Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Mountain Fritillary
Boloria alaskensis (Holland, 1900)


Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Heliconiinae
Identification: Outer margin of hindwing arched. Upperside of male orange with dark wing bases and delicate markings; female cream with heavy dark pattern. Underside of hindwing tan with faint markings.
Wing Span: 1 3/8 - 1 7/8 inches (3.5 - 4.8 cm).
Life History: Males patrol close to the ground during the day. Females lay eggs singly near host plants. Two years are needed to complete development from egg to adult; caterpillars hibernate their first and second winters.
Flight: One brood from late June-early August.
Caterpillar Hosts: False bistort (Polygonum bistortoides) and alpine smartweed (P. viviparum).
Adult Food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Moist tundra and high mountain meadows.
Range: Holarctic. Alaska and Northwest Territory, western Yukon, northwestern British Columbia. Isolated populations in Canadian Rockies and Wind River Mountains of Wyoming.
Conservation: Not usually of concern but subspecies halli in the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming should be periodically monitored.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Comments: NULL