North American Butterflies and Moths List

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Butterflies of North America

Astarte Fritillary (Boloria astarte)
JPG -- species photo

Astarte Fritillary (Boloria astarte [Doubleday & Hewitson])

Wing span: 1 5/8 - 2 inches (4.2 - 5.1 cm).

Identification: Wings orange-brown; upperside with dark markings heaviest near base of wings; underside of hindwing with white median and postmedian bands; submarginal and postmedian rows of small black spots.

Life history: Males patrol for females with a fast flight close to the ground, near host plants. Females lay eggs on or near the host plant.

Flight: One flight from June-August.

Caterpillar hosts: Spotted saxifrage (Saxifraga bronchialis).

Adult food: Flower nectar.

Habitat: Windswept, barren, alpine and arctic ridges.

Range: Very uncommon. Western mountains from Alaska and Yukon south through British Columbia and Alberta to northern Washington and northern Montana.

Conservation: Populations in the contiguous United States are very limited and all should be conserved.

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:


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

Astarte Fritillary (Boloria astarte)
distribution map
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