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silver-bordered fritillary
silver-bordered fritillary (Boloria selene)
Illinois Status: common, native
Photo © Michael Jeffords/Susan Post
Features and Behaviors
FEATURES
The silver-bordered fritillary is a small, mostly orange butterfly with black markings, 1.5 to 2 inches across. The underside of the hindwing has rows of metallic silver spots. The pattern can be extremely variable across its wide geographical range. The caterpillar is dark grey with mottled patches, and rows of stout, black spines.
BEHAVIORS
Can be found in the northern half of Illinois, in a variety of wet, open habitats such as wet meadows, marshes, or bogs, and often with willows. There are two to three generations of butterflies in a single year in this region. Males patrol wet meadows during most of the daytime, flying about a meter above the ground, and covering a distance up to two hectares (about five acres). Adults feed on the nectar of composite flowers, like black-eyed susan’s and goldenrod. Violets are probably the host for caterpillars. The overwinter in the caterpillar stage.
Illinois Range
Taxonomy
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nymphalidae
Habitats
A variety of wet, open habitats such as wet meadows, marshes, or bogs, and often with willows.
