Bug FAQRegal Fritillary
Speyeria idalia · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Nymphalidae
The regal fritillary is a bright orange butterfly with dark hindwings marked by two rows of spots; females have white spots while males show orange on the outer row. It lives in tallgrass and mixed-grass prairies of the east-central United States, flies from June to September, and its caterpillars feed on violets while adults sip nectar from many flowers.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The butterfly is deep orange with dark hindwings that have two bands of spots; females have white spots in both bands, males have orange on the outer band.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Its wingspan ranges from about 68 to 105 mm (2.7 to 4.1 in).
Source: Wikipedia
How to get rid of it
Limited, carefully monitored use of herbicides and pesticides is acceptable where the butterfly occurs.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Caterpillars eat violet species (Viola spp.).
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Newly hatched larvae are about 0.08 in long and grow to roughly 1.75 in when fully developed.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are on the wing from June through September and fly swiftly close to the ground.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
The species is native to the east-central United States.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 33 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Iowa.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When are regal fritillaries active?
Adults fly from June to September, staying low and swift.
Source: Wikipedia
How large is a regal fritillary?
Its wingspan is typically between 68 and 105 mm (2.7 to 4.1 in).
Source: Wikipedia
How can I manage their habitat safely?
Use herbicides sparingly and only with careful monitoring; avoid heavy applications in prairie areas.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Nymphalidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regal_fritillary
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.