Tag Archives: great spangled fritillary

CIHA Fen (or is it Chia?)

Posted on June 9, 2018 by the roused bear

The Iowa Native Plant Society had a wildflower walk at CIHA fen in Johnson County today.  The first thing we had to figure out was how to pronounce the name.  I am not sure we got the definitive answer, but … Continue reading →

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Butterflies from Unusual Perspectives

Posted on June 22, 2015 by the roused bear

We have had some hot, humid and stormy weather lately–weather that is great for butterflies.  Tonight after work I chased the butterflies for a little bit and ended up with a couple of photos from unusual perspectives. We had a … Continue reading →

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Late Season Butterflies

Posted on September 16, 2014 by the roused bear

Monarchs are back! They are showing up in pretty good numbers, also.  Concerns about the status of the monarch are well founded, but they are having a really good year this year. The other late season butterflies are having a … Continue reading →

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A Great Spangled Fritillary

Posted on July 18, 2013 by the roused bear

One of our normally common large butterflies is the great spangled fritillary, Speyeria cybele.  This year they showed up later than normal, by about two weeks.  I had heard reports that they were numerous in southern Iowa, but had not … Continue reading →

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Butterflies in Love

Posted on July 2, 2012 by the roused bear

The other day we came across these great spangled fritillaries, Speyeria cybele,  engaged in a little courtship behavior.  Both were doing a lot of shimmering and shaking while hanging upside down under a wild bergamot flower.  I believe the female is … Continue reading →

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New Butterfly

Posted on July 2, 2011 by the roused bear

I drove up to a fen in northern Iowa with my friend Ty today.  I had a tip that Baltimore checkerspots, Euphydras phaeton, could be found there. The tip was right.  Thanks, Mark.  This is a new butterfly for me. … Continue reading →

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Great Spangled Fritillary

Posted on June 23, 2011 by the roused bear

This is the upper side of a great spangled fritillary.  It seems a little more red in the photo than I remembered it as I photographed it. Great spangled fritillaries are large butterflies with relatively long life spans.  They live … Continue reading →

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