North American Butterflies and Moths List

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Butterflies of North America

Butterflies of South Dakota

Coronis Fritillary (Speyeria coronis)
JPG -- species photo

Coronis Fritillary (Speyeria coronis [Behr])

Wing span: 2 - 3 3/8 inches (5 - 8.6 cm).

Identification: Upperside tawny to orange-brown with black markings. Underside of hindwing with inwardly rounded silver spots in marginal row; other silver spots are elongated.

Life history: Males patrol open areas to find females. Females may delay egg-laying until late summer. Eggs are laid singly on litter near violets. First-stage caterpillars overwinter unfed; in the spring they feed on violet leaves.

Flight: One flight from mid-June to September.

Caterpillar hosts: Violets including Viola nuttallii, V. purpurea, V. douglasii, and V. beckwithii.

Adult food: Flower nectar.

Habitat: Mountain slopes, foothills, prairie valleys, chaparral, sagebrush, forest openings.

Range: Southern Washington east through the Great Basin to central South Dakota, Wyoming, Nebraska, and Colorado; south through Nevada and California to northwest Baja California Norte.

Conservation: Not usually required.

The Nature Conservancy Global Rank: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.

Management needs: None reported.

References:

Opler, P. A. and V. Malikul. 1992. A field guide to eastern butterflies. Peterson 
     field guide #4. Houghton-Mifflin Co., Boston. 396 pages, 48 color plates.

Scott, J. A. 1986. The butterflies of North America. Stanford University Press, 
     Stanford, Calif. 583 pages, 64 color plates.

Tilden, J. W. 1986. A field guide to western butterflies. Houghton-Mifflin Co., 
     Boston, Mass. 370 pages, 23 color plates.

Author: Jane M. Struttmann

State and Regional References:

Opler, Paul A. 1999. Peterson Field Guide to Western Butterflies, revised 
     edition. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, Mass.

Stanford, R.E. and P.A. Opler. 1993. Atlas of Western USA Butterflies. 
     Privately published, Denver, Colo. 

Tilden, J.W. and A.C. Smith. 1986. A Field Guide to Western Butterflies. 
     Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, Mass.
Coronis Fritillary (Speyeria coronis)
distribution map
map legend

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