Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia) is in the Brush-footed Butterflies family (Nymphalidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 63,817 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in September.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: summer visitor / breeder. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
When to photograph Variegated Fritillary: observations by month (U.S.)
About Variegated Fritillary
Euptoieta claudia, the variegated fritillary, is a North and South American butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. Even though the variegated fritillary has some very different characteristics from the Speyeria fritillaries, it is still closely related to them. Some of the differences are: variegated fritillaries have two or three broods per year vs. one per year in Speyeria; they are nomadic vs. sedentary; and they use a wide range of host plants vs. just violets. And because...From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Variegated Fritillary by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 22,625 | April | Apr–May |
| Virginia | 4,075 | September | Jun–Oct |
| Maryland | 4,037 | September | Jul–Oct |
| North Carolina | 3,881 | September | May–Oct |
| Oklahoma | 2,163 | May | Apr–Oct |
| Tennessee | 2,042 | September | Jun–Oct |
| Pennsylvania | 2,026 | September | Aug–Oct |
| Colorado | 1,962 | July | May–Oct |
| Arizona | 1,894 | August | May–Oct |
| New Mexico | 1,585 | July | Apr–Oct |
| Georgia | 1,503 | September | May–Oct |
| Ohio | 1,483 | September | Aug–Oct |
| Kentucky | 1,396 | September | Jul–Oct |
| Arkansas | 1,376 | August | May–Oct |
| Alabama | 1,136 | September | Jul–Oct |
| Illinois | 1,127 | September | Jul–Oct |
| Florida | 1,111 | May | Mar–Oct |
| Missouri | 976 | September | May–Oct |
| South Carolina | 928 | September | Apr–Oct |
| New Jersey | 872 | August | Jul–Oct |
| Kansas | 832 | June | May–Oct |
| Indiana | 698 | September | Aug–Oct |
| Delaware | 610 | September | Jul–Oct |
| Nebraska | 462 | July | Jun–Oct |
| New York | 369 | July | Jul–Sep |
| Louisiana | 363 | October | Apr–Nov |
| Mississippi | 358 | October | Apr–Oct |
| Utah | 291 | June | May–Jul |
| District of Columbia | 207 | September | Aug–Oct |
| South Dakota | 157 | July | Jun–Sep |
| Michigan | 154 | August | Jul–Oct |
| West Virginia | 150 | September | Jul–Oct |
| Minnesota | 125 | June | Jun–Aug |
| North Dakota | 116 | July | Jun–Aug |
| Wisconsin | 114 | August | Jun–Sep |
| Wyoming | 112 | September | Jul–Oct |
| Massachusetts | 102 | July | Jul–Oct |
| Connecticut | 90 | September | Jul–Oct |
| Montana | 89 | August | Jul–Oct |
| Iowa | 82 | July | Jun–Oct |
| California | 59 | September | Aug–Oct |
| New Hampshire | 18 | July | Jul–Jul |
| Nevada | 17 | April | Mar–Oct |
| Vermont | 14 | July | Jun–Jul |
| Maine | 11 | September | Aug–Sep |
| Idaho | 10 | July | Jul–Jul |
| Rhode Island | 6 | July | Jul–Sep |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related butterflies (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Photography tips
- Butterflies are sluggish on cool mornings — the best time for close approaches.
- Keep the sensor parallel to the wings for edge-to-edge sharpness.
- Nectar plants in bloom are reliable places to wait.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Variegated Fritillary?
Nationally, September has the most observations, with the main season from April to November.
Where is Variegated Fritillary most often seen?
The most observations come from Texas, Virginia, Maryland.