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 482 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 18, 2022
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Jefferson County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Sep 28, 2022
Observation date: Jul 06, 2022
Submitted by: Aner
Region: Otero County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 25, 2022
Observation date: Sep 08, 2017
Submitted by: Liz Osborn
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 23, 2022
Observation date: Jul 16, 2022
Submitted by: chneal
Region: Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 19, 2022
Observation date: Sep 12, 2022
Submitted by: Dwaine Wagoner
Region: Teton County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Sep 19, 2022
Observation date: Jul 07, 2019
Submitted by: Liz Osborn
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 14, 2022
Observation date: Jun 30, 2019
Submitted by: Margaret Mackenzie
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 14, 2022
Observation date: Jun 30, 2019
Submitted by: Margaret Mackenzie
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 14, 2022
Observation date: Jun 30, 2019
Submitted by: Margaret Mackenzie
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 14, 2022
Observation date: Jul 20, 2021
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 07, 2022
Observation date: Aug 03, 2022
Submitted by: Jon Kindschy
Region: Gunnison County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Sep 03, 2022
Observation date: Aug 14, 2022
Submitted by: mashoop58
Region: Cibola County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 18, 2022
Observation date: Aug 13, 2022
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 13, 2022
Observation date: Aug 13, 2022
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 13, 2022
Observation date: Jul 18, 2022
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Jefferson County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Aug 10, 2022
Observation date: Jul 20, 2022
Submitted by: tjunderwood
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 09, 2022
Observation date: Jul 30, 2022
Submitted by: falco1
Region: El Dorado County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 01, 2022
Observation date: Jul 30, 2022
Submitted by: falco1
Region: El Dorado County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 01, 2022
Observation date: Jul 22, 2022
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 31, 2022
Observation date: Jul 18, 2022
Submitted by: JudyLY
Region: Otero County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 22, 2022
Observation date: Jul 09, 2022
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 13, 2022
Observation date: Jun 24, 2022
Submitted by: Jon Kindschy
Region: Gunnison County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 06, 2022
Observation date: Jul 03, 2022
Submitted by: tjay13
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 06, 2022
Observation date: Jun 26, 2022
Submitted by: weflybye
Region: Union County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 04, 2022
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