While there are many species of Checkerspot Butterfly these
small butterflies, with a 1 - 2 inch wingspan,
all typically orange in color with an orange and black checkerspot
pattern. Because many species are very similar in appearance and there can be
quite a bit of variability within single species, it's often difficult to
determine exactly which species the butterflies belong to.
The Checkerspot at right was
photographed in the Agua Fria National Monument.
Checkerspots are found throughout the US with several species
located in Arizona. They prefer a variety of habitats including, woodlands,
streams and meadows.