Great Spangled Fritillary
Speyeria cybele (Fabricius, 1775)
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Heliconiinae
Identification: Large. Upperside of male tan to orange with black scales on forewing veins; female tawny, darker than male. Underside of hindwing with wide pale submarginal band and large silver spots.
Wing Span: 2 1/2 - 4 inches (6.3 - 10.1 cm).
Life History: Males patrol open areas for females. Eggs are laid in late summer on or near host violets. Newly-hatched caterpillars do not feed, but overwinter until spring, when they eat young violet leaves.
Flight: One brood from mid-June to mid-September.
Caterpillar Hosts: Various violet species (Viola).
Adult Food: Nectar from many species of flowers including milkweeds, thistles, ironweed, dogbane, mountain laurel, verbena, vetch, bergamot, red clover, joe-pye weed, and purple coneflower.
Habitat: Open, moist places including fields, valleys, pastures, right-of-ways, meadows, open woodland, prairies.
Range: Alberta east to Nova Scotia, south to central California, New Mexico, central Arkansas, and northern Georgia. Comments: The most common fritillary throughout most of the eastern United States.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 625 - 648 of 8313 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 13, 2021
Submitted by: asabspade
Region: Humboldt County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 21, 2021
Observation date: Sep 22, 2019
Submitted by: PAT JOHNS
Region: Cook County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: Doug Taron
Verified date: Jul 21, 2021
Observation date: Jul 14, 2021
Submitted by: Rccarlson64
Region: Chelan County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 21, 2021
Observation date: Jun 25, 2020
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Franklin County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 21, 2021
Observation date: Jul 16, 2021
Submitted by: karenhaire
Region: Chelan County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 19, 2021
Observation date: Jul 18, 2021
Submitted by: Shelly329
Region: Jackson County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 19, 2021
Observation date: Jul 17, 2021
Submitted by: Tiliaamericana10
Region: Kane County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 17, 2021
Observation date: Jul 15, 2021
Submitted by: Sue_Ed
Region: Venango County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 17, 2021
Observation date: Jul 15, 2021
Submitted by: Sue_Ed
Region: Venango County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 17, 2021
Observation date: Jul 16, 2021
Submitted by: Birderbobt51
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 17, 2021
Observation date: Jun 22, 2021
Submitted by: vmaglio
Region: Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jul 16, 2021
Observation date: Jun 27, 2021
Submitted by: dravland
Region: St. Louis County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jul 16, 2021
Observation date: Jun 28, 2021
Submitted by: Pjkiel
Region: Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jul 16, 2021
Observation date: Jun 11, 2021
Submitted by: aarongunnar
Region: Jefferson County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jul 16, 2021
Observation date: Jul 13, 2021
Submitted by: asabspade
Region: Humboldt County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 15, 2021
Observation date: Jul 13, 2021
Submitted by: hiker96
Region: Mason County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 14, 2021
Observation date: Jul 14, 2021
Submitted by: grassemurray72
Region: St. Lawrence County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 14, 2021
Observation date: Jul 09, 2021
Submitted by: hiker96
Region: Thurston County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 11, 2021
Observation date: Jul 10, 2021
Submitted by: David.Josephy
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 11, 2021
Observation date: Jul 09, 2021
Submitted by: Bozcool
Region: Franklin County, Maine, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 10, 2021
Observation date: Jul 09, 2021
Submitted by: Bozcool
Region: Jackson County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jul 09, 2021
Observation date: Jul 09, 2021
Submitted by: Cormath
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 09, 2021
Observation date: Jul 09, 2021
Submitted by: Cormath
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 09, 2021
Observation date: Jul 04, 2021
Submitted by: sam_hartzler
Region: Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: Howell_Curtis
Verified date: Jul 08, 2021
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