canada and is one of the three Canadian Prairies, prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to its west, Saskatchewan to its east, t ...

east to southern

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

, south into central

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

, between the

Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in great-circle distance, straight-line distance from the northernmost part of Western Can ...

and

Appalachians The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, are a mountain range in eastern to northeastern North America. The term "Appalachian" refers to several different regions associated with the mountain range, and its surrounding terrain ...

. Within its range they can most commonly be seen in open areas including ridges, prairies and old fields. They can also be seen at streamsides and in open hardwood forests.

Life cycle

In the northern range there is one brood between July and August, two in the mid-range between May and September and three in the southern range between April and September. The females lay their eggs in clusters on the underside of their host plants. Early

instar An instar (, from the Latin '' īnstar'' 'form, likeness') is a developmental stage of arthropods, such as insects, which occurs between each moult (''ecdysis'') until sexual maturity is reached. Arthropods must shed the exoskeleton in order to ...

caterpillars feed in groups and third-instar caterpillars hibernate.

Larval foods

* ''

Helianthus ''Helianthus'' () is a genus comprising around 70 species of annual and perennial flowering plants in the daisy family Asteraceae commonly known as sunflowers. Except for three South American species, the species of ''Helianthus'' are native to ...

'' species * ''

Ambrosia trifida ''Ambrosia trifida'', the giant ragweed, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is native to North America, where it is widespread in Canada, the United States, and northern Mexico. Distribution It is present in Europe an ...

'' * '' Iva xanthifolia'' * '' Viguiera multiflora''

Adult foods

Nectar Nectar is a viscous, sugar-rich liquid produced by Plant, plants in glands called nectaries, either within the flowers with which it attracts pollination, pollinating animals, or by extrafloral nectaries, which provide a nutrient source to an ...

** Yellow flowers

References

* Calhoun, J. V. 2018. A checkered history: reconsidering the subspecific status of ''Chlosyne gorgone'' (Nymphalidae) in the southeast and beyond. News of the Lepidopterists' society 60:14-2

*
"''Chlosyne'' Butler, 1870"
at Markku Savela's ''Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms''. Accessed 2017-04-07 *
Gorgone Checkerspot
Butterflies of Canada {{Taxonbar, from=Q3012875 Chlosyne, gorgone Butterflies of North America Butterflies described in 1810 Taxa named by Jacob Hübner Lepidoptera of the United States Lepidoptera of Canada