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Guides
Speyeria cybele charlottii
Charlottesville great spangled fritillary
Speyeria cybele charlottii is a subspecies of the great spangled fritillary butterfly, distinguished from other S. cybele populations by geographic occurrence in the eastern United States. The parent species is a large, orange and black butterfly with silvery spots on the undersides of its wings. Adults are strong, fast fliers that nectar on a wide range of flowers. The subspecific name references Charlottesville, Virginia.
Speyeria cybele letona
Great Spangled Fritillary (western subspecies)
Speyeria cybele letona is a western North American subspecies of the great spangled fritillary, a large brush-footed butterfly with a wingspan of 2.25 to 4 inches. Research on Speyeria cybele indicates that visual perception is the primary sense used for navigation to suitable habitat patches, with individuals capable of detecting and navigating to target islands from distances up to 60 meters. The subspecies exhibits the orange-brown coloration typical of western populations of this species, in contrast to the more orange eastern populations.