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- Mylitta Crescent
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- Mylitta Crescent
The mylitta crescent (Phyciodes mylitta) is a butterfly found in fields, meadows, along roadsides and fence rows and in vacant lots west of the Rocky Mountains.
Closely allied to the checkerspots (see “Chalcedon Checkerspot Butterfly” 06-20-12) but smaller, mylitta crescents are reddish orange with narrow dark markings. Crescents are identified by the orange crescent in the black brown margin along the edges of their wings. The sexes vary slightly.
Mylitta crescent larvae (caterpillars) feed on thistles, both native and alien, while adults sip flower nectar.
Partially grown mylitta crescent larvae hibernate over the winter.
This mylitta crescent was photographed near the Tule River in the McArthur Swamp near McArthur CA.
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Hey love your blog! found one of these in my area last summer. and just found an ornate tiger moth tonight, which is how i found your page. if you dont already know about it, butterfliesandmoths.org is great for getting your species identified, and you help the research. im a moth hound and i use it all the time.
Thanks for the suggestion. I am familiar with the site and often use it to verify my identifications.