Northwestern Fritillary
Speyeria hesperis (W.H. Edwards, 1864)
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Heliconiinae
Identification: Quite variable. Upperside orange-brown, often darker at base, with black outer margins especially on forewing; male has black scales on veins. Underside of hindwing with basal disk or light brown orange-brown with pale submarginal band; spots silvered or unsilvered.
Wing Span: 2 - 2 3/4 inches (5 - 7 cm).
Life History: Males patrol during the day in open areas. Eggs are laid singly on leaf litter near host plant. Unfed first-stage caterpillars overwinter, emerging in spring to feed on leaves.
Flight: One flight from June-October, mainly July-August.
Caterpillar Hosts: Violets.
Adult Food: Flower nectar including Gaillardia, rabbitbrush, purple mints, and shrub cinquefoil.
Habitat: Forest openings, meadows, and open hillsides.
Range: Western mountains from central western Alaska, Yukon, and Northwest Territories south to central California, Arizona, and New Mexico.
Conservation: Not usually of conservation concern. Subspecies elko Austin and hanseni Emmel and Emmel are of conservation concern because of their small ranges. The former may be threatened by invasive alien weeds including smooth brome and/or cheatgrass.
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
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 455 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 13, 2019
Submitted by: bonfrey
Region: Cibola County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 08, 2022
Observation date: Jun 21, 2020
Submitted by: Ritajherbst
Region: Catron County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Mar 14, 2022
Observation date: Jul 14, 2014
Submitted by: hydapse
Region: Carbon County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Feb 24, 2022
Observation date: Aug 11, 2019
Submitted by: bonfrey
Region: Torrance County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Feb 08, 2022
Observation date: Jul 18, 2021
Submitted by: Arley
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jan 20, 2022
Observation date: Jul 06, 2021
Submitted by: Harry Forbes
Region: Iron County, Utah, United States
Verified by: RaisingButterfl...
Verified date: Dec 16, 2021
Observation date: Jul 04, 2021
Submitted by: Ehansen211
Region: Utah, United States
Verified by: RaisingButterfl...
Verified date: Dec 16, 2021
Observation date: Jul 20, 2021
Submitted by: Mike Hofmann
Region: Tooele County, Utah, United States
Verified by: RaisingButterfl...
Verified date: Dec 16, 2021
Observation date: Jun 18, 2021
Submitted by: glennfine
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 16, 2021
Observation date: Jul 06, 2021
Submitted by: vireo-red
Region: Jefferson County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Sep 11, 2021
Observation date: Jul 25, 2021
Submitted by: Jon Kindschy
Region: Gunnison County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Sep 01, 2021
Observation date: Jul 19, 2021
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Lincoln County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 24, 2021
Observation date: Aug 12, 2021
Submitted by: WYbutterflyer1
Region: Fremont County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Aug 21, 2021
Observation date: Aug 16, 2021
Submitted by: JudyLY
Region: Otero County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 19, 2021
Observation date: Aug 16, 2021
Submitted by: JudyLY
Region: Otero County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 19, 2021
Observation date: Aug 08, 2021
Submitted by: Nature Man 6
Region: Sandoval County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 13, 2021
Observation date: Aug 06, 2021
Submitted by: rebeccagracey
Region: Cibola County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 09, 2021
Observation date: Jul 31, 2021
Submitted by: Reneerob17
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 01, 2021
Observation date: Jul 28, 2021
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 01, 2021
Observation date: Jul 28, 2021
Submitted by: twofried
Region: Taos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 31, 2021
Observation date: Jul 28, 2021
Submitted by: twofried
Region: Taos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 31, 2021
Observation date: Jul 25, 2021
Submitted by: JudyLY
Region: Otero County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 31, 2021
Observation date: Jul 28, 2021
Submitted by: glennfine
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 30, 2021
Observation date: Jun 27, 2021
Submitted by: Canyon Wren
Region: Jefferson County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 27, 2021
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