Genera:  Charidryas, Thessalia, Poladryas, Dymasia, and Euphydryas. 
Order:  Lepidoptera
Family:  Nymphalidae
Diet: Goldenhead, Mojave aster, chuparosa, penstemon, and Indian paintbrush are host plants, they will visit other desert blooms as well.
Vegetation Association:  Goldenhead and Mojave aster.  They are found rocky desert washes and hills, pinyon juniper oak woodlands and arid mountain canyons.
Predators: 
Life Stages:  Complete metamorphosis; egg, larva, pupa, adult.  Eggs are pale green and are laid in clusters.  Desert Checkerspots caterpillars are black with gray and orange stripes. 
Notes:  Young caterpillars feed and shed their skin, or molt. The final molt produces the pupa, and then the butterfly rests.  Once free of the chrysalis, fluid from its body is pumped into its wings, the wings then are allowed to dry before it flies away to look for food and a mate.  Checkerspots are brush footed butterflies.
Photo:  To be added.

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