Baltimore Checkerspot (Heather Black)

Sport this stylish graphic tee proudly and show your love for a species that makes the Blue Ridge Mountains so special!

With your purchase you are supporting Blue Ridge Discovery Center's mission to inspire curiosity, discovery, and stewardship through the wonders of the Blue Ridge.

The Baltimore checkerspot (Euphydryas phaeton) is a beautiful native butterfly found in wet, weedy meadows where their preferred host plant White Turtlehead (Chelone glabra) grows. Unlike most butterflies, the checkerspot overwinters as larvae (instead of eggs). In late summer, the caterpillars stop feeding and create a pre-hibernation web for protection. By fall, they move to the ground and hibernate under dead grass and leaves. April through May, the hungry caterpillars emerge and begin feeding on host plant leaves before forming their stunning white chrysalis. Once the butterfly emerges, its beautiful white and black checkerspots with intense orange crescents tell potential predators it’s poisonous to eat.