University of FloridaSolutions for Your Life

Download PDF 
Publication #EENY-407

Little Metalmark, Calephelis virginiensis (Guérin-Ménéville) (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Riodinidae)1

Donald W. Hall, Marc Minno and Jerry F. Butler2

Introduction

The little metalmark, Calephelis virginiensis (Guérin- Ménéville), is one of three allopatric metalmarks found in the eastern United States. Although the little metalmark is one of our tiniest butterflies, it is one of our most beautiful. It is the only metalmark found in the southeastern coastal plain.

Distribution

Southeastern coastal plain from southeastern Virginia to eastern Texas in uplands and marginal wetlands, sandhills, flatwoods, pine savannas, prairies, and on roadsides.

Description

Adults: The wings vary in color from rusty orange to orange-brown and have metallic silver lines on the wings – the characteristic from which the family gets the common name "metalmarks."

Figure 1. 

Adult little metalmark, Calephelis virginiensis (Guérin- Ménéville).

Eggs: The flattened eggs are reddish-brown with white sculpturing.

Figure 2. 

Egg of the little metalmark, Calephelis virginiensis (Guérin- Ménéville).

Larvae: Caterpillars are light-green, stippled with many tiny white dots. There are dorsal and lateral rows of long white setae on each side and a rust-brown sub-dorsal spot on each side on abdominal segments two through seven.

Figure 3. 

Larva of the little metalmark, Calephelis virginiensis (Guérin-Ménéville), dorsal view.

Figure 4. 

Larva of the little metalmark, Calephelis virginiensis (Guérin-Ménéville), dorso-lateral view.

Pupae: The pupae are green with dorsal and lateral rows of black spots. The pupa is covered with setae from the last instar larva– possibly for protection from predators or parasitoids.

Figure 5. 

Pupa of the little metalmark, Calephelis virginiensis (Guérin- Ménéville), on lid of rearing container.

Life Cycle and Biology

This metalmark is common throughout Florida, except for the Keys. At least three generations are produced each year in northern parts of its range and many flights all year in Florida (Scott 1986). It is most common during late summer and fall in Florida, but caterpillars are present from March through November (Minno et al. 2005).

Little metalmarks are low-flying and are not commonly seen until they land and rest with their wings outstretched. Adults tend to orient themselves in an upside-down position when resting. Males patrol for females but their patrolling is fairly localized. Flat-flowered composites (Asteraceae) seem to be the preferred nectar sources.

Eggs are laid singly on the underside of the host leaves. Caterpillars feed mostly at night (Cech and Tudor 2005) on the undersides of the leaves, but leave the translucent upper cuticle intact. These small circular windows in the leaves are a good sign to look for when searching for the caterpillars. Partly grown caterpillars are probably the over-wintering stage (Opler and Krizek 1984).

Hosts

Little metalmark caterpillar host plants are herbs in the Aster Family (Asteraceae) including yellow thistle, Cirsium horridulum Michx., vanillaleaf, Carphephorus odoratissimus J.F.Gmel.) H.Hebert (Minno et al. 2005, Wagner 2005) and sometimes climbing hempvine, (Mikania scandens) (L.)Willd. (Minno et al. 2005). Caterpillars are especially cryptic on the undersides of the leaves of yellow thistle where their hairs blend in with the long white hairs of the plant.

Yellow thistle flowers vary in color and may be white, yellow, or purple.

Figure 6. 

Purple form of yellow thistle, Cirsium horridulum Michx.

Figure 7. 

Purple form of yellow thistle, Cirsium horridulum Michx.

Photographs of vanillaleaf are available at the Institute for Systematic Botany (University of South Florida) Web site: http://www.plantatlas. usf.edu/images.asp?plantID-3092#.

Figure 8. 

Climbing hempvine, Mikania scandens (L.)Willd.

Selected References

Cech R, Tudor G. 2005. Butterflies of the East Coast. Princeton University Press. Princeton, New Jersey. 345 pp.

Minno MC, Butler JF, Hall DW. 2005. Florida Butterfly Caterpillars and their Host Plants. University Press of Florida. Gainesville, Florida. 341 pp.

Opler PA, Krizek GO. 1984. Butterflies East of the Great Plains. The Johns Hopkins University Press. Baltimore, Maryland. 294 pp.

Scott JA. 1986. The Butterflies of North America: A Natural History and Field Guide. Stanford University Press. Stanford, California. 583 pp.

Wagner DL. 2005. Caterpillars of Eastern North America. Princeton University Press. Princeton, New Jersey. 512 pp.

Footnotes

1.

This document is EENY-407 (IN734), one of a series of Featured Creatures from the Entomology and Nematology Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Published: May 2007. This document is also available on Featured Creatures Web site at http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures. Please visit the EDIS Web site at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

2.

Donald W. Hall and Jerry F. Butler, Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL and Marc Minno, St. John's River Water Management District.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Millie Ferrer-Chancy, Interim Dean.