Introduction
The tribe Melitaeini is of worldwide distribution. It includes the Crescents and Checkerspots of North America, and also many familiar European species such as the Marsh and Heath Fritillaries.
The genus Phyciodes comprises of 11 species, distributed variously from Canada to Guatemala.
Phyciodes cocyta is found in southern Canada and the northern states of the USA.
Habitats
This species breeds in meadows, fields, scree slopes and other dry grassy and flowery habitats.
Lifecycle
The eggs are pale green in colour, and laid in batches of up to 200 on the underside of leaves of various Asteraceae. The larvae live gregariously at first, but become solitary in later instars.
Adult behaviour
Males sometimes imbibe mineralised moisture from damp ground, but both sexes are more often encountered when nectaring. They visit a wide range of flowers, favouring Asteraceae.