Appearance: Above mainly dark brown with contrasting yellow orange band near outer edge and narrow black border on both wings. Shows row of blue spots on trailing edge of hindwing and distinct pattern of orange on leading edge of forewing. Below two-toned brown with outer half lighter in color with fine striations. Forewing tip is squared-off.

Wingspan: Medium; 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches.

Habitat: Stream sides, wet meadows near woodlands, marshes, prairies, tundra; plains, foothills, montane, alpine.

Flight Times: Late February to mid-September.  Adults overwinter, sometimes in small groups, and emerge in February or March.

Larval Foodplant:  Nettles.

Did You Know…
Female lays large clusters of eggs (up to 900) on underside of host plant leaves. Caterpillars feed gregariously, later solo and can construct a folded leaf tent before pupation (Pyle, 1981). Because the new adults emerge mid-summer, fly into the fall, and overwinter until the following spring, like other Polygonia and Nymphalids, they might be seen on the wing any day of the year (Pyle, 2002).

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