The butterfly members of this Order of insects include the popular and usually colorful species. This colorful butterfly was found in California's Coyote Creek State Park and is often observed sipping the sweet nectar of flowers.
Males have the habit of sitting on ridge tops, waiting for females the fly by.
This particular species has been extensively researched by Dr. Tom Emel in the Jasper Ridge area above Stanford University. Their caterpillars feed on Indian Figwort and adults can be found flying from Spring.