Speyeria cybele pugetensis

F. Chermock & Frechin, 1947

great spangled fritillary

Speyeria cybele pugetensis is a western North American of the great spangled fritillary, a large orange and black in the Nymphalidae. It was described by F. Chermock and Frechin in 1947. Like other members of the Speyeria cybele complex, this subspecies exhibits strong visual navigation abilities for locating patches and maintains a close ecological association with violets (Viola spp.) as larval plants.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Speyeria cybele pugetensis: /ˈspaɪəriə saɪˈbiːli puːˈdʒɛtɛnsɪs/

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Identification

Distinguished from other orange and black fritillaries by the combination of large size, silvery spots, and geographic range. The variegated fritillary (Euptoieta claudia) is smaller with more checkered wing patterns and lacks the prominent silvery ventral spotting. Speyeria atlantis (Atlantis fritillary) overlaps in range and is similar in appearance but can be distinguished by subtle wing pattern differences; precise identification may require examination of genitalia or wing venation. Within the S. cybele complex, identification relies on geographic provenance and subtle coloration differences—pugetensis are browner and occur in the Pacific Northwest region.

Appearance

are large butterflies with wingspans of 2.25 to 4 inches (approximately 5.7 to 10 cm). The wing surface is orange with black markings; western including pugetensis tend toward browner coloration compared to the more orange eastern populations. The hindwing displays distinctive silvery spots, the source of the "great spangled fritillary." Females are slightly darker than males. The body is robust with the reduced forelegs characteristic of the .

Habitat

Open including meadows, pastures, prairies, and forest clearings. Associated with areas supporting larval plants, specifically violet (Viola spp.) in shaded or partially shaded locations. frequent flower-rich areas for nectar feeding.

Distribution

Western North America. Documented from Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan in Canada, and from Vermont in the United States. The subspecific range centers on the Pacific Northwest region, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon.

Seasonality

are active from early summer through autumn. Males emerge slightly before females, beginning in early summer (June). Females are long-lived for butterflies, often persisting into October. are laid in August or September. Larvae hatch and briefly feed before entering winter among leaf litter; development resumes in spring with adults emerging after .

Diet

Larvae feed exclusively on violet (Viola spp.), including native violets and related plants such as pansies. are nectar feeders, visiting a wide range of flowering plants including milkweeds (Asclepias spp.), thistles (Cirsium spp.), ironweed (Vernonia spp.), weed (Asclepias tuberosa), dogbane (Apocynum spp.), and red clover (Trifolium pratense).

Host Associations

Viola spp. - larval Females lay on or near violet clumps; larvae feed on violet leaves after emerging from winter

Life Cycle

Complete with one per year (). Females deposit on or near violet plants in late summer. First-instar larvae hatch and seek shelter among fallen leaves to enter winter without feeding substantially. In spring, larvae resume feeding on fresh violet foliage, progressing through instars before pupating. emerge in early summer, with males preceding females. After mating in June or July, males die while females continue nectar feeding and egg-laying into autumn.

Behavior

Strong, fast fliers capable of sustained over unsuitable such as water. Visual navigation is the primary sense used for locating habitat patches; experimental studies demonstrate that flash-induced blindness severely impairs navigation ability even to nearby habitat. are and actively forage for nectar across diverse flower . Males patrol for females and do not establish territorial perches.

Ecological Role

function as through nectar feeding. Larvae are herbivores on violets. The bright orange and black coloration is aposematic, warning of unpalatability. Serves as a research model for navigation and visual perception studies.

Human Relevance

Featured on a 2014 United States Postal Service 70-cent stamp as part of the surcharge stamp series. Subject of scientific research on butterfly navigation and detection. Collected by lepidopterists; one (Speyeria callippe hagemani) was named in honor of collector Charles Hageman. Not an agricultural pest.

Similar Taxa

Speyeria atlantisOverlaps in range and similar orange-black coloration; distinguished by subtle wing pattern differences and generally more northerly distribution
Euptoieta claudiaSmaller size, more checkered wing pattern, lacks prominent silvery spots, and has different larval plant associations
Speyeria cybele cybeleEastern nominate ; more orange coloration compared to the browner western pugetensis

More Details

Navigation research

Experimental studies using S. cybele demonstrated that visual perception is the primary sense for navigation. Flash-blinded individuals showed dramatically reduced success in locating target islands (11% vs. 80-85% for unflashed controls at 30-40m), indicating vision dominates over olfaction or wind perception for short-to-medium range habitat detection.

Conservation status

The is widespread and not considered threatened, though specific may localized pressures from loss. Related in the , such as Speyeria zerene hippolyta (Oregon ), are federally threatened and subject to active conservation management.