Insect · GBIF taxon 1905162
Regal Fritillary
Speyeria idaliaThe Regal Fritillary is a large prairie butterfly with orange-and-black forewings and dark hindwings marked by pale spots. Females place eggs near violets, whose leaves feed the caterpillars after winter dormancy.
Prairie ButterflyViolet SpecialistSilver Spots
Licensed referenceSarah Bailey at English Wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
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—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Adults drink flower nectar; caterpillars feed on native violet leaves
Predators
- Birds
- Spiders
- Praying mantises
ThreatsPrairie conversion, poorly timed burns, pesticides, fragmentation, and host-plant loss
HabitatsTallgrass and mixed-grass prairie with abundant violets and nectar plants
Life spanOne generation per year; adults live for several weeks
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyNymphalidae
- SpeciesSpeyeria idalia
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Stay on paths and never collect adults, eggs, or violet host plants.
Responsible observation
- Pattern: Look for dark hindwings covered with pale spots.
- Habitat: Scan intact prairie flowers without leaving durable routes.
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