A Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele) nectars on a golden yellow Black-eyed Susan flower. The butterfly is sitting tilted with wings partially open so that light shines through three wings at once, showing the beautiful wing patterns of black checks and white spots on a background of golden orange.
The Great Spangled Fritillary sits on the Rudbeckia hirta flower, wings open. The furry body and central part of the wings are a warm rusty brown, with black shoulders patterned in orange blocks. The borders of both top and bottom wings have a wide band of light golden orange decorated with black dots and scallops and a slim edge of white.
The Great Spangled Fritillary with wings closed, showing the coppery-gold iridescent color under the wings, decorated with rows of large shiny spots of white outlined in brown. Oklahoma Northern Cross Timbers ecoregion, zone 7b.
A new butterfly in my garden, the Great Spangled Fritillary. The caterpillars will hatch this summer, then spend winter sleeping in the leaf litter under the violets they need to eat next spring. #butterflies #NationalPollinatorWeek #gardening 🌱 🦋