Euptoieta claudia
Encyclopedia
The Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia) is a North
and South America
n butterfly
in the family Nymphalidae
. Even though the Variegated Fritillary has some very different characteristics from the Speyeria
Fritillaries, it is still closely related to them. Some of the differences are: Variegated Fritillaries have 2–3 broods per year vs. one per year in Speyeria; they are nomadic vs. sedentary; and they use a wide range of host plants vs. just violets
. And because of their use of passionflowers as a host plant, Variegated Fritillaries also have taxonomic links to the heliconians
. Their flight is low and swift, but even when resting or nectaring, this species is extremely difficult to approach, and, because of this, its genus name was taken from the Greek word euptoietos meaning "easily scared".
.
The upper side of the wings is checkered with orange and black. Both the fore wing and hind wing have a row of submarginal black spots and black median lines running across the wings. The underside of the fore wing is orange with a pale orange spot rimmed in black in the fore wing cell. The underside of the hind wing is mottled with browns and grays with a pale postmedian band. There is no silvering. The wingspan measures 1.75–2.25 inches.
). The Mexican Fritillary is brighter orange, the upper side of its hind wing basal area is unmarked, and the underside of its wings is plainer, with no submarginal spots or median black lines.
Males actively patrol for females. Females lay their pale green or cream colored eggs singly on host plant leaves and stems. The larva eats the leaves, flowers, and stems of the food plant. The larva is red with black subdorsal and spiracular stripes infused with white spotting. In many individuals, the white is more conspicuous than the black. The red middorsal stripe bears white (sometimes black) oval shaped spots, one per segment. It has six rows of black spines and has a pair of long, clubbed spines on the head. The chrysalis is mainly shiny white, with small black spots, a variable amount of brown markings, and orange and gold tubercules. Adults overwinter in the south and fly north each spring and summer. It has 2–3 broods per year.
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
n butterfly
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
in the family Nymphalidae
Nymphalidae
The Nymphalidae is a family of about 5,000 species of butterflies which are distributed throughout most of the world. These are usually medium sized to large butterflies. Most species have a reduced pair of forelegs and many hold their colourful wings flat when resting. They are also called...
. Even though the Variegated Fritillary has some very different characteristics from the Speyeria
Speyeria
Speyeria, commonly known as greater fritillaries, is the genus of butterflies in the family Nymphalidae commonly found in North America and Asia...
Fritillaries, it is still closely related to them. Some of the differences are: Variegated Fritillaries have 2–3 broods per year vs. one per year in Speyeria; they are nomadic vs. sedentary; and they use a wide range of host plants vs. just violets
Viola
The viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
. And because of their use of passionflowers as a host plant, Variegated Fritillaries also have taxonomic links to the heliconians
Heliconiinae
The Heliconiinae, commonly called heliconians or longwings, are a subfamily of the brush-footed butterflies . They can be divided into 45-50 genera and were sometimes treated as a separate family Heliconiidae within the Papilionoidea...
. Their flight is low and swift, but even when resting or nectaring, this species is extremely difficult to approach, and, because of this, its genus name was taken from the Greek word euptoietos meaning "easily scared".
Description
For a key to the terms used see Lepidopteran glossaryGlossary of Lepidopteran terms
This glossary describes the terms used in the formal descriptions of insect species, jargon used mostly by professionals or entomologist....
.
The upper side of the wings is checkered with orange and black. Both the fore wing and hind wing have a row of submarginal black spots and black median lines running across the wings. The underside of the fore wing is orange with a pale orange spot rimmed in black in the fore wing cell. The underside of the hind wing is mottled with browns and grays with a pale postmedian band. There is no silvering. The wingspan measures 1.75–2.25 inches.
Similar species
In the Variegated Fritillary’s range, the only similar species is the Mexican Fritillary (Euptoieta hegesiaEuptoieta hegesia
The Mexican Fritillary is a North and South American butterfly in the family Nymphalidae.-Description:The upper side of the wings is bright orange with the basal part of the hind wing unmarked. There is a row of submarginal black spots on both the fore wing and the hind wing. The underside of...
). The Mexican Fritillary is brighter orange, the upper side of its hind wing basal area is unmarked, and the underside of its wings is plainer, with no submarginal spots or median black lines.
