A medium-sized orange butterfly with silver-spangled underwings. Caterpillars eat ONLY violets — and emerging adults need a wide variety of nectar plants over a long flight season.
§ Quick facts
§ Encyclopedia
The great spangled fritillary is a North American butterfly of the family Nymphalidae.
Source: Wikipedia — Great spangled fritillary Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
§ Identification
Field marks. Bright orange-and-black butterfly with silver spots on underwing; massive wing size for a fritillary.
Similar species. Other large fritillaries. Gulf Fritillary (smaller, no silver spots).
Voice. N/A
§ Diet & behavior
Diet. Adults: nectar (especially from native asters, milkweed). Caterpillars: violets exclusively.
Behavior. Caterpillars overwinter without feeding. Adults emerge in early summer. Single brood per year (vs. multiple for most US butterflies).
§ Range
Most of the US and southern Canada
§ Habitat
Open woodland edges, meadows with violets, mountain valleys
§ Threats
Loss of native violets to lawn culture, pesticides, light pollution.
§ Conservation status
According to the IUCN Red List, the great spangled fritillary is currently classified as Least Concern.
§ What helps
Plant native violets in shady garden areas. Leave fall leaves through April. Reduce nighttime lights.
§ Further reading
- Wikipedia — Great spangled fritillary
- www.nwf.org — authoritative profile of Speyeria cybele
- iNaturalist · taxon 49294
- IUCN Red List — search for Speyeria cybele
- GBIF occurrence records
- Encyclopedia of Life — Speyeria cybele
§ Sources cited
- Butterflies and Moths of North America
- Xerces Society
- BugGuide
- iNaturalist
