Bordered Patch Butterfly

 

The bordered patch is a butterfly that is usually found in the arid fields, woodlands, thorn forests of the southwestern United States, Mexico, Central America and northern South America. When the adults are not feeding off nectar from a variety of flowers the males patrol hillsides looking for females.

Eggs are laid on plants that are members of the sunflower family. The caterpillars will eat the larval host plants and grow until it is time to pupate. There are usually multiple broods per year from March through October in the cooler portions of the range and year round in the warmer areas. The picture above is the chrysalis just after the new butterfly emerged.