North American Ecology (US and Canada)
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Speyeria callippe is a resident in the Northwestern United States and Canada (Scott 1986). Habitats are chaparral, fairly dry woodland, sagebrush and prairie hills. Host plants are herbaceous species limited to genus Viola (Violaceae). Eggs are laid haphazardly and singly, near dried up host plants (Viola), where new plants will sprout the following spring. Individuals overwinter as unfed first instar larvae. There is one flight each year with the approximate flight time June 15-Aug 15, June1-July31 in the southern part of their range (Scott 1986).
Conservation Status
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Not of concern.
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Cyclicity
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One flight per year, peaking from late June to mid July.
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Distribution
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A western species, occuring from southern BC to southern MB, south to Baja California, MEX and CO (Scott 1986).
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General Description
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This is a relatively large Speyeria (wingspan 56 - 53 mm), with a pale-greenish, washed-out underside. Edwards' Fritillary can be similar, but is slightly larger and has a concave forewing margin. The Mormon Fritillary also often has a pale green underside (particularly prairie populations), but it is much smaller (40 - 50 mm). In Callippe the underside silver spots show through as slightly paler orbs on the upperside. Subspecies calgariana, described from the vicinity of Calgary, occurs on the Alberta prairies, while populations from the Crowsnest Pass more closely resemble subspecies semivirida (Bird et al. 1995).
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Habitat
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Dry or sandy prairie grasslands, occasional in the foothills and parkland.
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Life Cycle
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The tan-coloured eggs are laid near dried-up violets, where fresh leaves for larvae to feed on will appear in the spring (Scott 1986). The mature larvae are very similar to S. zerene, being predominantly black with spiny protuberances (Scott 1986). Callippe males patrol topographical prominences in search of females (Scott 1986).
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Trophic Strategy
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Blue Prairie Violet is the larval foodplant in Alberta (Bird et al. 1998). Adults nectar at alfalfa, gailardia, and thistles (Bird et al. 1998, Hooper 1973).
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Speyeria callippe
provided by wikipedia EN
Speyeria callippe, the callippe fritillary, is a North American species of butterflies in the brush-footed family Nymphalidae.
Subspecies
Listed alphabetically:[2]
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S. c. calgariana (McDunnough, 1924)
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S. c. callippe Boisduval, 1852
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S. c. comstocki (Gunder, 1925) – Comstock's silverspot
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S. c. elaine dos Passos & Grey, 1945
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S. c. gallatini (McDunnough, 1929)
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S. c. harmonia dos Passos & Grey, 1945
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S. c. juba (Boisduval, 1869)
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S. c. laura (Edwards, 1879)
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S. c. laurina (Wright, 1905)
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S. c. liliana (H. Edwards, 1877)
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S. c. nevadensis (Edwards, 1870)
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S. c. macaria (Edwards, 1877)
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S. c. meadii (Edwards, 1872)
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S. c. rupestris (Behr, 1863)
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S. c. semivirida (McDunnough, 1924)
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S. c. sierra dos Passos & Grey, 1945
Distribution and habitat
This species can be found in North America, from Central British Columbia east to South Dakota and Manitoba, south to southern California, Nevada, Utah, and Colorado. These butterflies usually inhabit sagebrush, dry woodland, edge of forests, chaparral and grassy hillsides.[3][4]
Description
Speyeria callippe can reach a wingspan of 5–6.4 cm (2.0–2.5 in). In these large and widespread butterflies the color of the upperside of the wings varies from tawny to bright red-brown with black evenly-spaced zigzag stripes. The entire outer contour is black-brown, divided by a row of pale lunules. The underside of the forewings is red fawn, with the same design as above, and a series of marginal silver lunules. The underside of the hindwings is brown, with about twenty-two large silvered spots and triangular silver submarginal spots with narrow brown edges.[1][3] In the last stage the larvae are greyish, with black and grey patches and black-orange spines. [5][6]
Biology
Speyeria callippe is a univoltine species. Adults fly from May to August, usually patrolling for females, which emerge before males. Eggs are laid in litter near the host plants. Unfed first-stage caterpillars overwinter until spring, when they feed on leaves of Viola pedunculata, Viola nuttallii, Viola beckwithii, Viola douglasii and Viola purpurea.[3][2]
Gallery
Speyeria callippe. Upperside
References
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Speyeria callippe: Brief Summary
provided by wikipedia EN
Speyeria callippe, the callippe fritillary, is a North American species of butterflies in the brush-footed family Nymphalidae.
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