Mexican Metalmark
Apodemia mejicanus (Behr, 1865)
Family: Riodinidae
Subfamily: Riodininae
Identification: Upperside orange-brown to black, checkered with black and white spots. Forewing outer portion black with white spots and inner portion with yellow-orange to brick-red patch. Underside gray with white spots to red-orange or yellow-orange with black areas and white spots.
Wing Span: 7/8 - 1 5/16 inches (2.2 - 3.3 cm).
Life History: Males perch in hillside hollows or flats to watch for females. Eggs are laid in groups of 2-4 on lower leaves of host plant, or singly on other parts of plant. Caterpillars rest during the day in shelters of leaves tied together with silk, emerging at night to feed. Young caterpillars feed on leaves, older caterpillars eat leaves and stems. Young caterpillars hibernate inside plant parts such as the dilated stems of E. inflatum.
Flight: Mid- February to mid-November (2-3 flights).
Caterpillar Hosts: Various wild buckwheats (Eriogonum), including Inflated Buckwheat, Wright\'s Buckwheat, others, and possibly Kramerias.
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers of Eriogonum and other plants, especially yellow-flowered composites.
Habitat: Various arid lands including rocky hills and alluvial fans and flats, oak grassland.
Range: Southeastern California, southern Nevada, Arizona, and southwestern New Mexico south to Baja California and mainland Mexico.
Conservation: Sufficient populations, but some may be threatened by invasive alien weeds such as cheatgrass.
NCGR: Probably G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Taxonomy Notes: Subspecies mejicanus also referred to as the Sonoran Metalmark.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 73 - 96 of 201 verified sightings
Observation date: Apr 24, 2021
Submitted by: Marta Reece
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Apr 28, 2021
Observation date: Apr 19, 2021
Submitted by: JudyLY
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Apr 28, 2021
Observation date: Apr 18, 2021
Submitted by: dkaralun
Region: California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 21, 2021
Observation date: Apr 10, 2021
Submitted by: mstanek
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 12, 2021
Observation date: Apr 10, 2021
Submitted by: guy_incognito
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 11, 2021
Observation date: Jun 29, 2020
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Nov 12, 2020
Observation date: Aug 16, 2020
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 18, 2020
Observation date: May 26, 2020
Submitted by: Aner
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 04, 2020
Observation date: Apr 28, 2020
Submitted by: greenecycle
Region: Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: May 03, 2020
Observation date: Apr 12, 2020
Submitted by: opiliones
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 13, 2020
Observation date: Sep 05, 2015
Submitted by: guy_incognito
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 10, 2019
Observation date: Apr 14, 2019
Submitted by: J Tinsman
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 16, 2019
Observation date: May 09, 2019
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 23, 2019
Observation date: Apr 27, 2014
Submitted by: coreyk
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 20, 2019
Observation date: Oct 20, 2014
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jan 25, 2019
Observation date: Jul 29, 2018
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Aug 16, 2018
Observation date: Mar 28, 2018
Submitted by: Mzteachuh
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 31, 2018
Observation date: Nov 04, 2012
Submitted by: diwalks2@gmail.com
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 09, 2017
Observation date: Feb 25, 2017
Submitted by: diwalks2@gmail.com
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 28, 2017
Observation date: Mar 15, 2016
Submitted by: JoseBonner
Region: Riverside County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Dec 28, 2016
Observation date: Sep 29, 2016
Submitted by: Bdog
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 01, 2016
Observation date: Apr 05, 2016
Submitted by: J Tinsman
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 06, 2016
Observation date: May 03, 2014
Submitted by: John Wilson
Region: Socorro County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 07, 2014
Observation date: Mar 05, 2014
Submitted by: Greg Dean
Region: Riverside County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 06, 2014
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