Arctic Fritillary
Boloria chariclea (Schneider, 1794)
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Heliconiinae
Identification: Variable. Wings orange-brown with dark markings. Underside of hindwing margin has thin white spots topped with brown; inwardly pointing triangles are black with little or no white areas. Median band pale yellow-brown to purple-brown with wavy, sometimes broken, black line.
Wing Span: 1 3/16 - 1 1/2 inches (3.1 - 3.9 cm).
Life History: Males patrol during warm daytime hours along edges of bogs and in valleys. Females lay eggs singly on the lower surface of leaves of many different plants; caterpillars eat the leaves of their host plants. This species requires 2 years to mature in high elevations of Colorado, Alberta, and the arctic; newly-hatched caterpillars hibernate the first winter, fourth-stage caterpillars hibernate the second winter. In other locations newly-hatched caterpillars overwinter, then complete their development the following spring and summer.
Flight: One brood from late June-August.
Caterpillar Hosts: Violets (Viola), scrub willows (Salix), and possibly blueberries (Vaccinium).
Adult Food: Nectar from goldenrods (Solidago graminifolia, S. rugosa, and S. squarrosa) and asters.
Habitat: Taiga, tundra, alpine meadows and streamsides, acid bogs.
Range: Holarctic. Alaska through most of Canada east to Labrador and south to the north Cascades, south through the Rocky Mountains to Utah and northern New Mexico; northern Minnesota, northern Maine, and the White Mountains of New Hampshire.
Conservation: Not usually of concern, but colonies in New England are limited.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: Monitor New England populations and recommend any necessary conservation steps. Comment: Previously referred to as Titania Fritillary (Boloria titania [Esper]), now considered to occur only in Eurasia.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 279 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 07, 2024
Submitted by: Joshua C
Region: Taos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Apr 14, 2025
Observation date: Aug 31, 2024
Submitted by: CheddahCurt
Region: Alberta, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Dec 15, 2024
Observation date: Aug 06, 1991
Submitted by: papilio1
Region: Gallatin County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Nov 12, 2024
Observation date: Jul 31, 2024
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Jackson County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Sep 07, 2024
Observation date: Jul 22, 2024
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Garfield County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Aug 23, 2024
Observation date: Aug 02, 2024
Submitted by: huntybunty
Region: Alberta, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 09, 2024
Observation date: Jul 19, 2023
Submitted by: huntybunty
Region: Alberta, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 09, 2024
Observation date: Jul 30, 2024
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Aug 09, 2024
Observation date: Jul 13, 2024
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Taos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 16, 2024
Observation date: Aug 26, 2023
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Carbon County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Nov 06, 2023
Observation date: Jul 23, 2023
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Summit County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Sep 04, 2023
Observation date: Aug 15, 2023
Submitted by: WYbutterflyer1
Region: Sheridan County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Aug 24, 2023
Observation date: Aug 12, 2023
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Park County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Aug 24, 2023
Observation date: Aug 02, 2023
Submitted by: hiker96
Region: Pierce County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 06, 2023
Observation date: Jul 03, 2023
Submitted by: twofried
Region: Taos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 04, 2023
Observation date: Jul 17, 2021
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Carbon County, Montana, United States
Verified by: stevekohler
Verified date: Apr 24, 2023
Observation date: Aug 16, 2022
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Apr 15, 2023
Observation date: Aug 16, 2022
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Apr 15, 2023
Observation date: Jul 14, 2018
Submitted by: hydapse
Region: Carbon County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Mar 08, 2023
Observation date: Jul 03, 2017
Submitted by: Todd Boland
Region: Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Feb 22, 2023
Observation date: Jul 08, 2021
Submitted by: RobertWeeden
Region: Fairbanks North Star, Alaska, United States
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Feb 11, 2023
Observation date: Aug 01, 2021
Submitted by: CheddahCurt
Region: Alberta, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Feb 11, 2023
Observation date: Jun 24, 2021
Submitted by: Rick Sinnott
Region: Denali, Alaska, United States
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Feb 11, 2023
Observation date: Jun 23, 2021
Submitted by: Rick Sinnott
Region: Denali, Alaska, United States
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Feb 11, 2023
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