Northwestern fritillary facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Northwestern fritillary
Scientific classification

The northwestern fritillary (scientific name: Speyeria hesperis) is a beautiful butterfly. It belongs to a large group of butterflies called the Nymphalidae family. These butterflies are often called "brush-footed butterflies" because their front legs look a bit like brushes!

This butterfly was first described by a scientist named William Henry Edwards in 1864. It is known for its bright colors and can be found in North America.

What Does It Look Like?

The northwestern fritillary is a medium-sized butterfly. Its wings can spread out between 45 and 58 millimeters wide. That's about the length of two small paper clips!

Colors and Patterns

The top side of its wings is usually a bright orange color. However, female butterflies often have a more yellow shade. Both males and females have thin black markings on their wings. These markings help them stand out from other types of fritillary butterflies.

Where Does It Live?

You can find the northwestern fritillary in many parts of North America. It lives in the northwestern United States. It also makes its home in western Canada. Sometimes, you can even spot it as far east as Manitoba and the Dakotas. These areas have the right kind of plants and climate for this butterfly to thrive.

Similar Butterflies

Sometimes, it can be tricky to tell the northwestern fritillary apart from other butterflies. Here are a couple of similar species:

• Aphrodite fritillary (Speyeria aphrodite)
• Atlantis fritillary (Speyeria atlantis)