THE BALTIMORE
CHECKERSPOT
BUTTERFLY
EUPHYDRYAS PHAETON
Suraya Bunting
Ariel Goldberg
Sydney Hergan
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The Checkerspot
became the Maryland
State insect in the year
1973.
 The White Turtlehead
is the host plant to the
Checkerspot.
 When the
Checkerspot
caterpillar eats White
Turtlehead, the plant
grows back bigger
and stronger.

When the deer eat the
White Turtlehead, they
kill it, causing the
Checkerspots to die
off.
 Checkerspots do not
like Pink Turtlehead, a
non-native species.
 The White Turtlehead
is the only plant the
larvae consume in
their first instar.

LIFE CYCLE
InstarAn insect in any
one of its periods
of postembryonic
growth between
molts
Photos from botany.thisima.com
jhonfowler.photoshelter.com
bugfolks.com
Event:

The draining and
filling of the
Checkerspot’s and
White Turtlehead’s
natural habitat,
wetlands.
Problem:

The loss of the White
Turtlehead causing
the loss of the
Checkerspot species.
THE ISSUE
How has the
stewardship of
Harford Glen
impacted its
environment?
RESEARCH QUESTION
To what extent are the five deer exclosures at
Harford Glen populated by the Baltimore
Checkerspot Butterfly?
MATERIALS
Vernier- Soil moisture probe
 Measuring tape
 Yellow journal and pencil
 Trowel
 GPS
 Camera

PROCEDURE
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Counted number of exclosures
Marked waypoints
Counted webs and caterpillars
Counted White Turtleheads
Measured area
Looked to see if it had roof
Looked to see if it had a canopy
Figured out material of en/exclosure
Measured soil moisture
A
PHOTOS OF EXCLOSURES
D
B
C
E
MAP OF EXCLOSURES
A
B
C
D
You Are
Here
E
COMPARISON OF WHITE TURTLEHEAD,
SOIL MOISTURE, AND NUMBER OF WEBS
90.00
80.00
70.00
60.00
Soil Moisture Percent
50.00
Number of Turtle
Heads
Webs
40.00
30.00
20.00
10.00
0.00
A
B
C
D
Deer En/Exclosures
E
COMPARING DATA
Distance from
Enclosure
Number of webs
Distance from
enclosure
Number of webs
30
0.3
25
0.2
0.15
0.1
0.05
0
A B C D E
Deer En/Exclosures
Distance
from
enclosure
Number of webs
Kilometers
0.25
20
15
Number
of webs
10
5
0
A B C D E
Deer En/Exclosures
CONCLUSIONS
• Exclosure C is the most populated by
Baltimore Checkerspot Butterflies.
• There are no butterflies in exclosures D and
E.
• Exclosure E is overgrown by Japanese
Hop ,an invasive plant species. It is also the
furthest from the original enclosure.
• Wasps have invaded enclosure D.
INFERENCES
•Wasps are killing the Checkerspot
caterpillars in enclosure D to feed their larvae.
•Butterflies did not find the White Turtlehead in
exclosure E because it is covered by invasive
species and is too far away from the original
enclosure.
•Exclosure E is the best place for White
Turtlehead to grow because it has high soil
moisture and has some sunlight.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Use organic insecticidal soap on wasp’s nests in
enclosure D
 Plant more White Turtlehead in new and existing
exclosures
 Maintain and repair en/exclosures
 Organize new Checkerspot projects to build new
exclosures and to continue research
 Introduce the Checkerspot larvae to exclosure E

ACTION PLAN
Spray
organic insecticidal soap
on wasp nest
Weed out en/exclosures
Make flyers informing people
about the Checkerspot butterfly
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
 Ms. Airing
 Ms. Ruth
 bugfolks.com
 jhonfowler.photoshelter.com
 botany.thisima.com
 Dictionary.com