Mylitta Crescent (Mt. Diablo Butterflies)

Mylitta Crescent

Phyciodes mylitta

Diagnostic description ⁶

The Mylitta Crescent and P. PALLIDA (W.H. Edwards) are quite similar. Generally MYLITTA is smaller of the two and is more lightly marked ventrally. Dorsally, mylitta is uniformly orange-colored, and the black lines normally form contiguous narrow bands. By contrast PALLIDA is normally bicolored dorsally with both orange and yellowish-orange bands. The black markings tend to be bolder (ssp. BARNESI Skinner excepted). Normally the two species can be separated based upon locality alone (Ferris and Brown, 1981)

Habitat ⁷

Comments: Typically the species occurs in various habitats from 6000' to 9000'(1830-2745m). It usually frequents lush meadows and the banks of streams in forested areas (Ferris and Brown, 1981). However, both Scott (1986) and Opler (1999) indicate also highly disturbed habitats in agricultural regions also. Transition zone compositae: CIRSIUM ssp. including C. ARVENSE, SILYBUM MARIANUM, CARDIUS PYCNOCEPHALUS; Scrophulariaceae: MIMULUS GUTTATUS (Scott, 1986).

North american ecology (us and canada) ⁸

Phyciodes mylitta is resident to the western United States, into southern British Columbia, and down to southern Mexico and as separate populations in the southwest and in Wyoming (Scott 1986). Habitats are mountains, agricultural fields and towns. Host plants are herbaceous and include many species but mostly in one family, Compositae (also Mimulus guttatus, from family Scrophulariaceae). Eggs are laid on the host plant in large clusters. Individuals overwinter as half-grown larvae. There are multiple flights each year, with approximate flight times Feb.1-Nov. 30 in the southern part of their range and Apr.1-Sept.30 in the northern part of the range (Scott 1986).