Speyeria cybele novascotiae

(McDunnough, 1935)

Great Spangled Fritillary

Speyeria cybele novascotiae is a of the great spangled fritillary, a large in the Nymphalidae. This subspecies occurs in northern North America, including the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan, as well as Vermont in the United States. Like other members of Speyeria cybele, exhibit strong visual-based navigation abilities to locate suitable patches across fragmented landscapes.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Speyeria cybele novascotiae: /ˈspaɪ.əˌraɪ.ə sɪˈbiːli ˌnoʊ.vəˈskoʊti.aɪ/

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

Identification

As a of Speyeria cybele, S. c. novascotiae would share the general characteristics of the : large size with wingspan of 2.25 to 4 inches, orange and black coloration on upper wing surfaces, and silvery spots on the undersides of wings. Specific diagnostic features distinguishing this subspecies from other S. cybele subspecies are not documented in the provided sources.

Habitat

Based on the -level of Speyeria cybele, this likely inhabits open such as meadows, pastures, and prairies. have been demonstrated to navigate effectively to island habitats across water, indicating use of fragmented landscapes with suitable habitat patches.

Distribution

Documented distribution includes Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan in Canada, and Vermont in the United States. The name 'novascotiae' suggests a historical connection to Nova Scotia, though this is not confirmed in the provided distribution records.

Seasonality

Based on Speyeria cybele : emerge in early summer, with males appearing slightly before females. Mating occurs in June or July, after which males die. Females are long-lived for butterflies, often surviving into October.

Diet

feed on nectar from a wide range of flowers including milkweeds, thistles, and ironweed. Larvae feed on violet leaves (Viola spp.), with females laying on or near violet clumps in August or September.

Host Associations

Viola spp. - larval food plantFemales lay on or near violet plants; larvae feed on violet leaves after emerging from hibernation in spring

Life Cycle

laid in August or September on or near violet plants hatch into larvae that crawl to nearby violets, hide among fallen leaves, and hibernate through winter. In spring, larvae resume feeding on fresh violet leaves, then pupate and emerge as . Partially or depending on location, with one per year in northern parts of range.

Behavior

are strong, fast fliers. Navigation to suitable is primarily visually mediated, as demonstrated by experimental flash-blindness studies on Speyeria cybele. Visual perception enables detection and navigation to habitat patches from distances of at least 60 meters across unsuitable habitat such as water.

Ecological Role

butterflies serve as when visiting flowers for nectar. Larvae function as herbivores on native violet . The may serve as prey for , with orange and black coloration potentially functioning as aposematic warning coloration.

Human Relevance

The nominate Speyeria cybele cybele was featured on a 2014 United States Postal Service 70-cent stamp. The is valued by butterfly enthusiasts and contributes to pollination services in meadow and prairie .

Similar Taxa

Speyeria atlantisSimilar size, coloration, and preferences; distinguished by subtle wing pattern differences and geographic distribution
Euptoieta claudiaSimilar orange and black coloration but smaller, with different wing pattern; more southern distribution and multiple per year in warmer climates

More Details

Navigation Research

Experimental studies on Speyeria cybele demonstrated that flash-blinding of (bleaching rhodopsin) significantly reduced navigation success to target , with only 11% of treated individuals reaching islands compared to 50-80% of untreated controls. This establishes vision as the primary sensory modality for habitat detection in this .