California Sister

Butterfly
Location:  Central Coast California, Morro Bay
October 2, 2010 6:23 pm
I took this butterfly picture on the Central Coast in California in the state park: Montana de Oro in Morro Bay….on 9/25/2010
my only guess is: California Sister, Adepha Bredolii,
Or
Lorquin’s Orange tip Admiral, Basilarchia Lorquini
am I close? what exactly did I take a picture of????
Signature:  that bug is a…..

The two butterflies you mention, the California Sister and Lorquin’s Admiral, are very similar in appearance, and their ranges do overlap.  You have photographed a California Sister, however, you have cited the wrong scientific name as well as spelling it incorrectly.  The California Sister is Adelpha californica, and according to BugGuide:  “There are 3 closely related populations of Sisters that have until recently been treated as subspecies of one species – Adelpha bredowii. Most now consider these to represent three distinct species, though the question is still debated:
Adelpha bredowii (not north of Mexico; sometimes spelled bredowi)
Adelpha californica
Adelpha eulalia“