Chlosyne harrisii
Size:
Wingspan is
1 3/8 - 2 inches.
Similar Species:
Silvery Checkerspot
Gorgone Checkerspot (very rare)
Habitat:
Wetlands, marshes and bogs where the host plant is present.
Range/Abundance:
Rare in the region,
found in only 4 counties in eastern WV. This is a northern species and
is not found in the rest of the region.
Flight Period:
Adults fly from early June until early July in a single brood.
Larval Host Plants:
Flat-topped White Aster Aster umbellatus
Comments:
The first Harris" Checkerspot I ever found was a worn female attached
to Flat-topped White Aster and it was laying eggs. The eggs were yellow
showing that they were very fresh because when the eggs get older they
become red.
Unless you conduct a concentrated effort to find this rare species at
the right time of year you likely wouldn't ever find it.
These photos were taken at Spruce Knob Lake in Randolph Co., WV on June 24, 2003.
