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.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 241 - 264 of 540 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 10, 1982
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (K Hansen-S. Mattoon)
Region: Elko County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: Jul 07, 1997
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (C. Bordelon & E. Knudson)
Region: Graham County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: Jun 20, 2012
Submitted by: the gdoug
Region: Saskatchewan, Canada
Verified by: Norbert Kondla
Verified date: Oct 13, 2012
Observation date: Jul 28, 2012
Submitted by: plex1ppus
Region: Missoula County, Montana, United States
Verified by: stevekohler
Verified date: Oct 12, 2012
Observation date: Aug 11, 2012
Submitted by: Tommie Rogers
Region: Ouray County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Oct 05, 2012
Observation date: Jul 22, 2012
Submitted by: Jdammarell
Region: Ravalli County, Montana, United States
Verified by: stevekohler
Verified date: Jul 25, 2012
Observation date: Jul 08, 2012
Submitted by: Niayre
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 22, 2012
Observation date: Jul 15, 2012
Submitted by: davidelwonger@m...
Region: Teller County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 21, 2012
Observation date: Jul 08, 2012
Submitted by: Niayre
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 21, 2012
Observation date: Jul 07, 2012
Submitted by: allelopath
Region: Taos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 13, 2012
Observation date: Aug 07, 1975
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Floyd Preston)
Region: Graham County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: Jul 08, 1978
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (George T. Austin)
Region: Elko County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: Aug 04, 1976
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (J & S Werner)
Region: Coconino County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: Aug 10, 1994
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Clifford D. Ferris)
Region: Apache County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: Aug 19, 2011
Submitted by: Joe Schelling--...
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Oct 03, 2011
Observation date: Jun 10, 2011
Submitted by: Matt ODonnell
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 11, 2011
Observation date: Jul 30, 2011
Submitted by: kbjornk
Region: Clear Creek County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Aug 10, 2011
Observation date: Jul 25, 2011
Submitted by: cpcdolan
Region: Rio Grande County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 31, 2011
Observation date: Jul 05, 2011
Submitted by: cpcdolan
Region: Archuleta County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 31, 2011
Observation date: Jun 22, 2000
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (unknown)
Region: Modoc County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jul 05, 1985
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Jim Brock)
Region: Amador County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jul 16, 1968
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (unknown)
Region: Modoc County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Aug 07, 2011
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Ray Bruun)
Region: Shasta County, California, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Andrew Warren, Ken Davenport)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Aug 05, 1979
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Jim Brock)
Region: Nevada County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
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