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Red-spotted Purple |
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Pictured above |
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| Basilarchia arthemis astyanax (Fabricius, 1775) |
| Status: Occasional to abundant local resident. |
| Flight Period(s): There are two flights, the second possibly being only a partial. The first flight peaks in mid-late June and the second in mid-late August. Nebraska records are from 30 May – 23 September |
| Range: Subspecies of Liminitis arthemis occupy most of the eastern half of the United States and southern Canada and Alaska. Subspecies astyanax is found from southern Texas and Florida north to southern North Dakota and New York. In Nebraska it is found primarily in the eastern half of the state. |
| Larval Hostplant(s): In Nebraska chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) is the primary hostplant although females have been observed ovipositing on Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides) in the Niobrara River valley in northern Nebraska. |
| Overwinter: This butterfly overwinters as a partially grown larva in a rolled up leaf attached with silk to the stem of the hostplant. |
| Commentary/Habitat: This species has two basic forms, the first, found in northern regions, has a broad white band across the forwing. The second form, more southerly in distribution, lacks the white band, is more purplish, and is a mimic of the unpalatable Pipevine Swallowtail. These two forms interbreed and produce an interesting variety of fertile offspring in areas to our north and east. In Nebraska only the purplish subspecies (astyanax) has been recorded. In addition this species hybridizes with other members of its genus, these being Viceroys and Weidemeyer’s Admirals in Nebraska. Four hybrids between Red-spotted Purples and Weidemeyer’s Admirals have been collected in the Niobrara River valley in northern Nebraska. The subspecies found in our area (astyanax) is a mimic of the distasteful Pipevine Swallowtail which affords it protection from predation from birds having encountered the latter. The Red-spotted Purple is most commonly found in hilly open woodlands where Chokecherry grows as a border/understory plant. It has been found in abundance at Indian Cave State Park (Nemaha and Richardson Counties), Nebraska National Forest at Halsey ( Thomas County), and at the Niobrara Valley Preserve (Cherry, Brown and Keya Paha Counties). |
| Similar Species: Pipevine and Black Swallowtails |