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
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 417 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 20, 2020
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Mineral County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Nov 28, 2020
Observation date: Jun 19, 2020
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Archuleta County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Nov 25, 2020
Observation date: Jul 17, 2020
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Nov 23, 2020
Observation date: Jul 14, 2020
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Nov 22, 2020
Observation date: Jul 11, 2020
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Nov 20, 2020
Observation date: Jul 22, 2020
Submitted by: pnesterenko
Region: El Paso County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Nov 15, 2020
Observation date: Jul 07, 2020
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Nov 15, 2020
Observation date: Jul 02, 2020
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Nov 13, 2020
Observation date: Jun 11, 2020
Submitted by: fotohiker
Region: Mineral County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Nov 12, 2020
Observation date: Jul 17, 2020
Submitted by: taogirl
Region: Ouray County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Nov 12, 2020
Observation date: Aug 12, 2020
Submitted by: JudyLY
Region: Otero County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Oct 30, 2020
Observation date: Jun 22, 2020
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Oct 25, 2020
Observation date: Aug 30, 2020
Submitted by: Pheasantboy77
Region: Valley County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Aug 31, 2020
Observation date: Jul 31, 2020
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 05, 2020
Observation date: Jul 07, 2020
Submitted by: LightScavenger
Region: New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 27, 2020
Observation date: Jul 15, 2020
Submitted by: natvisions
Region: New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 19, 2020
Observation date: Jul 08, 2020
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 19, 2020
Observation date: Jul 08, 2020
Submitted by: Karen Richardson
Region: Plumas County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 17, 2020
Observation date: Jun 28, 2020
Submitted by: NMElaine
Region: Grant County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 12, 2020
Observation date: Jul 01, 2020
Submitted by: helenmb
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 09, 2020
Observation date: Jul 01, 2020
Submitted by: dwwagz
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 09, 2020
Observation date: Jun 22, 2020
Submitted by: topper72
Region: Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 25, 2020
Observation date: Jul 18, 2019
Submitted by: jft48
Region: Torrance County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 07, 2020
Observation date: Aug 26, 2019
Submitted by: Joey Bom
Region: Grand County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Apr 11, 2020
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