The Variegated Fritillary is a graceful butterfly with slightly scalloped wing edges and intricate wavy black lines on the upper side of its orange wings. The forewings are boldly marked, while the hindwings have a more checkered appearance. When the wings are closed, the tan and brown undersides create excellent camouflage, resembling a dead leaf. This butterfly is often seen in open fields, roadsides, and gardens, and it has a quick, low flight that makes it seem to dart from flower to flower.

 

“Variegated Fritillary” by Ken Slade, licensed under (CC BY-NC 2.0)

 

Variegated Fritillary Facts

Butterfly Family: Brush-footed Butterflies (Nymphalidae)

Butterfly Subfamily: Heliconiinae

Butterfly Wingspan: 1 3/4 – 3 1/8 inches

Butterfly Habitat: Open sunny areas such as prairies, fields, pastures, road edges, and landfills

 

🪴 Host Plants

These are the plants where Variegated Fritillary females lay eggs and caterpillars feed:

• Passionflowers (Passiflora spp.)

• Violets (Viola spp.)

• Pansies (Viola tricolor)

• Purslane (Portulaca oleracea)

• Flax (Linum spp.)

• Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum)

• Sedum (Sedum spp.)

 

🌸 Nectar Plants

Adult Variegated Fritillary butterflies feed on nectar from the following native flowers:

• Asters (Symphyotrichum spp.)

• Bearded Beggarticks (Bidens aristosa)

• Common Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum)

• Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

• Coneflowers (Echinacea spp.)

• Dogbane (Apocynum spp.)

• Fleabane (Erigeron spp.)

• Ironweed (Vernonia spp.)

• Red Clover (Trifolium pratense)

• Thistles (Cirsium spp.)