Meadow Fritillary
Boloria bellona (Fabricius, 1775)
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Heliconiinae
Identification: Forewing squared off below tip. Upperside orange-red with heavy black markings. Underside of hindwing patterned with orange and purple-brown; off-white basal patch and metallic silver spots lacking.
Wing Span: 1 3/8 - 2 inches (3.5 - 5.1 cm).
Life History: Males patrol meadows with a low flight, during warm daytime hours. Females lay eggs on twigs and plants other than the host violets. Caterpillars feed on violet leaves and hibernate when in the third to fourth stage of development.
Flight: Two to three broods from late April to mid-October.
Caterpillar Hosts: Violets including northern white violet (Viola pallens) and woolly blue violet (V. sororia).
Adult Food: Favorite nectar sources are composites, including black-eyed susans, dandelions, and ox-eyed daisy. Plants from other families, such as verbena and dogbane, are visited less often.
Habitat: Usually wet places marshes, wet aspen groves.
Range: Eastern British Columbia east through southern Canada and northern United States to Newfoundland; south to northcentral Oregon, central Colorado, northeast Tennessee, and northwest North Carolina. Due to its adaptability to disturbed habitats, the butterfly is expanding its range southward from the southeastern states.
Conservation: Not usually of conservation concern.
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
Alternate Scientific Names:
Clossiana bellona
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 2026 verified sightings
Observation date: Oct 08, 2025
Submitted by: tiki33wv
Region: Wood County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Oct 08, 2025
Observation date: Sep 19, 2025
Submitted by: tiki33wv
Region: Wood County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Sep 20, 2025
Observation date: Sep 05, 2025
Submitted by: Jorie
Region: Fayette County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Sep 09, 2025
Observation date: Jun 29, 2020
Submitted by: Rgilson
Region: Wilkes County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Sep 01, 2025
Observation date: Aug 15, 2025
Submitted by: Bowbender
Region: Ashland County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 31, 2025
Observation date: Aug 27, 2025
Submitted by: tiki33wv
Region: Pocahontas County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 30, 2025
Observation date: Aug 24, 2025
Submitted by: maryjanzen
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 25, 2025
Observation date: Aug 21, 2025
Submitted by: prairie fairie
Region: Otter Tail County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 22, 2025
Observation date: Aug 15, 2025
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Grand County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Aug 17, 2025
Observation date: Aug 09, 2025
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Grand County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Aug 17, 2025
Observation date: Jun 26, 2024
Submitted by: beverlynantz
Region: Harlan County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Aug 13, 2025
Observation date: Aug 02, 2025
Submitted by: maryjanzen
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 03, 2025
Observation date: Jul 12, 2025
Submitted by: maryjanzen
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 13, 2025
Observation date: Jun 22, 2025
Submitted by: maryjanzen
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 01, 2025
Observation date: Jun 05, 2025
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Grand County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jun 08, 2025
Observation date: Jun 04, 2025
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Grand County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jun 08, 2025
Observation date: May 27, 2025
Submitted by: BeaLaporte
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 05, 2025
Observation date: May 01, 2025
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 12, 2025
Observation date: Jun 11, 2016
Submitted by: mothman27
Region: Huntington County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Apr 21, 2025
Observation date: Oct 06, 2024
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Calhoun County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Feb 27, 2025
Observation date: Jul 06, 2024
Submitted by: MelloK
Region: Unicoi County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Oct 20, 2024
Observation date: Jul 02, 2024
Submitted by: dvollmar
Region: McHenry County, North Dakota, United States
Verified by: stevekohler
Verified date: Sep 20, 2024
Observation date: Jun 21, 2023
Submitted by: dvollmar
Region: Lucas County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 16, 2024
Observation date: Aug 05, 2024
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Grand County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Sep 13, 2024
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