Boloria bellona

(Fabricius, 1775)

Meadow Fritillary

Boloria bellona, commonly known as the meadow fritillary, is a North in the brushfoot . It is distinguished from other fritillaries by its lack of silver spots on the underside and its squared-off . The inhabits wet, open grasslands and has been observed using violets (Viola spp.) as plants for its . It produces one or two annually and overwinters in the larval stage.

Boloria bellona (51006874000) by Judy Gallagher. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Meadow Fritillary, Megan McCarty49 by Meganmccarty. Used under a Public domain license.

Boloria bellona by Kaldari. Used under a CC0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Boloria bellona: /bɔˈloʊɹiə bəˈloʊnə/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Identification

Distinguished from similar Boloria by: squared-off (vs. rounder in B. selene); absence of silver spots on underside (present in B. selene); larger size than B. eunomia and B. chariclea; non-hairy bases (vs. hairy in B. eunomia); and hindwing underside coloration—mottled orange and purplish- with yellowish (vs. rust-red, , and bands in B. eunomia; deep rusty red in B. chariclea).

Images

Appearance

Wingspan 3.5–5.1 cm. Upperside -orange with dark spots, , and zigzagged . squared off just below . lacks dark marginal border on most individuals. Underside mottled orange and purplish- with yellowish band across hindwing center. Forewing underside smudged with orange and brown near apex. Lacks silver spots characteristic of most lesser fritillaries. Long present.

Habitat

Wet, open environments including pastures, fields, and streamsides. Associated with grassland maintained by disturbance regimes.

Distribution

North America. Specific range boundaries not detailed in available sources.

Seasonality

period June through mid-August in North Dakota; timing varies by latitude. One or two per year.

Diet

feed on Viola pallens (northern violet) and Viola sororia (common violet). nectar sources not specified in available sources.

Host Associations

Viola pallens - northern violet
Viola sororia - common violet

Life Cycle

greenish-, deposited near plants on twigs or leaves. Mature gray and black with small, light-colored . yellow-. Overwinters as larva. One or two annually. Female is active partner during mating.

Behavior

Female initiates mating by active . laid near plants rather than directly on foliage.

Ecological Role

. for grassland health in managed landscapes. Larval on Viola .

Human Relevance

Subject of research in managed grasslands, particularly regarding effects of prescribed fire and grazing regimes on persistence. shared with European Melitaea parthenoides, potentially causing confusion.

Similar Taxa

Boloria seleneSimilar range and ; distinguished by rounder , dark margin border, and silver spots on hindwing underside
Boloria eunomiaSimilar range; distinguished by smaller size, hairy bases, and rust-red, , and banding on underside
Boloria charicleaSimilar range; distinguished by smaller size and deep rusty red underside

Misconceptions

The 'meadow fritillary' is also applied to the European Melitaea parthenoides, which is not closely related to B. bellona. This shared name may cause identification confusion.

More Details

Taxonomic note

Some sources list this under Clossiana (as Clossiana toddi), reflecting historical taxonomic treatments. Currently accepted placement is in Boloria.

Conservation research

Studies in North Dakota indicate higher , including grassland obligate , in -burn grazing systems compared to season-long grazing without fire. This suggests B. bellona may benefit from heterogeneity created by managed disturbance regimes.