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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Butterflies and Skippers (Papilionoidea) » Brush-footed Butterflies (Nymphalidae) » Heliconians and Fritillaries (Heliconiinae) » Fritillaries (Argynnini) » Lesser Fritillaries (Boloria) » Meadow Fritillary - Hodges#4465 (Boloria bellona)

Species Boloria bellona - Meadow Fritillary - Hodges#4465

Classification · Hodges Number · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks · See Also · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited
Meadow Fritillary - Boloria bellona MN Aug - Boloria bellona Boloria bellona - female Nymphalidae, Meadow Fritillary - Boloria bellona - male Meadow Fritillary (Boloria bellona) - Boloria bellona - female Boloria bellona (Meadow Fritillary) ? - Boloria bellona Fritillary - Boloria bellona Meadow Fritillary - Boloria bellona
Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Superfamily Papilionoidea (Butterflies and Skippers)
Family Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Subfamily Heliconiinae (Heliconians and Fritillaries)
Tribe Argynnini (Fritillaries)
Genus Boloria (Lesser Fritillaries)
Species bellona (Meadow Fritillary - Hodges#4465)
Hodges Number
4465
Size
35-51mm with an average wingspan of 40mm
Identification
Dorsal, orange with black dots, and various lines. Usually the trailing edge of the HW lacks a dark border. Marginal black spots never form inward pointing chevrons, but may be roughly oval, rectangular, semicircular, or point outward.

Ventral, orange to brown, lacking white spots, and when fresh, a purplish sheen on the HW.

The elongate narrow front wing has a "chopped off" looking truncated tip.
Range
Throughout most of Canada, northern and eastern U.S. south to N.C.
Habitat
Moist meadows, but they have adapted to hayfields, ditches, and other disturber settings.
Season
In north and at high elevations, one brood, flying mostly in June. At lowest elevations and southward, April to October with two or perhaps three broods.
Food
Caterpillars feed on violets, and adults nectar on many flowers, and will extract minerals from the ground.
Life Cycle
Overwinter as young larvae.
Remarks
The eastern race (bellona) is lighter colored than the western races (toddi) and (jenistae).
Over the last century Meadow Fritillaries have extended their range south in the Mid-west, but have become more rare at their southern limits on the Plains.
See Also
Other Lesser Fritillaries
Checkerspots
Crescents
Print References
(1) (2) (3)
Internet References
Nearctica
Ma. NABA
Works Cited
1.Butterflies of the East Coast : An Observer's Guide
Rick Cech, Guy Tudor. 2005. Princeton University Press.
2.Butterflies of North America (Kaufman Focus Guides)
Jim P. Brock, Kenn Kaufman. 2003. Houghton Mifflin Co.
3.Butterflies Through Binoculars: The East
Jeffrey Glassberg. 1999. Oxford University Press.
Contributed by tom murray on 4 July, 2005 - 8:02pm
Additional contributions by Steve Nanz, David Ferguson
Last updated 9 October, 2017 - 1:44pm

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