Identification: Each hindwing of both sexes has a tail. Upper surface of male copper-brown with iridescent purple sheen; female with orange and dark brown pattern. Underside of both sexes gray; forewing with black spots, hindwing with black scrawls and a band of submarginal white crescents.

Life cycle: Males perch in open areas, often near watercourses or ravines, in the morning to watch for females. Eggs are laid singly on host plant or on debris under it, and hibernate until the following spring.

Flight: One flight from May-August. Wing span: 1 1/8 - 1 3/8 inches (3 - 3.5 cm).
Caterpillar hosts: Leaves of gooseberry and currant in the Grossulariaceae family.

Adult food: Flower nectar. Habitat: Open mixed woodland, sagebrush, chaparral.

Range: New Mexico north and west to Oregon, south to southern California and Baja California. [1]

Subfamily Heliconiinae - Heliconians and Fritillaries can be divided into 45-50 genera and were sometimes treated as a separate family (Heliconiidae) within the Papilionoidea.

Larvae of the Variegated Fritillary  eat a more varied diet of plants than just about any other variety of butterfly. Both the caterpillar and chrysalis are considered among the most beautiful of any of the North American butterflies. This butterfly has characteristics of the true fritillaries (Speyeria) which feed only on violets, and the longwing fritillaries (Agraulis) whose larvae eat only passion flowers. The V. fritillary caterpillar thrives on both types of plants [2].