Santa Barbara Field Guides – Butterflies|
wingspread 1.75-2.25 in.|
Recognition: Orange to brown-orange with black markings and vein outines; underside is orange to tan, and lacks any characterictic silver spots common to the other Fritillaries.
Flight period: Flies from June to August.
Hostplants: Violet species (Violaceae) are used as larval hostplants.
Habitat: Seen most frequently in forest clearings.
Distribution: Found in select coastal mountains around central and southern California; from Monterey to San Luis Obispo County. Has not been spotted south of Atascadero.
Other: The range of this rare and unique Fritiallary is decreasing, and one hopes it will not fade away like its extinct, pale southern subspecies (S. adiaste atossa) is believed to have done.