The
Mormon metalmark has a comical appearance.
It often has its antenna held close together
and pointing straight out from its head. It also has huge green
eyes that do not blend in well with the rest of its body and seem
to pop. And, on top of all this, it has striped antennae.
Plants
used by the Mormon Metalmark Larva
The larvae of the Mormon Metalmark feed on
Buckwheats,
Eriogonum spp. In particular they like Eriogonum
fasciculatum, California buckwheat. It forms a two to
three feet tall nicely rounded bush. Their white flowers dry to a
chocolate color that lasts till the rain knocks them off in the
winter. It is also very drought tolerant, surviving in hot, arid,
chaparral. (Photo above and below)
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Plants used as nectar sources by the
Mormon Metalmark Butterfly
The adult Mormon Metalmark feeds on various
flowers. They seem to like asters like Butterweed as well as
Joaquin Daisy and California Aster.
Butterweed
Senecio douglasii is an open perennial shrub with many
bright showy yellow flowers. It is very drought tolerant and
flowers in late summer. (Photo below)
California
Aster, Aster chilensis, has light purple flowers and
is very floreferous. (photo below)
Joaquin
Daisy, Bidens laevis, is nearly six feet tall
with lush green leaves and an abundance of large yellow flowers.
It likes most soils and is very popular with butterflies,
including the Mormon metalmark. The flowers, as well as being
beautiful, have a sweet fragrance, especially in the
evenings.(photo below)
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