Fritillary Butterfly Habitat
Fritillary butterflies are brush-footed butterflies in the family Nymphalidae and are known as true butterflies. Nymphalidae have a worldwide distribution and are common in north America and prevalent in the Northern Hemisphere. Fritillaries are known as Longwings (Heliconiinae). Adult Longwings have relatively long lifespans--some around six months. At least 30 different species of fritillary butterflies are known.
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Appearance
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Fritillaries can range in size, with wing spans between 1 3/4 and 4 1/8 inches. Fritillaries usually have similar colorations with wings that are orange-brown with black spots and dark veins and markings. Some fritillary butterflies are bright orange while others have duller, more muted coloring. Many fritillaries have silver spots or mottled patterns on the underside of the hind wings.
Life Cycle
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Male fritillary butterflies will patrol during the warm hours of day, looking for females to mate with. After mating, the female will lay a single egg on the leaf or stem of a host plant. Some fritillary butterfly females will walk along the ground after mating, searching for violets to lay their egg on or near. Some fritillary species lay their eggs during August. Specifically, the female of the Coronis Fritillary will delay her egg-laying until late summer. Many fritillary caterpillars, like the Great Spangled Fritillary will overwinter after hatching. The following spring the caterpillars will feed upon larval plant leaves. Adults Gulf Fritillary butterflies will overwinter in the southern part of north America.
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Common Fritillary Species
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Fritillary butterflies are prevalent all over north America. Among the more than 30 varieties are the Variegated Fritillary, Aphrodite Fritillary, Regal Fritillary, Meadow Fritillary, Gulf Fritillary, Great Basin Fritillary, and the Callippe Fritillary. Fritillary butterflies can usually be found in their habitats between April and October, depending upon variety and location.
Habitat Specifics
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A fritillary habitat must have features that provide for feeding, reproduction and shelter of adult butterflies and caterpillars. Most species of fritillary butterflies prefer open and sunny areas. Habitat locations include prairies, open woodlands, fields and pastures. Other preferred locations include areas like roadsides and even landfills. The Meadow Fritillary has a preference for wet, marshy locations. Acceptable habitats must have plants that provide food for adult butterflies and larvae.
Larval Food
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Adult female fritillaries will lay eggs on host plants that will provide food for caterpillars after they hatch. Host plants for fritillary butterflies include may apple (Podophyllum peltata), purslane (Portulaca), stonecrop (Sedum), violets (Viola). The Great Spangled Fritillary will lay eggs on or near violet leaves and the caterpillars will feed upon the plant leaves in the spring after overwintering.
Adult Food
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Adult fritillary butterflies will feed upon a variety of nectar plants. Some of those plants include milkweed (butterfly weed, common milkweed, swamp milkweed), tickseed sunflower, red clover, dogbane, thistles, ironweed, purple coneflower, dandelions, black-eyed susan.
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References
- Photo Credit regal fritillary image by Cinderella Morff from Fotolia.com
