Upperside of forewing is white with black margins, black at the base, and black-outlined cell spots. Upperside of hindwing is orange with black margins and a black cell spot. In the afternoon, females lay eggs on dried flower heads or in rings around the stems of the host plants. Eggs overwinter and hatch from January-March.
Young caterpillars feed together on new plant growth and when they are older they feed alone.
In April or May fully-grown caterpillars spin loose cocoons in plant debris or in loose soil. One brood from September-November. California coastal scrub, deserts, and desert upland. Southwestern Utah, southeastern Nevada, and northwestern Arizona south to central Arizona, southern California, and Baja California Sur. G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.