(Phyciodes pulchella)
True Brushfoots
Appearance: Above, blackish brown with orange and yellow markings forming outer and inner contrasting bands with median band usually paler than submarginal orange band. Underside hindwing irregularly banded in white and yellow brown with white crescent in brown patch near center of wing edge. Forewing beneath more uniformly colored with white or pale yellow bar at middle of leading edge. Antennal knobs are black or brown.
Wingspan: Small; 1 to 1 1/2 inches.
Habitat: Varied from prairies to subalpine in open areas, meadows, fields, and in areas with moist or stream side conditions; plains, foothills, montane.
Flight Times: April to September; one to two broods.
Larval Foodplant: Various asters and fleabane daisies.
Did You Know…
One of the most common and most widespread crescents in western mountains and valleys. Over the years this butterfly has had many species names like campestris, pratensis and pulchella, and some now consider pulchellus (meaning beautiful) its correct species name (Pyle, 2002). Caterpillars overwinter half way through their larval stage (Pyle, 1981).
