North American Ecology (US and Canada)

Chlosyne acastus is resident in the western United States and southern Canada, east of the Cascade Mountains (Scott 1986). Habitats are lower Sonoran to transition zone desert scrub, shrubby prairie hills and badlands, pinyon-juniper woodland and sagebrush, alpine rockslides in the Rockies. Host plants are restricted to several species within the family Compositae. Eggs are laid in clusters on the host plant. Individuals overwinter as half-grown larvae. There are a variable number of flights based on latitude, with the approximate flight time April1-Sept 30 (Scott 1986).