Status:  common resident

Flights:  2-4, Feb-Nov


Distribution/known sites in Monterey County:  widespread


Habitats:  disturbed & natural - dry fields, wet meadows, woodland openings, urban areas

Host plants:  native (Cirsium) and introduced thistles

Adult food:  star thistle, buckwheats, asters, yellow composites


Conservation: secure globally


Remarks: 

  1. •  quite variable, even individuals in same pop.

  2. •  often flies with field crescent

  3. •  cold season broods have more complete ventral HW patterns

  4. •  female has paler (yellow-orange) median band on FW above; reported wet-dry season differences

 
 

Mylitta crescent Phyciodes mylitta

 

Life history facts


egg: deposited on underside of host plant

larva: eats leaves; young may live in small silken nest; partially-grown caterpillars hibernate

pupa:

adult:  males perch or patrol gullies and streams all day near host plants for females

big sur station

8-8-2005