Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly

The Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly has been the Maryland state insect since 1973. Very little people know about the checkerspot because they are close to extinction.Like other butterflies, the Baltimore Checkerspot searches for a host plant, which is the White Turtlehead. The problem is that the deer in the checkerspots habitat like to eat the turtlehead.Its body or thorax is dark brown, a color which extends to its wings, spotted white and then orange on their edges. As part of the family Nymphalidae,it has hairy forelegs not long enough for walking. The prominent knobs on its antennae also are a trait of this butterfly family.