Where’s Wildlife · Butterfly Field Guide

Great Spangled Fritillary

Speyeria cybele

Pronounced (approx.): SPY-ree-uh SIB-uh-lee

Orange wings above and gleaming silver spots below make this large fritillary worth a closer look.

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Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele), with wings spread on orange milkweed flowers.

Select the photograph to browse all seven field photographs.

NATIVE TO NORTH AMERICA

At a Glance

Family
Nymphalidae · brush-footed butterflies
Habitat
Meadows, prairies, fields, and woodland edges [1]
Host Plants
Violets (Viola species) — caterpillar food [1]
Adult food
Flower nectar, including milkweeds, thistles, and bergamot [2]
Quick ID
Orange-and-black uppersides; silver-spotted hindwing undersides [1]
iNaturalist Observation Map ↗

Identification

Above: Rusty-orange wings carry dark spots and lines, with darker shading near the body. [1]

Below: The hindwing has silvery spots on brown, with a pale tan band near its outer edge. [1]

Similar species: Other large fritillaries can look very similar. Examine the hindwing underside instead of relying on orange color alone. [1]

Field Photographs

Compare upperwing patterns and silver-spotted undersides. Select any photograph to browse the full gallery.

Life Cycle & Host Plants

Females place eggs singly on or near violets in late summer or fall. Newly hatched caterpillars overwinter without feeding, then eat violet leaves and grow in spring. [1]

Caterpillars are dark with black spines whose bases are yellow-orange. [1]

Adult Feeding & Flower Visits

Adults visit many nectar flowers, including milkweeds, thistles, ironweeds, bergamot, and coneflowers. [2]

Milkweed flowers feed the adults; violets supply the caterpillar food. Both life stages matter when thinking about butterfly habitat. [1] [2]

Range & Sightings

Explore reported Great Spangled Fritillary sightings. Observation records show where people have documented butterflies and are not a complete range map.

View iNaturalist Observation Map ↗

Keep Learning

Explore Butterfly Milkweed
Explore the Butterfly & Moth Guide
Explore Wildlife Knowledge

Sources & further reading

[1] Missouri Department of Conservation — Great Spangled Fritillary
Identification, habitat, violet hosts, and overwintering life history.

[2] Butterflies and Moths of North America — Great Spangled Fritillary
Adult nectar plants and additional species information.

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