Silvery Checkerspot
Place name abbreviations: MPEA – Middle Patuxent Environment Area; PRSP – Patuxent River State Park; PVSP – Patapsco River Valley State Park.
Click on the common name to obtain additional information from the Butterflies and Moths of North America web page and the following common name for additional information from USGS web page and the following common name for additional information from USGS web page. BugGuide is another web resource.
Legend:
| Common name [Link is to BAMONA] (wingspan range in inches) Common name [link is to USGS] |
Occurrence level & flight period. | |
| Habitat. | Typically visits (for nectaring). | Larval host plants. |
| Silvery Checkerspot (1.4–2″) Silvery Checkerspot |
Rare: E-Jun to Aug | Wood trails along rivers | Sunflower | Wingstem & wild sunflower | |
September 15, 2012
Carroll Mill Road
Dick Smith
June 4, 2014
David Force NRA
Linda Hunt
June 16, 2016
David Force NRA
Linda Hunt
July 27, 2020
Woodbine
Pam Perna
Female
July 23, 2013
Elkhorn Garden Plots
Annette Allor
July 27, 2020
Woodbine
Pam Perna
Caterpillar
May 13, 2014
Near Benson Branch Park
Grazina McClure
Pupa with emerged
July 11, 2022
Ellicott City
Kathy Litzinger
September 15, 2012
Carroll Mill Road
Dick Smith
Carroll Mill Road photo is a small worn female. The underside shot shows the features needed to distinguish Silvery from a Pearl Crescent. The light-colored submarginal band is very wide. In addition, always look also for a white center in at least one of the black marginal spots. Usually the white center is visible in the spots on the upperside too. All Silvery Checkerspots have a white center in one of the underside hindwing spots. Pearl Crescents never have this, upperside or underside.
The phenograms show the maximum number of individual butterflies of this species seen in the first eight years of the Howard County Butterfly Survey. From these graphs, one can see the number of broods of each species, when they are active, and the relative abundance of the species in each brood. The observed early and late dates are shown below The graphs can be used to anticipate the first sighting of a given species in the year and can help with identification.
Early: 4/17/2016 Late: 9/20/2020