Wing span: 4.8-6.2 cm.
Flight time: At least two broods, with the first flying from early-June through early-July and the second from August to frost. Stray adults can be active on warm days to late November.
Status: Breeding resident.
Distinguishing features: This species has brown-black wings with overlaying bands of red and yellow. The margin above is dark and finely lined and contains small blue chevrons on the hind wings. There is a pair of red bars on the leading edge of the forewing that from a distance make the upper wing surface look like a cat's face.
Distribution and habitat: Frequent in northeastern Iowa, scattered and rare through the rest of the state, where it occurs in and around rich, moist woods.
Natural History: Larvae consume nettles (Urtica dioica). Eggs are laid in batches, and larvae live within a communal web. Adults not only eat fermented sap, fruit, and feces, but also avidly visit flowers. While adults overwinter elsewhere in its range, this does not appear to be the case in Iowa owing to the lack of spring records. This species can occasionally undergo large increases in population size.
Record # | Date | Locale | State | Lat/Lon | Collected By | Count |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
7576 | 2011-09-30 | Pilot Travel Center | Iowa | 41.8908333 -91.6677778 | Tom Jantscher | 1 |
145998 | 2011-07-01 | 100 Acre Wood-x | Iowa | 0 0 | MJ Hatfield | 1 |
227820 | 2010-06-25 | Yellow River State Forest | Iowa | 43.166015 -91.233583 | Jim Durbin | 1 |
58555 | 2006-10-14 | Linn County | Iowa | 42.027289 -91.67275 | Frank Olsen | 1 |
138330 | 2006-10-08 | Plymouth Rock-x | Iowa | 0 0 | MJ Hatfield | 1 |
58554 | 2006-10-07 | Linn County | Iowa | 42.027289 -91.67275 | Frank Olsen | 1 |
116482 | 2006-07-04 | Yellow River State Forest | Iowa | 43.170603 -91.240395 | Chris Edwards | 2 |
58557 | 2006-04-13 | Searyl's Cave | Iowa | 42.219236 -90.908862 | Frank Olsen | 1 |
116478 | 2006-04-08 | Beam's Woods | Iowa | 42.142425 -91.343915 | Chris Edwards | 1 |
13999 | 2005-10-12 | Nevada | Iowa | 42.01972 -93.44668 | Anita Westphal | 1 |
14000 | 2005-10-12 | Nevada | Iowa | 42.01972 -93.44668 | Anita Westphal | 1 |
14001 | 2005-10-12 | Nevada | Iowa | 42.01972 -93.44668 | Anita Westphal | 1 |
58553 | 2005-09-27 | Linn County | Iowa | 42.027289 -91.67275 | Frank Olsen | 1 |
144009 | 2005-09-25 | Iowa City | Iowa | 41.667 -91.545 | Mark Brown | 1 |
58552 | 2005-09-19 | Linn County | Iowa | 42.027289 -91.67275 | Doug Veal | 1 |
107454 | 2005-09-01 | Anderson Prairie, Decorah | Iowa | 43.315099 -91.800701 | Kirk Larsen | 1 |
58546 | 2005-07-27 | Baldwin Marsh | Iowa | 42.07262 -90.8565 | Frank Olsen | 3 |
116481 | 2005-07-23 | Yellow River State Forest | Iowa | 43.170603 -91.240395 | Chris Edwards | 1 |
58556 | 2005-07-15 | Patton Prairie | Iowa | 42.553388 -91.762353 | Frank Olsen | 1 |
116477 | 2005-04-02 | Beam's Woods | Iowa | 42.142425 -91.343915 | Chris Edwards | 1 |
116461 | 2004-10-31 | Davenport | Iowa | 41.542114 -90.582971 | Chris Edwards | 1 |
13998 | 2004-10-06 | Bellvue | Iowa | 42.25883 -90.42433 | Jim Durbin | 1 |
247048 | 2001-07-26 | Seed Saver Exchange | Iowa | 43.385026 -91.808464 | Frank Olsen | 6 |
248304 | 2001-06-29 | Seed Saver Exchange | Iowa | 43.385026 -91.808464 | Frank Olsen | 1 |
353875 | 2001-06-28 | Cement Ridge Fire Lookout | Wyoming | 44.354583 -104.07595 | Kirk J. Larsen | 1 |
116480 | 2001-06-23 | Yellow River State Forest | Iowa | 43.170603 -91.240395 | Chris Edwards | 8 |
247049 | 2001-06-21 | Seed Saver Exchange | Iowa | 43.385026 -91.808464 | Frank Olsen | 3 |
116469 | 2000-09-30 | North Liberty | Iowa | 41.722966 -91.603176 | Chris Edwards | 1 |
116463 | 2000-09-27 | Iowa City | Iowa | 41.656666 -91.534474 | Chris Edwards | 1 |
116468 | 1998-09-18 | North Liberty | Iowa | 41.722966 -91.603176 | Chris Edwards | 2 |
116467 | 1998-09-17 | North Liberty | Iowa | 41.722966 -91.603176 | Chris Edwards | 2 |