Flight period
This species may be seen flying from April–October in the south, while in the north it flies from summer to early fall.Habitat
This butterfly is often found in open, disturbed habitats such as clover and alfalfa fields, pastures, fields, waste areas, roadsides, and mountain meadows.Nectar plants
Here is a list of some of the flowers that the Variegated Fritillary uses as nectar plants:- dogbane, ApocynumApocynumApocynum, commonly known as Dogbane and Indian Hemp, is a genus of the plant family of the Apocynaceae with seven species. From the Greek: apo, away; cyno, dog, attributed to its toxicity...
sp. - Common Milkweed, Asclepias syriaca
- asters, Aster sp.
- Bearded Beggarticks, Bidens aristosaBidens aristosaBidens aristosa, commonly called Bearded Beggarticks, Long-bracted Beggarticks, Tickseed Beggarticks, or Western Tickseed, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It belongs to the genus Bidens...
- thistles, CirsiumCirsiumCirsium is a genus of perennial and biennial flowering plants in the Asteraceae, one of several genera known commonly as thistles. They are more accurately known as Plume thistles. These differ from other thistle genera in having feathered hairs to their achenes...
sp. - coneflowers, EchinaceaEchinaceaEchinacea is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae. The nine species it contains are commonly called purple coneflowers. They are endemic to eastern and central North America, where they are found growing in moist to dry prairies and open wooded areas. They have...
sp. - fleabane, ErigeronErigeronErigeron is a genus of about 390 species of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution with the highest species diversity in North America, where 173 species occur....
sp. - Common Boneset, Eupatorium perfoliatumEupatorium perfoliatumEupatorium perfoliatum or Boneset is a common perennial plant native to the Eastern United States and Canada, with a range from Nova Scotia to Florida, as well as from Louisiana and Texas through North Dakota. It is also called "agueweed", "feverwort" or "sweating-plant"...
- Alfalfa, Medicago sativa
- Red Clover, Trifolium pratense
- ironweed, VernoniaVernoniaVernonia is a genus of about 1000 species of forbs and shrubs in the family Asteraceae. Some species are known as Ironweed. Some species are edible and of economic value. They are known for having intense purple flowers. The genus is named for English botanist William Vernon. There are numerous...
sp.
Life cycle
Host plants
This is a list of host plants used by the Variegated Fritillary:- Five-wing Spiderling, Boerhaavia intermedia
- Arizona Swallow-wort, Cynanchum arizonicum
- Babyslippers, Hybanthus verticillatus
- Southern Flax, Linum australe
- Stiffstem Flax, Linum rigidum
- Grooved Yellow Flax, Linum sulcatum
- Canadian Moonseed, Menispermum canadense
- Mexican Moonseed, Menispermum mexicanum
- Blue Passionflower, Passiflora caeruleaPassiflora caeruleaPassiflora caerulea, commonly known as the Blue Passion Flower or the Common Passion Flower, is a vine native to South America...
- Foetid Passionflower, Passiflora foetidaPassiflora foetidaPassiflora foetida is a species of passion flower that is native to the southwestern United States , Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and much of South America...
- Purple Passionflower, Passiflora incarnataPassiflora incarnataPassiflora incarnata, commonly known as maypop, purple passionflower, true passionflower, wild apricot, and wild passion vine, is a fast growing perennial vine with climbing or trailing stems. A member of the passionflower genus Passiflora, the maypop has large, intricate flowers with prominent...
- plantain, PlantagoPlantagoPlantago is a genus of about 200 species of small, inconspicuous plants commonly called plantains. They share this name with the very dissimilar plantain, a kind of banana. Most are herbaceous plants, though a few are subshrubs growing to 60 cm tall. The leaves are sessile, but have a narrow...
sp. - Mayapple, Podophyllum peltatum
- Common Purslane, Portulaca oleracea
- Yellow Alder, Turnera ulmifoliaTurnera ulmifoliaTurnera ulmifolia, the Yellow Alder, is a species of plant of family Passifloraceae, native to Mexico and the West Indies. A recent study found that yellow alder potentiated the antibiotic activity against methicillin—resistant Staphylococcus aureus ....
- Lance-leaf Stonecrop, Sedum lanceolatumSedum lanceolatumSedum lanceolatum is a species of flowering plant in the stonecrop family known by the common names lanceleaf stonecrop and spearleaf stonecrop....
- American Field Pansy, Viola bicolorViola bicolorViola bicolor, commonly known as the American field pansy or wild pansy, is an annual plant in the violet family found throughout much of North America...
- Common Blue Violet, Viola sororiaViola sororiaViola sororia, known commonly as the Common Blue Violet, is a stemless herbaceous perennial plant that is native to eastern North America...
- Heartsease, Viola tricolor ssp.
External links
- Variegated Fritillary, Butterflies of Canada