variegated fritillary

variegated fritillary (Euptoieta claudia)

CONFIRMATION STATUS: Confirmed.

FAMILY: Brush-footed Butterflies (Nymphalidae)
SUBFAMILY: Longwings (Heliconiinae)

IDENTIFICATION: Upperside tawny orange with thick dark veins and
markings; black spots near margin. Hindwing margin angled and
slightly scalloped. Underside of hindwing with a mottled pattern and
no silver spots.

LIFE HISTORY: Males patrol short distances in flat, dry, open places.
Eggs are laid singly on host plant stems and leaves; caterpillars eat
leaves and flowers.

FLIGHT: Three broods from April-October in the north, four broods
from February or March-November or December in the south.

WING SPAN: 1 3/4 - 3 1/8 inches (4.5 - 8 cm).

CATERPILLAR HOSTS: A variety of plants in several families including
maypops (Passiflora incarnata), may apple (Podophyllum peltata),
violets (Viola), purslane (Portulaca), stonecrop (Sedum), and moonseed
(Menispermum).

ADULT FOOD: Nectar from several plant species including butterflyweed,
common milkweed, dogbane, peppermint, red clover, swamp milkweed,
and tickseed sunflower.

HABITAT: Open sunny areas such as prairies, fields, pastures, road edges,
landfills.

RANGE: Higher elevations of Argentina through Central America and
Mexico to the southern United States; also Cuba and Jamaica. Regularly
colonizes north through most of the United States except the Pacific
Northwest.

CONSERVATION: Not required. An occasional minor pest of ornamental
pansies and violets.

NATURESERVE GLOBAL STATUS: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally,
though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the
periphery.

MANAGEMENT NEEDS: None reported.

SKY MEADOWS OCCURRENCE:

Note: Due to seasonal conditions in this region, occurrence may vary from

year to year. The designation of occurrence may range over two or more

categories and may vary even during a single season.

Key to Checklist

A   Abundant: Easy to see very large numbers of individuals in appropriate habitat
      at proper time of year.
C   Common: Usually each to see good numbers of individuals in appropriate habitat
      at proper time of year.
U   Uncommon: Sometimes found in appropriate habitat and proper time of year,
      usually in low numbers.
O   Occasional: Found in appropriate habitat perhaps only a few times a year, usually
      in low numbers.
R   Rare: Small chance of being found, even in appropriate habitat at proper time of
      year. There are few individuals and may not be present every year.
X   Extirpated: Formerly present, no longer occurs in Sky Meadows Park.