Bug FAQCalifornia Patch
Chlosyne californica · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Nymphalidae
The California patch butterfly has a wingspan of about 1¼ to 2 inches (32 to 51 mm).
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Wingspan ranges from about 1¼ to 2 inches (32 to 51 mm).
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Adults sip nectar from flowers.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae native to the southwestern United States and Mexico.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 6 of 51 states and DC. Most records: California, Arizona, Nevada, Texas, New Mexico, Utah.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What do California patch butterflies eat?
Adults feed on flower nectar, and the larvae eat Parish goldeneye and sometimes sunflowers.
Source: Wikipedia
How big is a California patch butterfly?
Its wingspan is about 1¼ to 2 inches (32 to 51 mm).
Source: Wikipedia
How can I recognize a California patch butterfly?
Look for dark bases on the wings with a wide yellow-orange band and orange spots on the upper side, and a red spot on the underside of the hindwing near the abdomen.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Nymphalidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlosyne_californica
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.