What plants do regal fritillary caterpillars eat?
Violets are the only plant that regal fritillary larvae eat, though they also require warm-season grasses for cover. Butterflies have been observed on several types of violet. Healthy butterfly populations require a large number of violet plants for a sustainable ecosystem.
Is the regal fritillary endangered?
The regal fritillary (Speyeria idalia) merits listing as an “endangered” or “threatened” species under the ESA. The species is extirpated from much of its historical range and continues to face overwhelming threats from habitat destruction leading to fragmentation and degradation of the prairie landscape.
Where does the regal fritillary live?
Regal fritillary now occurs only in local colonies of rare grassland habitats in Pennsylvania and Virginia in the east, from southern Wisconsin west to Montana, and south to northeast Oklahoma in the west. This species is considered critically imperiled in Pennsylvania.
Is there a regal fritillary (Speyeria idalia) in Kansas?
Available from gpnc.org (accessed October 2007) Powell, A., Busby, W. H., and Kindscher, K. 2006. Status of the regal fritillary (Speyeria idalia) and effects of fire management on its abundance in northeastern Kansas, USA.
What does Speyeria idalia stand for?
Field study of the regal fritillary (Speyeria idalia). Report to the U.S. Department of Defense and The Nature Conservancy, Harrisburg, PA. Barton, B. 1994. The status of the regal fritillary. Report to the U.S. Department of Defense and The Nature Conservancy, Harrisburg, PA.
What happens to Fritillaries in Speyeria?
Mortality is very high during this life stage for most Speyeria species (Mattoon et al. 1971), and this stage is the most precarious for regal fritillaries. The tiny (2 mm), unfed larvae must survive the harsh conditions of winter, and then locate freshly emerging violet leaves before exhausting their limited reserves.
Where can I find regal fritillary?
Regal Fritillary ( Speyeria idalia ), presently listed as a Federal Species of Concern and Endangered in Wisconsin, has been found in large grassland areas with tallgrass prairie remnants or lightly grazed pasture lands containing prairie vegetation.