Euphydryas editha
| Edith's checkerspot | |
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| In Olympic National Park, Washington state, U.S. | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Nymphalidae |
| Genus: | Euphydryas |
| Species: | E. editha |
| Binomial name | |
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Euphydryas editha (Boisduval, 1852) |
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| Subspecies | |
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Edith's checkerspot (Euphydryas editha) is a species of butterfly in the Nymphalidae family. It is a resident species of western North America and among the subspecies, entomologists have long been intrigued by their many phenotypic variations in coloration, wing length, and overall body size. Most populations are monophagous and rely on plants including Plantago erecta and Orthocarpus densiflorus as its host species in developing from eggs through to larvae, pupae, and mature butterflies. Males exhibit polygyny whereas females rarely mate more than once. Males devote most of their attention to mate acquisition, and such mate locating strategies such as hilltopping behavior has developed. Climate change and habitat destruction has impacted certain subspecies. Two subspecies in particular, Euphydryas editha quino and Euphydryas editha bayensis, are currently under protection via the Endangered Species Act.
The Edith's checkerspot can be identified by its wings which are black with red and pale yellow or white bands. It also has a submarginal band that consists of yellow or white spots along with a wide postmedian band that is red. The undersides of the wings consists of alternating bands of yellow orange and cream. The wingspan is 3.2-5.1 cm. However, the subspecies of Edith's checkerspot vary slightly in appearance based on the areas they routinely inhabit. Coastal populations are black with red and cream spots; mountain populations are red or mottled with red, black, and cream spots. The higher-altitude populations are smaller and darker. The larvae of the butterfly are black, spotted with white or orange, or striped with white. The pupae are white or gray, with black blotches and streaks.
The Edith's checkerspot is found in North America, where it ranges from southern British Columbia and Alberta south to Baja California, Nevada, Utah, and Colorado. The species can be found in locations of the San Bernardino Mountains, Sierra Nevada, higher Cascade Mountains of Oregon to Washington, and in areas of the Great Basin, including central Oregon and the Rocky Mountains. It can also be found on several trails such as: Animas River Trail, Falls Creek Trail, Colorado Trail, Hermosa Creek Trail, Engineer Mountain Trail, and Spud Lake Trial.
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