Great Spangled Fritillary

Great Spangled Fritillaries are medium-sized (2-4 in wingspan) butterflies. The males are bright orange, while the females are yellow-brown. They have black markings on the upper surface of their wings and a wide, pale band and large silver spots on the lower surface.

The caterpillars have orange spines on a black body. After hatching from eggs, the caterpillars overwinter and don't become active until the spring. The adults enjoy nectar from many different plants (such as the Wood Lily) and are good pollinators, picking up and distributing pollen as they move from plant to plant.

Great Spangled Fritillaries can be found in most parts of North America although they avoid very hot or very cold areas. They prefer moist areas, such as well-watered gardens or beside streams, and can be found in both open fields and wooded areas.

Did you know? Without Violets, there wouldn't be any Fritillary Butterflies as the caterpillars only eat violet leaves.

See Also: Admiral Butterfly, Azure Butterfly, Banded Woolly Bear Caterpillar, Cabbage White, Clouded Sulphur, Compton Tortoiseshell, Hawk Moth, Monarch Butterfly, Mourning Cloak, Painted Lady, Tent Caterpillar, Tiger Swallowtail

Forests are large areas of trees growing close together.

Grasslands are large open areas covered with grasses. They have very few trees or shrubs. This habitat includes prairies and tundra.

Urban areas have a large population within a defined area. This includes villages, towns, and cities.

Wetlands are low-lying areas that are covered by water all or most of the time and support a variety of aquatic plants. This habitat includes rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, bogs, and marshes.