Meadow Fritillary

The Meadow Fritillary is a modestly sized member of the "lesser fritillary" group (genus Boloria), part of the brush-footed butterfly family Nymphalidae. Unlike the large, showy greater fritillaries, lesser fritillaries tend to be smaller, quicker in flight, and generally lack the metallic silver spotting on the underwing that gives fritillaries their name.

It is one of the most widespread and commonly encountered fritillaries in the northern and eastern United States and southern Canada, thriving in disturbed open habitats such as hayfields, pastures, and roadsides — places many other fritillary species avoid.

Because it tolerates a wide range of open, grassy habitats, the Meadow Fritillary remains common even in landscapes where native prairie has been lost, making it one of the more reliably seen fritillaries for casual observers.

• Small to medium fritillary with orange-brown upperwings marked by black spots, dashes, and a checkered wing border.
• Forewing tip is somewhat squared-off or truncated compared to the more rounded wingtips of other fritillaries.
• Underside of the hindwing is mottled purplish-brown to tan without the bright silver spots seen in greater fritillaries.
• Small body size, generally under 2 inches in wingspan, smaller than Regal or Diana Fritillaries.
• Distinguished from the similar Silver-bordered Fritillary by its plain (non-silvered) hindwing underside.

Common across the northeastern and north-central United States and adjacent Canada, extending into the Rocky Mountain region. Found in open, sunny habitats including hay meadows, pastures, weedy fields, marsh edges, and roadsides. Adults fly from late spring through early fall, with two to three broods in warmer parts of its range.

Adults fly with quick, low, darting movements just above the grass, frequently stopping to nectar at low-growing flowers such as clovers, asters, and black-eyed Susans. Males patrol open fields searching for females. The species feeds as a caterpillar exclusively on violet foliage and, as an adult, contributes to pollination of meadow wildflowers.

Females lay eggs singly on or near violet plants growing in open, grassy habitat. Caterpillars hatch and feed on violet leaves, and in northern populations the last-generation caterpillars overwinter as partially grown larvae, resuming feeding in spring before pupating. Multiple generations occur per year in southern portions of the range, while northern populations may produce only one or two broods.