Hydaspe Fritillary

Not of concern.

One yearly flight peaking in mid July to mid August, depending on altitude and snowpack.

The core of Hydaspe's distribution is the Pacific Northwest, ranging north to central BC and the mountains of southern Alberta, and south to Colorado and California (Scott 1986). There is an isolated population in the Cypress Hills of Saskatchewan (Layberry et al. 1998), so it should be watched for on the Alberta side of the Hills.

The hindwing underside is diagnostic; no other Speyeria has a maroon-brown underside with creamy-white in place of the usual silvery-white discs. Subspecies rhodope occurs in Alberta (Kondla 2001).

Most often found near moist subalpine coniferous forests in Alberta.

The mature larvae are black and spiny, and lack pale markings (Guppy and Shepard 2001). In the US, first-instar larvae hibernate without feeding (Scott 1986). This species prefers cool/moist coniferous forests of the mountains to the dry grasslands inhabited by most other Speyeria.

The larvae feed on violets (Viola sp.) (Guppy & Shepard 2001), and adults are attracted to yellow composite flowers (Bird et al. 1995).