Great spangled fritillary

Language English

Speyeria cybele

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Description

Adults have bright rust-coloured wings with several black spots. Females have black marks on the edges of their wings.

Life cycle

Females lay their eggs in the soil litter, not on the host plant itself. The small caterpillar spends the winter in the soil litter, awakens from its slumber in the spring and feeds on violets. The caterpillar becomes a chrysalid, and later, an adult. The butterfly is active from the end of June to the beginning of August.

Geographic distribution

The species is very common in the United States and Canada.

French name

Argynne cybèle

Scientific name

Speyeria cybele

English name

Great Spangled fritillary

Class

Insecta

Order

Lepidoptera

Family

Nymphalidae

Consult

Brush-footed butterflies

Habitat/Diet

Habitat

This butterfly lives on the outskirts of wooded areas, in fields, along roads and in flowering meadows.

Host plants

Caterpillars feed on violet leaves (Viola rotundifolia).

Diet

Caterpillars eat the leaves of violets.

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Interesting facts

Adults fly from late June to early August. Caterpillars are active from June to mid-July.

Related species

Monarch

Monarchs are butterflies with orange, black-veined wings. Each wing has a black border with rows of white dots. Their wingspan of 93 to 105 mm makes them some of the largest butterflies in Quebec.

Males have two tiny black spots on the top of their hind wings. The black bands on the females’ wings are also wider.
Mourning cloak

This large butterfly has a wingspan of 6 to 8 cm. Its wings are purplish brown, with a line of blue spots along a yellow border. Males and females look alike.
Painted lady

This beautiful butterfly has orange wings with black and white spots. The brown colouring of the butterfly’s thorax extends to the inner area of its wings. The back of its wings is lighter in colour and the edge of the lower wing has a row of eyespots.
Question mark

The question mark is one of the largest and loveliest of the Polygonia butterflies. Its wings are rust-coloured with many black and pale lilac spots close to the edges. The silver mark shaped like a question mark on the underside of its lower wings is where it gets its English and Latin name.
Red admiral

This butterfly’s wingspan ranges from 5.5 to 6 cm. Its forewings are black with white spots and a red stripe. Its lower wings are marbled brown and black, with an orange spot on the edge.
Viceroy

This butterfly’s wingspan ranges from 6.5 to 7.5 cm. Their orange colour contrasts with their black ribs. There is one row of white spots along the wide black edge of their wings.
White admiral

The caterpillar and chrysalid of this butterfly look like bird droppings, which protects them from predators. Adults have two pairs of black wings with white stripes. The edge of their bottom wings features reddish-orange and blue spots.

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Great spangled fritillary

Tabs group

Life cycle

Geographic distribution

Consult

Brush-footed butterflies

Habitat

Host plants

Diet

Interesting facts

Monarch

Mourning cloak

Painted lady

Question mark

Red admiral

Viceroy

White admiral

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