Great Spangled Fritillary

First significant butterfly shot of the year. The monarchs are close to three weeks later than last year finding this milkweed patch.

My master gardener friend said, “Looks just ‘released’ from cocoon.” I asked what led her to that assessment. She said, “The color looks so vibrant, and the deep folds in the hindwing make the wing look like it is not yet fully extended.” I see that.

» ID’ed as Speyeria cybele or “Great Spangled Fritillary”: [ BAMONA ]
» Submitted as Speyeria cybele or “Great Spangled Fritillary” to: [ BugGuide ]
» Species pages: [ BAMONA ] [ BugGuide ] [ UK Butterflies* ]

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* From UK Butterflies: “This is a North American species and a single specimen was caught in 1833 near Leamington in Warwickshire. It is believed that the individual was accidentally transported to Britain in an immature stage. A full description of this record is given in Mead-Briggs (2010).”

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May 18 posts
  1 year ago: No post [yet?]
 2 years ago: “I got ruthless…” (Ah, the old screens…)
 3 years ago: “Giving blood ‘at the bank’”
 4 years ago: “Everything is green at the lake”
 5 years ago: “One board: 4–5 hours [Filler: packing day]”
 6 years ago: “Preparing for incense”
 7 years ago: No post
 8 years ago: “Button fern”
 9 years ago: “A new rowing scull!”
10 years ago: “Too busy with other tasks…”
11 years ago: “Seven-spotted lady beetle”
12 years ago: “Bucket? That’s okay; I’ll just use this ‘straw’!”
13 years ago: “Tell Escher that these stairs ‘work’!” (The white paint before “Cakecream”)

[Mags]

Excellent shot!

[Danette Thompson]

Beautiful

[Jesika]

It does indeed look “just released” posh term eclosed but as it’s a butterfly it’s highly unlikely it was in a cocoon. Most butterflies pupate - caterpillar undergoing the great change of metamorphosis- do so in a chrysalis. Moths mostly create a cocoon, some underground, some on walls, some on plants, and then the chrysalis forms inside the cocoon. You have a beautiful photo of a beautiful butterfly.👏📷🦋

[Thom Mitchell]

@jesika2 Thanks for your comment! I went off to learn better terminology and it seems even some [online] dictionaries are a bit “fluid” about distinguishing between “cocoon” and “chrysalis.” I’m going to go with “cocoon” being the hard outer structure containing the “chrysalis,” which refers to the pupa (moth- or butterfly-to-be) on the inside. Does this agree with your understanding and/or the “proper” usage?

[Corinne C]

This is a stunning image!

[Thom Mitchell]

@corinnec Thanks! It was an easy choice for the day's post!