Great Spangled Fritillary
Speyeria cybele (Fabricius, 1775)
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Heliconiinae
Identification: Large. Upperside of male tan to orange with black scales on forewing veins; female tawny, darker than male. Underside of hindwing with wide pale submarginal band and large silver spots.
Wing Span: 2 1/2 - 4 inches (6.3 - 10.1 cm).
Life History: Males patrol open areas for females. Eggs are laid in late summer on or near host violets. Newly-hatched caterpillars do not feed, but overwinter until spring, when they eat young violet leaves.
Flight: One brood from mid-June to mid-September.
Caterpillar Hosts: Various violet species (Viola).
Adult Food: Nectar from many species of flowers including milkweeds, thistles, ironweed, dogbane, mountain laurel, verbena, vetch, bergamot, red clover, joe-pye weed, and purple coneflower.
Habitat: Open, moist places including fields, valleys, pastures, right-of-ways, meadows, open woodland, prairies.
Range: Alberta east to Nova Scotia, south to central California, New Mexico, central Arkansas, and northern Georgia. Comments: The most common fritillary throughout most of the eastern United States.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 8164 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 10, 2024
Submitted by: Victoire Batiste
Region: Somerset County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 11, 2024
Observation date: Jun 05, 2024
Submitted by: indigobirding
Region: Noble County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Nov 06, 2024
Observation date: Jun 24, 2023
Submitted by: Mike L
Region: Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Oct 14, 2024
Observation date: Aug 06, 2015
Submitted by: Mike L
Region: Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Oct 14, 2024
Observation date: Jul 25, 2024
Submitted by: aarongunnar
Region: Jefferson County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Oct 13, 2024
Observation date: Aug 23, 2024
Submitted by: bonfrey
Region: San Miguel County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 29, 2024
Observation date: Sep 23, 2024
Submitted by: Mapper
Region: Johnson County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 28, 2024
Observation date: Sep 08, 2024
Submitted by: ButtahflyEtn37354
Region: Monroe County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Sep 25, 2024
Observation date: Sep 04, 2024
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Warren County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Sep 20, 2024
Observation date: Sep 03, 2024
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Sep 09, 2024
Observation date: Sep 07, 2024
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Putnam County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Sep 07, 2024
Observation date: Sep 02, 2024
Submitted by: Mapper
Region: Johnson County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 07, 2024
Observation date: Sep 05, 2024
Submitted by: Copelanddr
Region: Boone County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Sep 05, 2024
Observation date: Sep 02, 2024
Submitted by: maryjanzen
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Sep 03, 2024
Observation date: Aug 28, 2024
Submitted by: weflybye
Region: Mason County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Sep 02, 2024
Observation date: Sep 01, 2024
Submitted by: Christine Byers
Region: Franklin County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Sep 02, 2024
Observation date: Jul 26, 2024
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Franklin County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Sep 01, 2024
Observation date: Aug 27, 2024
Submitted by: Kentonky41015
Region: Kenton County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Aug 29, 2024
Observation date: Aug 11, 2024
Submitted by: gypsynewtons
Region: Gilmer County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Aug 28, 2024
Observation date: Aug 14, 2024
Submitted by: barthsm
Region: Franklin County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 27, 2024
Observation date: Aug 27, 2024
Submitted by: Rbbrownbear
Region: Tolland County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 27, 2024
Observation date: Aug 26, 2024
Submitted by: 865guy
Region: Anderson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 26, 2024
Observation date: May 18, 2024
Submitted by: ButtahflyEtn37354
Region: Monroe County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 22, 2024
Observation date: Aug 18, 2024
Submitted by: ydlrun
Region: Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 21, 2024
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