Mexican Fritillary
Euptoieta hegesia (Cramer, 1779)
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Heliconiinae
Identification: Upperside of both wings with basal half unpatterned orange, and little or no contrast between basal and outer parts. Hindwing margins not angled; underside orange-brown with darker pattern.
Wing Span: 2 9/16 - 2 15/16 inches (6.5 - 7.5 cm).
Life History: Adults fly swiftly and erratically above low vegetation, while the sun is shining. Eggs are laid singly on host plants.
Flight: September-October in central Texas, all year in South Texas and tropics.
Caterpillar Hosts: Passion-vines (Passiflora), morning glories (Convolvulaceae), and Turnera.
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers of Lantana, Stachytarpheta, and Turnera; occasionally dung.
Habitat: Openings, edges, fields, and weedy areas in tropical and subtropical lowlands and foothills.
Range: Resident in Central America, Mexico, and the West Indies. Strays to southern California, central Arizona, and central Texas.
Conservation: Not required for stray.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: Not reported.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 139 verified sightings
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/_elf0941.jpeg?itok=mquGmEm1)
Observation date: May 09, 2024
Submitted by: ELFredrickson
Region: Oaxaca, Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Jul 03, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/89582476_10157406831848235_7150009233642094592_n.jpg?itok=9-lRSCPD)
Observation date: Mar 09, 2020
Submitted by: David Hilmy
Region: Stann Creek District, Belize
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Dec 14, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_5621-a_1.jpg?itok=JUCXnBNb)
Observation date: Sep 23, 2023
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Oct 21, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/p1040822.jpg?itok=Krw_py_V)
Observation date: Jul 18, 2023
Submitted by: Sue Bocchicchio
Region: Cayman Islands
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 21, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dscn2285_2.jpg?itok=GxWsNc1C)
Observation date: Jul 18, 2023
Submitted by: Sue Bocchicchio
Region: Cayman Islands
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Aug 18, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/20230725_111600-a.jpg?itok=8FWH2r7U)
Observation date: Jul 25, 2023
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Jul 25, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/021a7821.jpg?itok=4rGh0tn4)
Observation date: May 16, 2023
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Jun 12, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_9469.jpeg?itok=C3wZ7fb6)
Observation date: Oct 25, 2022
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: El Salvador
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: May 28, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_2256.jpeg?itok=uku74EhW)
Observation date: Feb 18, 2023
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Santa Ana, El Salvador
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: May 14, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_1543_8.jpg?itok=lasvBT9y)
Observation date: Dec 09, 2022
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Nayarit, Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Feb 26, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_1700_6.jpg?itok=-FP1wUKm)
Observation date: Dec 11, 2022
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Nayarit, Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Feb 26, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_1726_3.jpg?itok=iL-PXHtd)
Observation date: Dec 11, 2022
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Nayarit, Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Feb 26, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_1819_5.jpg?itok=Jml4boFH)
Observation date: Dec 11, 2022
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Nayarit, Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Feb 26, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_0750_5.jpg?itok=6vL81Ghm)
Observation date: Dec 03, 2022
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Nayarit, Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Feb 25, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dsc_0630_2.jpg?itok=HoF54oU_)
Observation date: Nov 30, 2022
Submitted by: Bill Uttenweiler
Region: Jalisco, Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Feb 25, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/euptoieta_hegesia_1_mexican_fritillary_0.jpg?itok=N-LMOrlL)
Observation date: Jun 18, 2017
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Feb 06, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_3132_6.jpg?itok=wi0CWP8s)
Observation date: Jun 21, 2022
Submitted by: islandgyal
Region: The Bahamas
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jan 29, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/366a1018-denoiseai.jpg?itok=2NpVIJWt)
Observation date: Nov 11, 2022
Submitted by: guy_incognito
Region: Puerto Rico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Jan 26, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dsc01354.jpg?itok=9A7oI1Nf)
Observation date: Dec 10, 2022
Submitted by: Marta Reece
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jan 16, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/palo_injerto_euptoieta_hegesia_2019october29.jpg?itok=MZsNDDGE)
Observation date: Oct 29, 2019
Submitted by: David F Smith
Region: Sonora, Mexico
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Dec 12, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/mexican_fritillary_0.jpg?itok=cTDgoBGH)
Observation date: Oct 26, 2018
Submitted by: RNeilson
Region: The Bahamas
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Oct 24, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_2421.jpg?itok=b1HtOiHv)
Observation date: Jan 10, 2015
Submitted by: mikeakresh
Region: The Bahamas
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Oct 24, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/mexican_frit.jpg?itok=_avYaiJC)
Observation date: Dec 12, 2021
Submitted by: storolaf
Region: Puerto Rico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Oct 23, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/mexican_fritillary-guanahacabibes-cuba-xplormor_international.jpg?itok=2Mdw10Gv)
Observation date: May 20, 2015
Submitted by: XplorMor Intern...
Region: Pinar del Rio, Cuba
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Oct 16, 2022
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