This butterfly has a 1 3/4 to 2 1/4 inch wingspan. Dorsally, it is tawny- brown with 2 black narrow bands along the margins, a row of subterminal black spots and a band of pale yellow squares with black borders. Ventrally, it is brown with a pale, yellow diagonal stripe and no silver spots. The forewing is somewhat elongated. The caterpillar can reach 2 inches in length when mature. It is bright orange with black stripes and white spots. The head is red-orange with 2 long, black spines.
This is a fairly common butterfly in Fontenelle Forest and Neale Woods and can be found nectaring on flowers in the prairie or wherever there are flowers. The caterpillars feed at night and are almost never encountered.
The adult overwinters in the southern U.S. and spreads north in summer. Unlike the true fritillaries (Speyeria) whose caterpillars feed only on violets and the longwing fritillaries (Agraulis) whose caterpillars eat only passion flowers, the Variegated caterpillar eats both violets and passion flowers as well as plantain, flax and purslane. This fritillary is in the subfamilly Heliconiinae which includes Fritillaries and Longwings. Longwings are more southern and do not occur in this area.
Disclaimer: The content of NatureSearch is provided by dedicated volunteer Naturalists of Fontenelle Forest who strive to provide the most accurate information available. Contributors of the images retain their copyrights. The point of contact for this page is: Babs Padelford.