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Chlosyne whitneyi Scudder, 1872
Checkerspots; Whitney's Checkerspot
Family: Nymphalidae (Brushfoots)
Species account authors: Crispin Guppy and Jon Shepard.
Extracted from Butterflies of British Columbia.
Introduction to the Lepidoptera of BC
Introduction to the Butterflies of BC
The Families of Lepidoptera of BC

Photograph

© Norbert Kondla     (Photo ID #5714)

Map

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Distribution of Chlosyne whitneyi in British Columbia.
(Click on the map to view a larger version.)
Source: Butterflies of British Columbia by Crispin Guppy and Jon Shepard © Royal BC Museum

Species Information


Adult

Whitney's Checkerspot is found only above timberline and, for that reason alone, cannot be confused with other Charidryas species. The median and postmedian areas on the dorsal forewing have fewer black markings than the other two BC Charidryas species. On the underside of the hindwings the light-coloured spots are much whiter than for other Charidryas species. We agree with Emmel et al. (1998d) that the taxon whitneyi is the correct species name for what all earlier books refer to as damoetas.

Immature Stages

Undescribed.

Subspecies

The BC populations are the Rocky Mountain subspecies, C.w. damoetas (Skinner, 1902) (TL: Williams River Range, CO) (= altalus Scott, 1998).

Genus Description


The name Charidryas is derived from the Greek chara (joy or delight) and dryas or Dryad (wood nymph) (Emmet 1991). Hence these checkerspots are delightful Dryads. The name "checkerspots" is derived from the checkerboard pattern of the upperside of the wings.

Like the crescents, the Charidryas checkerspots have the saccus present in the male genitalia. The BC species are larger than BC species of crescents except the Pale Crescent, which is as large as Charidryas checkerspots. The coloured spots in the dorsal wing pattern are more orange than those of Phyciodes. The larvae feed on various composites.

Biology


Whitney's Checkerspot flies from mid-JuIy to early August in normal years, but until early September at Mt. Mclean near Lillooet, when snow melt is delayed. Nothing is known of the larval foodplant or overwintering stage.

Habitat


Whitney's Checkerspot is definitely known only from near Lillooet, in isolated peaks east of Anahim Lake, and on Watch Mountain west of Windermere, but it should also be present in the high Rocky Mountains along the AB border.

Distribution

Distribution

Whitney's Checkerspot is known from the three BC populations, from Jasper south to central CO in the alpine areas of the Rockies, and from a disjunct set of populations in the alpine Sierras of CA.

Status Information

Origin StatusProvincial StatusBC List
(Red Blue List)		COSEWIC
NativeS4YellowNot Listed



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