Northern Metalmark (Calephelis borealis) Allegany County, Maryland
Made my annual pilgrimage to see the Northern Metalmarks in the Maryland mountains.
This small and seemingly unremarkable butterfly is classified as threatened and rare with a state ranking of S2 and declining.
A strict habitat and host plant specialist, the Northern Metalmark flies in the unforgiving shale barrens and limestone outcrops where one would normally not look for a butterfly.
Finding a Metalmark is like finding a gemstone amid the crumbling rubble of the shale slopes. The beauty of this diminutive butterfly is hidden in the details of its delicate metallic bands that sparkle in the sun and look especially gorgeous when viewed thru good binoculars. This butterfly has beautiful emerald colored eyes that stand out against the chocolate brown open wings and harmonize perfectly with the bright orange on the underside of its wings. (see next two shots)
This butterfly has a very short life of only about two weeks. Adults love to nectar on yellow composites, especially the Woodland Sunflower (Helianthus divaricatus) that grows on shale barrens and blooms precisely during the short adult life of this precious butterfly.
The larval host plant is the Roundleaf Ragwort (Packera obovata). Females lay their eggs on the underside of the leaves. The caterpillars hatch in August and begin to feed on the leaves. Half-grown they burrow into the soil around the leaf rosette where they sleep until spring. When they emerge next June they crawl back to the host plant and begin to feed again. By month's end they form a chrysalis on the soil around the ragwort. Winged adults emerge in late June and begin to adorn their nectar plants as in this photo.
This is the only Metalmark (Riodinidae) species in Maryland.
Northern Metalmark (Calephelis borealis) Allegany County, Maryland
Made my annual pilgrimage to see the Northern Metalmarks in the Maryland mountains.
This small and seemingly unremarkable butterfly is classified as threatened and rare with a state ranking of S2 and declining.
A strict habitat and host plant specialist, the Northern Metalmark flies in the unforgiving shale barrens and limestone outcrops where one would normally not look for a butterfly.
Finding a Metalmark is like finding a gemstone amid the crumbling rubble of the shale slopes. The beauty of this diminutive butterfly is hidden in the details of its delicate metallic bands that sparkle in the sun and look especially gorgeous when viewed thru good binoculars. This butterfly has beautiful emerald colored eyes that stand out against the chocolate brown open wings and harmonize perfectly with the bright orange on the underside of its wings. (see next two shots)
This butterfly has a very short life of only about two weeks. Adults love to nectar on yellow composites, especially the Woodland Sunflower (Helianthus divaricatus) that grows on shale barrens and blooms precisely during the short adult life of this precious butterfly.
The larval host plant is the Roundleaf Ragwort (Packera obovata). Females lay their eggs on the underside of the leaves. The caterpillars hatch in August and begin to feed on the leaves. Half-grown they burrow into the soil around the leaf rosette where they sleep until spring. When they emerge next June they crawl back to the host plant and begin to feed again. By month's end they form a chrysalis on the soil around the ragwort. Winged adults emerge in late June and begin to adorn their nectar plants as in this photo.
This is the only Metalmark (Riodinidae) species in Maryland.