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Alberta Fritillary (Boloria alberta [W. H. Edwards])
Wing span: 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 inches (3.8 - 4.5 cm).
Identification: Dull and dark. Males smoky orange; females smoky brown and pale orange; both with blurred markings.
Life history: Males patrol near the host plant, close to the ground on hillsides. Two years are required for development from egg to adult. First-stage caterpillars hibernate the first winter; older caterpillars the second winter.
Flight: One brood from late July-early August.
Caterpillar hosts: Probably alpine avens (Dryas octopetala).
Adult food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Barren, windswept alpine ridges.
Range: Uncommon. British Columbia and Alberta south to northern Washington and northern Montana.
Conservation: Populations in the contiguous United States are extremely limited, occur on public lands, and should be conserved.
The Nature Conservancy Global Rank: G4 - Apparently secure globally, though it might be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management needs: None reported.
References:
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
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 1999 -
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