Little Metalmark

  • Family name: Riodinidae/Metalmarks
  • General description: orange-brown with black markings and two narrow metallic silver-blue bands. Ventral wing surfaces as above but lighter orange. Forewing apex more rounded in females
  • Field Marks: small; orange-brown with metallic silver-blue bands.
  • Sexes: appear similar
  • Wingspan: 15-25 mm
  • Life Cycle: Egg: laid singly on host leaves Mature larva: light green with long plumelike white hairs Chrysalis: green and cream with darker markings
  • Number of Generations: multipleLittle Metalmark larva
  • Flight Season: All
  • Abundance: Common
  • Habitat: moist meadows, roadsides, pine savannahs, grassy fields, forest margins
  • Larval Host Plants: yellow thistle (Cirsium horridulum)
  • Similar Species:
  • Additional Information: adults flutter very low to the ground; perches with wings open and periodically lands on the undersurface of leaves; colonies often local
  • Range in Florida

Florida wildflower vehicle license plateThe Florida Wildflowers & Butterflies projects at the Florida Museum are sponsored in part by the State of Florida and the Florida Wildflower Foundation, Inc.