Mormon Fritillary
(Argynnis bischoffii – formerly Argynnis mormonia)
Fritillaries
Appearance: Above, orange with black markings, thin black veining, and little or no basal darkening. Forewing is short and rounded. Male is somewhat paler than female; variable. In the Rockies the light yellow to cream submarginal spots are usually surrounded by black. Below, the ground color is variable, but essentially pale. Hindwing has a marginal row of silvered or white spots, a unmarked postmedian band and a median row of 5 or 6 large spots, with a smaller spot in the middle of the row. Usually smaller than most similar species.
Wingspan: Medium; 1 1/2 to 2 3/8 inches.
Habitat: Moist mountain habitats at and above approximately 6,000 feet; upper foothills, montane, alpine.
Flight Times: July to September; one brood.
Larval Foodplant: Violets.
Did You Know…
Males fly close to the ground looking for females. Females lay single eggs on leaf litter near host plants. Caterpillars do not feed, hibernating until the following spring when they feed on the leaves of early blooming, high altitude violets.
