Speyeria edwardsii

(Reakirt, 1866)

Edwards' fritillary

Speyeria edwardsii, known as Edwards' fritillary, is a North American in the Nymphalidae. It is common from Alberta east to Manitoba and south to northern New Mexico. The exhibits the typical orange and dark brown wing patterning of fritillary butterflies, with distinctive silvery spots on the yellowish underside.

Speyeria edwardsii2 by Alan Vernon. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.Speyeria edwardsii by Alan Vernon. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.Speyeria mormonia P1220404a by xpda. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Speyeria edwardsii: /ˈspaɪəriə ɛdˈwɔrdzi.aɪ/

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Identification

The combination of orange upperside with dark-brown bars, dark wing margins with lighter circles and darker crescents, and yellowish underside with silvery spots distinguishes this . Similar to other Speyeria species, particularly S. cybele (great spangled fritillary) and S. callippe (Callippe fritillary), but specific wing pattern details and geographic range help separate them.

Images

Distribution

North America: common from Alberta east to Manitoba and south as far as northern New Mexico. Distribution records include Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan in Canada.

Diet

Larva feeds on Viola nuttallii.

Host Associations

  • Viola nuttallii - larval plant

Similar Taxa

More Details

Taxonomic note

The was described by Reakirt in 1866. It is classified in the Heliconiinae, tribe Heliconiini, within the Nymphalidae.

Sources and further reading