116473 | 1998-07-26 | Solon Prairie | Iowa | 41.801592 -91.486352 | Chris Edwards | 1 |
116479 | 1998-07-19 | Bellevue State Park | Iowa | 42.247801 -90.42908 | Chris Edwards | 1 |
116472 | 1998-07-15 | Solon Prairie | Iowa | 41.801592 -91.486352 | Chris Edwards | 1 |
116466 | 1998-06-19 | North Liberty | Iowa | 41.722966 -91.603176 | Chris Edwards | 1 |
116471 | 1998-05-31 | Lake MacBride State Park | Iowa | 41.800146 -91.555669 | Chris Edwards | 1 |
116470 | 1998-04-18 | Lake MacBride State Park | Iowa | 41.800146 -91.555669 | Chris Edwards | 5 |
116465 | 1998-04-17 | North Liberty | Iowa | 41.722966 -91.603176 | Chris Edwards | 1 |
116464 | 1998-04-12 | Coralville | Iowa | 41.680218 -91.599614 | Chris Edwards | 1 |
116475 | 1998-04-12 | Linn County | Iowa | 42.027289 -91.67275 | Chris Edwards | 1 |
116474 | 1998-04-05 | Muskrat Slough Wildlife Area | Iowa | 41.995104 -91.210021 | Chris Edwards | 1 |
116462 | 1998-04-04 | Ryerson's Woods | Iowa | 41.618868 -91.549368 | Chris Edwards | 1 |
116476 | 1998-03-29 | Beam's Woods | Iowa | 42.142425 -91.343915 | Chris Edwards | 1 |
58560 | 1997-09-04 | Winneshiek County | Iowa | 43.23626 -91.90993 | 1 | |
353058 | 1997-09-04 | Anderson Prairie, Decorah | Iowa | 43.315099 -91.800701 | Jennifer Bovee | 1 |
144479 | 1996-08-29 | 4333 Edgewood Road NE, Cedar Rapids-x | Iowa | 42.023811 -91.705152 | Frank Olsen | 1 |
58558 | 1995-10-10 | Winneshiek County | Iowa | 43.23626 -91.90993 | 1 | |
353057 | 1995-10-10 | Anderson Prairie, Decorah | Iowa | 43.315099 -91.800701 | Jason Habeck | 1 |
124221 | 1988-09-17 | Wanatee County Park | Iowa | 42.00994 -91.57749 | Frank Olsen | 1 |
124211 | 1988-09-10 | Wanatee County Park | Iowa | 42.00994 -91.57749 | Frank Olsen | 2 |
124177 | 1988-08-06 | Wanatee County Park | Iowa | 42.00994 -91.57749 | Frank Olsen | 1 |
124127 | 1988-06-04 | Wanatee County Park | Iowa | 42.00994 -91.57749 | Frank Olsen | 1 |
58550 | 1987-09-07 | French Creek Wildlife Management Area | Iowa | 43.39075 -91.412 | J. Nehuevaj | 1 |
355179 | 1987-09-07 | French Creek Township | Iowa | 43.391486 -91.436751 | John G. Nehnevaj | 1 |
123981 | 1987-06-06 | Wanatee County Park | Iowa | 42.00994 -91.57749 | Frank Olsen | 2 |
349068 | 1977-09-23 | Frontenac State Park | Minnesota | 44.534573 -92.341607 | Kenneth Heiar | 1 |
58559 | 1977-09-07 | Winneshiek County | Iowa | 43.23626 -91.90993 | 1 | |
357575 | 1977-09-07 | Luther College | Iowa | 43.313333 -91.803889 | Randy Kemp | 1 |
4354 | 1950-09-01 | Allamakee County | Iowa | 43.243076 -91.443466 | USGS - NPWRC | 1 |
4355 | 1950-09-01 | Black Hawk County | Iowa | 42.447803 -92.381363 | USGS - NPWRC | 1 |
4356 | 1950-09-01 | Bremer County | Iowa | 42.761082 -92.381363 | USGS - NPWRC | 1 |
4357 | 1950-09-01 | Buchanan County | Iowa | 42.4566 -91.909927 | USGS - NPWRC | 1 |
4358 | 1950-09-01 | Cedar County | Iowa | 41.834614 -91.1353 | USGS - NPWRC | 1 |
4359 | 1950-09-01 | Chickasaw County | Iowa | 43.072468 -92.381363 | USGS - NPWRC | 1 |
4360 | 1950-09-01 | Clayton County | Iowa | 42.77853 -91.289101 | USGS - NPWRC | 1 |
4361 | 1950-09-01 | Delaware County | Iowa | 42.463402 -91.443466 | USGS - NPWRC | 1 |
4362 | 1950-09-01 | Dickinson County | Iowa | 43.404938 -95.184921 | USGS - NPWRC | 1 |
4363 | 1950-09-01 | Dubuque County | Iowa | 42.469467 -90.829399 | USGS - NPWRC | 1 |
4364 | 1950-09-01 | Fayette County | Iowa | 42.925819 -91.909927 | USGS - NPWRC | 1 |
4365 | 1950-09-01 | Jones County | Iowa | 42.151672 -91.1353 | USGS - NPWRC | 1 |
4366 | 1950-09-01 | Linn County | Iowa | 42.027289 -91.67275 | USGS - NPWRC | 1 |
4367 | 1950-09-01 | Plymouth County | Iowa | 42.776665 -96.152695 | USGS - NPWRC | 1 |
4368 | 1950-09-01 | Story County | Iowa | 42.104046 -93.500343 | USGS - NPWRC | 1 |
4369 | 1950-09-01 | Warren County | Iowa | 41.308056 -93.500343 | USGS - NPWRC | 1 |
4370 | 1950-09-01 | Winneshiek County | Iowa | 43.236259 -91.909927 | USGS - NPWRC | 1 |