Mylitta crescent
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Nymphalidae
Genus:
Phyciodes
Species:
P. mylitta
Binomial name
Phyciodes mylitta
(W.H. Edwards, 1861)
Synonyms
  • Melitaea mylitta Edwards, 1861
  • Eresia mata Reakirt, 1866
  • Phyciodes mylittus Higgins, 1981
  • Phyciodes pallidus

Phyciodes mylitta, the Mylitta crescent or Mylitta crescentspot, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in western North America.

The wingspan is 26–37 mm. Wings are orange with black markings and white fringe on the edges. The females are darker than the males.[1] The butterfly flies from June until late July in Canada[2] and until fall in California.[1] It is found in a variety of habitats, and usually inhabits meadows and stream banks in forested areas.[3]

The larvae are black with spines and white markings.[1] They feed on Cirsium and Carduus species.[2] Adults feed on flower nectar.[3]

Subspecies

Listed alphabetically:[4]

  • P. m. arizonensis Bauer, 1975
  • P. m. arida (Skinner, 1917)
  • P. m. mexicana Hall, 1928
  • P. m. mylitta
  • P. m. thebais Godman & Salvin, 1878

Similar species

References

  1. 1 2 3 Will, Kip; Gross, Joyce; Rubinoff, Daniel; Powell, Jerry A. (2020). Field Guide to California Insects. Oakland, California: University of California Press. p. 413. ISBN 9780520288744.
  2. 1 2 Mylitta Crescent, Butterflies of Canada
  3. 1 2 "NatureServe Explorer 2.0". explorer.natureserve.org.
  4. ↑ "Phyciodes Hübner, [1819]" at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
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