This endangered subspecies occurs in only two grasslands spots in the San Francisco Bay Area, near Oakland and on San Bruno Mountain. Its native region is now extensively developed and heavily populated, leaving the butterfly endangered. Recently other subspecies have been known from spots near South San Francisco, the hills above Pleasanton, Sears Point in the North Bay, and in spots between Vallejo and Cordelia. The taxonomic status and listed status of the overall group of silverspot butterflies in other areas is unclear. Some specialists consider the Solano County silverspot populations to be hybrids between the callippe silverspot and Lilian's silverspot butterfly and/or Comstock's silverspot butterfly while others consider the Solano County population to be the callippe subspecies.