California tortoiseshell
| California tortoiseshell | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Nymphalidae |
| Genus: | Nymphalis |
| Species: | N. californica |
| Binomial name | |
| Nymphalis californica (Boisduval, 1852) | |
On Sorbus sitchensis. The underside of the wing resembles a dead leaf.
The California tortoiseshell (Nymphalis californica) is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae.
The California tortoiseshell is known for having population explosions which cause the butterflies to migrate to new areas. The cause of these population explosions is unknown. Their larvae eat various species of Ceanothus.
It is recognized for the top of its wings being orange with big black spots (used mainly for camouflage). The browns and grays of the wing underside make it resemble a dead leaf when the wings are closed. Its wingspan varies from 3.2 to 7 cm ( 1 1⁄4– 2 3⁄4 inches).[1]
References
- ↑ California Tortoiseshell Archived 2008-10-18 at the Wayback Machine., Butterflies and Moths of North America
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nymphalis californica. |
This article is issued from
Wikipedia.
The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike.
Additional terms may apply for the media files.