The upperside of the wings is mainly black with the forewing having rows of white and/or yellow-orange spots of varying sizes.

It varies from having a few rows of white and red spots to having a yellow-white hindwing median band of varying width to the underside being mostly golden yellow with large yellow-orange spots and a thick golden-yellow median band.

[3] The red-spotted patch has a row of red marginal spots on the upperside, and underside of the hindwing.

This species is found from May to October in California, late January to mid-November in Arizona, and all year in southern Texas.

[2] Females will lay their eggs in clusters of about 100 or more on the underside of host plant leaves.