Butterfly #2 — Baltimore Checkerspot

euphydryas phaeton

Thursday, June 24, 1999 — 10:24 am

Lake County, Illinois — Lyons Marsh Conservation Area

I was walking along the floating boardwalk that extends out into the marsh. I saw this butterfly land on the reeds a few feet off the walk and remain motionless. I identified it from the book. Then the butterfly flew from its perch and landed on a wet area on the boardwalk. It walked to within two feet of where I stood.  I crouched down and studied it carefully while comparing it to the picture in the book.

It was black overall, with a marginal row of orange cresents on both surfaces of all four wings. There were also seven or eight orange spots on the undersurface of the wing near the body. The upperside of the wing had several rows of cream-white spots on the outermost part. The underside of the wing had similar spots covering the entire surface. It was about the size of a Cabbage White.

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