Little Metalmark

Identity

Calephelis virginiensis is the Little Metalmark, a small member of Riodinidae native to the southeastern United States. [2]

Appearance

The upperwings are rusty orange with delicate metallic lines and dark, unchequered fringes; the underside is brighter orange. The wingspan is about 13–25 mm. [1][2]

Range and habitat

Its principal range follows the Atlantic and Gulf coastal plains into southeastern Texas. Colonies occupy grassy openings, pine savannas, open woods and vegetation beside wetlands. [2]

Life cycle

Females place eggs individually on host leaves. The flattened, sculptured eggs are reddish brown. Caterpillars are pale green with conspicuous white hairs and rows of reddish markings; the pupa retains a covering of larval hairs. [1]

Florida populations can produce successive generations through the year. Farther north, adult activity is concentrated in the warmer months, with several distinct broods. [1]

Food and host plants

Larval hosts recorded in Florida include yellow thistle, Cirsium horridulum, and climbing hempvine, Mikania scandens. Adults take nectar from small composite flowers, including yarrow and coreopsis. [1][2]

Behaviour

Males wait on low vegetation for females. Caterpillars shelter beneath leaves by day and emerge to feed at night or in cloudy conditions. [2]

Remarkable detail

Young larvae feed from the lower leaf surface while leaving the upper cuticle intact. Their feeding produces small translucent windows rather than immediately cutting through the whole leaf. [1]

Sources

Little metalmark, Calephelis virginiensis ↗
University of Florida IFAS · Accessed 2026-10-13
Little Metalmark — Calephelis virginiensis ↗
Butterflies and Moths of North America · Accessed 2026-10-13

Loading Luminary Oddities