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Digital Guide to Moth Identification

Nymphalidae 77a0810 – 4431   Nymphalis californica (Boisduval, 1852)

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Larva and Host Plants: Host familiy: Amaranthaceae[Chenopodiaceae] Fabaceae Rhamnaceae.  Host genera: Ceanothus Medicago Sarcobatus.  Notes: polyphagous on fruit trees (Zhang 1994); Arctostaphylos"?" (Abbott & Smith 1797).  (Shropshire & Douglas 2025) Similar Species: Pinned specimens of related species. (Hint: select View by Region on the related species page.) Synonymy: californica (Boisduval, 1852) (Vanessa) - MONA 1983: 4431 ssp. a. californica (Boisduval, 1852) (Vanessa)  herri Field, 1936 (Nymphalis)  polychloros of authors; (not Linnaeus, 1758) (Papilio) misappl. ssp. b. timidar Scott & Kondla, 2014 (Nymphalis)

References (Caution: DNA barcoding at BOLD provides evidence of relatedness, not proof of identification; some BOLD specimens shown may not be sequenced.)

Barcode of Life (BOLD) - Caution: Identifications often erroneous; DNA barcode provides evidence of relatedness, not proof of identification; many specimens not sequenced. Shropshire, K.J. & D.W. Tallamy, 2025. Lepidoptera of North America, north of Mexico: an annotated list containing geographic ranges and host-plant records. ZooKeys, 1261: 101-113; Suppl. 1. (PDF or read online) Species Page at BugGuide.Net Species Page at iNaturalist Species Page at the Butterflies of America

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