Baltimore Checkerspot

Baltimore Checkerspot Facts

• This beautiful Lepidoptera most often goes by the somewhat deceptive common, as well as informative, name of the Baltimore Checkerspot. Yet, it does have a few other general titles. These consist of the similar appellations Phaeton checkerspot and Baltimore butterfly.
• Within the scientific community, however, it’s perhaps better known by its technical designation. Like many such epithets, though, that’s generally rather difficult for the layperson to pronounce. That’s because the delicate Arthropod holds the tag of Euphydryas phaeton.
• The amazing invertebrate received that name due to the efforts of Dru Drury. The well-respected British entomologist accomplished the first official recognition of the insect as a separate and distinct species. He achieved that scientifically noteworthy deed in the year 1773.
• Its most popular general title stems from several historical and cultural bases in part of its greater range. It received that due to its similarity of colors to the family crest of the first Lord Baltimore, during the colonial period in the region. Today, it’s also an official state insect.
• Thankfully, the gorgeous Baltimore Checkerspot seems to still be maintaining a popultion base that’s both stable and sufficient. That pleasant state also appears to hold true throughout the entirety of its range. The IUCN thus presently has no listing for the creature on its Red List.
• It nevertheless still faces numerous potential threats to its continued existence as a species. In this respect, it faces the same dangers as all forms of life on earth today. Most of these perils stem from the actions of man, and include the dangers of habitat loss and climate change.

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Baltimore Checkerspot Physical Description

The fascinating Baltimore Checkerspot typically draws the attention of those individuals who encounter it with relative ease. The animal usually does so, though, due more to its striking appearance than size. That’s true since, in that respect, it ranks as an average-sized butterfly.

The creature also follows a pattern common to many of its relatives, both in terms of physical size and appearance. That’s demonstrated by the fact that it manifests a certain degree of the physiological trait of sexual dimorphism. In its case, however, this trait remains relatively mild.

Though exceptions occur, specimens typically attain wingspans averaging between 1.75 – 2.5 in (4.5 – 6.5 cm). Females of the species, though, tend to be on the higher end of this range, while the males usually average smaller. This tendency accounts for the moderate gender-based sized difference.

The body of the marvel of Nature and evolution developed to display as black in color, often with small orange or yellow markings showing. It also has clubbed antennae, typical of butterflies in general, which develop as dark with lighter tips, creating another eye-catching pattern of coloring.

Yet, it’s doubtless the astounding wings of the stunning Baltimore Checkerspot that create the greatest appeal among most of its fortunate viewers. It’s also here that the sex-based differences manifest themselves again. Both genders have the same patterns, but males are brighter.

The upper wings have a dark black base, giving a strong contrast to the colorful spots. A band of small white spots lines the outer edges of both forewings and hindwings. Near the base of the wings, there are several orange or red-orange spots arranged in rows, adding bright highlights.

Appearances differ somewhat on the underside, or ventral side of the wings of the butterfly, however. That’s because, although the basic pattern remains the same, the colors present as somewhat more subdued. This includes the black appearing as more of a somewhat brown hue.

• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Arthropoda
• Class: Insecta
• Order: Lepidoptera
• Family: Nymphalidae
• Genus: Euphydryas
• Species: E. phaeton

Baltimore Checkerspot Distribution, Habitat, and Ecology

The eye-catching Baltimore Checkerspot evolved as native to a moderate expanse of the earth’s surface. That zone of habitation’s location, however, likely won’t surprise anyone, given that part of it’s implied by the name itself. It’s indigenous to a portion of the continent of North America.

Within that greater landmass, however, it lives within the national boundaries of the countries of Canada and the United States. The more northern portion of its territory extends into northern range extends into southern Ontario. Yet, occasional sightings of it do occur in southern Quebec.

Meanwhile, the majority of its presence occurs inside the United States. In both the Northeastern and Midwestern States, the species frequently appears from Maine down through the Appalachian Mountains, including states such as New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, and Virginia.

It also has a Midwestern Range. Here, populations are also present in states like Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Iowa. And, in the Southeastern part of the country, it lives in some parts of Tennessee and North Carolina, though it’s less common in more southern regions.

Much like many of its relatives, it displays extremely clear and specific preferences regarding its choice of habitat types. Regrettably, this creates the net result of it having a patchy distribution across its range due to its habitat specialization and fragmentation of suitable environments.

This remarkable creation of Nature and natural evolution principally inhabits regions composed of various wetlands. These locations most typically consist of areas of marshes and wet meadows. The marvel of the invertebrate world also strongly prefers the presence of its primary host plant, as well.

Despite this strong general preference, however, smaller concentrations of the butterfly do sometimes appear in another type of habitat. That consists of the edges of deciduous forests or wooded areas. This holds especially true where these habitats border wetlands or moist meadows.

The larvae of the Baltimore Checkerspot feed almost exclusively on the white turtlehead, a wetland plant. Only if its’s scarece do they feed on others, such as the English plantain. Adults, meanwhile, feed on nectar from a variety of flowering plants, such as milkweed, dogbane, and thistles.

Females lay their eggs in clusters, usually on the undersides of the leaves of their host plants, primarily the same white turtlehead. After hatching, the larvae feed gregariously on the host plant. As they mature, the larvae become solitary in nature, often overwintering in the larval stage.

Fully mature adults emerge in early summer. This typically occurs between the period of late May and July, depending on the region in which the individual lives. Unfortunately, the adults remain relatively short-lived, with their primary focus being on mating and reproduction of the species.

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