Vesta crescent

Appearance

Orange above with markings of fine black lines. Below, forewing has a series of postmedian and submarginal orange circles on a dark background.
Wing Span: 7/8 - 1 1/2 inches (2.2 - 3.8 cm).

Distribution

Guatemala north through Mexico to southeast Arizona and central Texas. Temporary colonist to Arkansas, Colorado, and Nebraska.

Behavior

Males patrol for females all day in low areas. Females lay eggs in clumps on leaves of host plant; caterpillars eat leaves.
Many broods from April-September in the north, February-December in South Texas, all year in Mexico.

Habitat

Thorn and mesquite woodlands, desert, prairie, road edges, dry streambeds.

Food

Caterpillar Hosts: Hairy tubetongue (Siphonoglossa pilosella) in the acanthus family.