variable checkerspot

[Laurel Godley]

Sharyn,

I think what is being refered to here, is what you and I probably know as a 
chalcedon checkerspot.  At least that is what the latin name given tells me. 
  I have in fact heard them refered to as a variable checkerspots as well.

It seems about right too.  I've read that these are one of the most common 
CA butterflies.  They were quite prominant here in San Jose, around May 
15th.  Hardly any on May 31st when I was out to the same spot.  A couple 
laid eggs and I can see from the size of the clusters why they would be 
common.  1st instar caterpillars are pretty uninteresting though sompared to 
the 4th instars I've seen.

A researcher at Stanford told me they are strictly one brooded and will go 
into diapause as 3rd instar caterpillars.  This ought to be interesting!  
I've never over wintered caterpillars before...

Anyway, I guess this is just one more tally why both common and latin names 
are useful, eh?


>From: botany at centurion.flash.net (Sharyn Fernandez)
>Reply-To: botany at centurion.flash.net
>To: LEPS-L at lists.yale.edu
>Subject: Re: Bf of Bodfish
>Date: Fri, 11 Jun 1999 14:38:25 -0500 (CDT)
>
>Clarification needed...  - WHAT COMMON NAME LIST ARE YOU USING? I'd heard
>from a Lep. Society person that the only "Variable Checkerspot" was a
>Sierran species? thank you.
>
>sharyn >Leppers,
> >
> >Great butterflying near Bodfish in the hills south of Lake Isabella, Kern
> >County, California, U.S.A. , Wednesday June 9, 1999:
> >
> >Orange Veined Blue (I. neurona)
> >Acmon Blue (I. acmon)
> >Lupine Blue (I lupini)
> >Gorgon Copper (L. gorgon)
> >Tailed Copper (L. arota)
> >Hedgerow Hairstreak (S. saepium)
> >California Hairstreak (S. californica)
> >Ringlet (C. tullia)
> >Great basin Woodnymph (C. sthenele)
> >California Sister (A. bredowii)
> >Leanira Checkerspot (T. leanira)
> >Variable Checkerspot (E. chalcedona)
> >Rural Skipper (O. agricola)
> >Lindsey's Skipper (H. lindseyi)
> >
> >Weather was sunny, cooler than normal and observations covered two and a 
>half
> >hours in one small canyon.
> >
> >Jim Brock
>
>S. Fernandez
>Concord CA
>botany at flash.net
>
>


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