Wing span:

Flight time:Mid-June through July.

Status: Breeding resident.

Distinguishing features: The male is gray above with several orange-bordered black spots on the hindwing margin. Below it is light gray to whitish with black spots and has an orange hindwing margin. The female is similar but as has black spots above.

Distribution and habitat: It is common in the western half of Iowa but is more scattered in the east. Restricted to a variety of open, upland habitats such as native prairie, old fields, roadsides, open woods. In the east, is appears more frequent in sandy sites.

Natural History: Larvae consume dock (Rumex) species. In 1892, Willard sent Skinner some larvae, which had been collected in Grinnell from what was claimed to be yard dock (Rumex longifolius) an introduced species not known from the state. Likely the actual host plant was curled dock (Rumex crispus), which is an abundant Iowa weed.