Variegated Fritillary
Euptoieta claudia (Cramer, 1776)
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Heliconiinae
Identification: Upperside tawny orange with thick dark veins and markings; black spots near margin. Hindwing margin angled and slightly scalloped. Underside of hindwing with a mottled pattern and no silver spots.
Wing Span: 1 3/4 - 3 1/8 inches (4.5 - 8 cm).
Life History: Males patrol short distances in flat, dry, open places. Eggs are laid singly on host plant stems and leaves; caterpillars eat leaves and flowers.
Flight: Three broods from April-October in the north, four broods from February or March-November or December in the south.
Caterpillar Hosts: A variety of plants in several families including maypops (Passiflora incarnata), may apple (Podophyllum peltata), violets (Viola), purslane (Portulaca), stonecrop (Sedum), and moonseed (Menispermum).
Adult Food: Nectar from several plant species including butterflyweed, common milkweed, dogbane, peppermint, red clover, swamp milkweed, and tickseed sunflower.
Habitat: Open sunny areas such as prairies, fields, pastures, road edges, landfills.
Range: Higher elevations of Argentina through Central America and Mexico to the southern United States; also Cuba and Jamaica. Regularly colonizes north through most of the United States except the Pacific Northwest.
Conservation: Not required. An occasional minor pest of ornamental pansies and violets.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Alternate Scientific Names:
Euptoita claudia
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 6037 verified sightings
Observation date: Oct 05, 2024
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Dec 05, 2024
Observation date: Nov 22, 2024
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 27, 2024
Observation date: Oct 12, 2024
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Carbon County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Nov 20, 2024
Observation date: Nov 19, 2024
Submitted by: mojomagu
Region: Johnson County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 19, 2024
Observation date: Sep 14, 2019
Submitted by: MLBishop
Region: Mercer County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 19, 2024
Observation date: Sep 21, 2021
Submitted by: NJDA Sheila B
Region: Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 14, 2024
Observation date: Oct 12, 2023
Submitted by: JC Fazio-Cohen
Region: Ocean County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 14, 2024
Observation date: Aug 19, 2023
Submitted by: jrtindall
Region: Mercer County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 14, 2024
Observation date: Sep 12, 2019
Submitted by: RColonna
Region: Burlington County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 13, 2024
Observation date: Aug 06, 2024
Submitted by: jmacmetro
Region: Bergen County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 13, 2024
Observation date: Nov 05, 2024
Submitted by: Sheilabean
Region: Texas, Tarrant County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 09, 2024
Observation date: Oct 30, 2024
Submitted by: Christinalea
Region: Texas, Wichita County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 30, 2024
Observation date: Oct 30, 2024
Submitted by: kristenej
Region: New Castle County, Delaware, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 30, 2024
Observation date: Oct 14, 2024
Submitted by: Blue Swallowtail
Region: Adams County, Nebraska, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: Oct 28, 2024
Observation date: Oct 26, 2024
Submitted by: James Steen
Region: Harper County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Oct 26, 2024
Observation date: Oct 13, 2024
Submitted by: Alison Davies
Region: Richland County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Oct 13, 2024
Observation date: Oct 10, 2024
Submitted by: Aspaskas
Region: Cherokee County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 12, 2024
Observation date: Oct 08, 2024
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Oct 09, 2024
Observation date: Oct 05, 2024
Submitted by: Leslie Warren
Region: Mahoning County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 05, 2024
Observation date: Sep 18, 2024
Submitted by: Indy Entomologist
Region: Hamilton County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Sep 20, 2024
Observation date: Sep 14, 2024
Submitted by: justawriter
Region: McKenzie County, North Dakota, United States
Verified by: stevekohler
Verified date: Sep 20, 2024
Observation date: Sep 16, 2024
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: Porter County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Sep 16, 2024
Observation date: Sep 10, 2024
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Sep 13, 2024
Observation date: Sep 09, 2024
Submitted by: Lydiaak
Region: Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Sep 09, 2024
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