Description: Wings tawny-red to brown with variable black pattern,
53 - 69 mm (2.1 - 2.7 in.) wingspan. Body with greatly reduced front legs; underside color ranges from brown-purple to pale yellow-brown. Larval host plant is believed to be the endemic Charleston violet (Viola purpurea var. charlestonensis). Flight season from June to October, with peak activity in July.
Diet: Nectar species observed include thistle (Cirsium sp.), desert wallflower (Erysimum asperum), spreading dogbane (Apocynum androsaemifolium), mountain rose (Rosa woodsii), Charleston Mountain angelica (Angelica scabrida), pincushion (Chaenactis sp.), and lupine (Lupinus sp.).
Habitat: Bristlecone pine community, also in mixed conifer, pinyon-juniper, and sagebrush communities. Elevations: 2,000 - 3,200 m (6,560 - 10,500 ft), but typically below 2,300 m (7,500 ft).
Range: Endemic to the Spring Mountains. Kyle Canyon; also known from Mount Stirling, Mount Potosi, and Lovell Wash.
Comments: The MSHCP lists this species as Speyeria zerene carolae. Currently known as Speyeria carolae; it is the only full taxonomic species of butterfly endemic to the Spring Mountains.