Taylor’s checkerspot caterpillars took a break in summer and fall but they are now active and feeding in winter. In Oregon, they are feeding mostly on English plantain. At this time of year they are small creatures about ½-inch long with dark hairs and red spots. The species was recently listed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service as Endangered and only two populations remain in Oregon, both near Corvallis.
This butterfly typically lives as adults in April and May, and lays its eggs on English plantain (Plantago lanceolata) and paintbrushes (Castilleja spp.). Its eggs quickly hatch and the young caterpillars feed on their host plants for several weeks, then seek shelter from the summer heat underneath plants and debris, entering a sleep-like phase called diapause. In winter, the caterpillars re-emerge and continue feeding.
Butterfly conservationists are ramping up efforts to protect and restore this butterfly throughout its range in Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. In Washington, for example, conservation efforts include habitat restoration and an innovative reintroduction program with caterpillars raised at the Oregon Zoo and in Washington State prisons. Conservationists in Oregon are preparing to do the same, starting with a regional conservation plan and evaluations of various sites for their habitat quality and readiness for butterfly reintroduction.
