Variegated Fritillary
Male - September 2016
The Variegated Fritillary is the closest thing you can find to a gold butterfly in New Jersey!! This might be my personal favorite species!! They have beautiful rectangle patterns on the upperside that form a lighter yellow band near the center, and bolder orangey gold on the inner and outer portions. Also look for the black dots near the wing margins.
Male - June 2022
These fritillaries can appear from April through December but I most often find them between June and August. They are usually near the edges of open fields where they will land on the soil or sometimes use clover or other low-growing flowers. I’ve also observed them puddling on sand.
Male - June 2022
I’ve found it exceedingly difficult to get ventral side photos of Variegated Fritillaries over the years as they are constantly moving about. In my experience they stick to a smaller general area but rarely perch with wings closed like this male on the wild field garlic bulb.
Female - July 2018
Most years I find only a few of these guys so it’s always a joy to observe them, and they’ll always be one of my faves.
Male - August 2019
I’ve seen Variegated Frits that are extremely worn and look almost white. Their wings get quite a bit faded and almost see-through. This one from August 2019 looks a bit different from the more vibrant newly emerged individuals. They can be confused with very worn American or Painted Ladies when in flight so take note.
