California Sister
Adelpha bredowii
Description 2 7/8-3 3/8" (73-86 mm). Large. Above, dark brown, narrowly banded with white, the band broken into spots on FW; bright orange patch lies on FW tip, neither reaching nor extending down along brown margin. Underside complexly marked with auburn, pale blue, orange, and white bands and spots. Red-brown bars on FW cell and HW inside angle.
Similar Species Lorquin's Admiral smaller, lacks blue bands below, and orange tip extends to and runs down along margin.
Life Cycle Egg spherical. Caterpillar, to 1 1/4" (32 mm), dark green to yellow on back, olive-brown beneath, with 6 pairs of brushy tubercles front to back. Both caterpillar and chrysalis are slightly humpbacked. Chrysalis light brown, with 2 head horns and metallic marks.
Host plants are canyon live oak (Quercus chrysolepsis) and coast live oak (Q. agrifolia), and perhaps giant chinkapin (Chrysolepis chrysophylla).
Flight 2 broods; April-October. 1 brood in desert mountains; May-June.
Habitat Oak groves in middle and low elevation mountains; on coast and on offshore islands.
Range SW. Washington, rarely south to Baja California, east through Nevada and Arizona into Colorado, New Mexico, and (rarely) Kansas.
Discussion The coloring of this butterfly's wings is like that of a nun's habit, inspiring its common name. California Sisters visit buckeye flowers, but take their moisture more often at damp mud, riverside sand, and fallen fruit. Spilt grape juice attracts them to wineries.
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