Spotted Fritillary (Fritillaria atropurpurea) is in the lily family family (Liliaceae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 1,427 research-grade flowering observations of it in our sample, peaking in June.
Nationally it blooms mainly from May to June, but timing varies a lot by state and elevation — see the table below.
When to photograph Spotted Fritillary: observations by month (U.S.)
About Spotted Fritillary
Fritillaria atropurpurea is a species of fritillary known by several common names, including spotted fritillary, purple fritillary, spotted mountainbells, and spotted missionbells.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Spotted Fritillary by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 580 | June | May–Jun |
| Idaho | 163 | May | May–Jun |
| Wyoming | 160 | June | Jun–Jun |
| Oregon | 134 | May | May–Jun |
| Utah | 116 | May | May–Jun |
| Nevada | 110 | June | May–Jun |
| Montana | 97 | June | May–Jun |
| Arizona | 25 | April | Apr–May |
| Colorado | 16 | June | May–Jun |
| North Dakota | 12 | May | May–May |
| Nebraska | 7 | May | May–May |
| South Dakota | 7 | May | May–May |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related wildflowers (lily family)
Yellow Trout Lily
Checker Lily
White Globe Lily
Leichtlin's Mariposa Lily
Yellow Mariposa Lily
White Fawnlily
Tolmie's pussy ears
Gunnison's Mariposa Lily
Photography tips
- Photograph flowers on calm, overcast mornings to avoid wind blur and harsh shadows.
- Get low: a shallow depth of field (f/2.8–f/5.6) isolates a bloom against soft color.
- Stay on trails — trampling meadows kills plants and ruins next year's display.
- Try a kaleidoscope abstract of a single bloom with our online kaleidoscope tool.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Spotted Fritillary?
Nationally, June has the most observations, with the main season from May to June.
Where is Spotted Fritillary most often seen?
The most observations come from California, Idaho, Wyoming.