Echinacea purpurea, or the common name, Purple Coneflower, is blooming right now. An herbaceous, perennial that is native to eastern North America. Though common in gardens, this species is fairly uncommon in the wild.
Pollinators of Echinacea are bees, butterflies and skippers. In the autumn, leave the seedheads and you’ll be rewarded by Goldfinches coming by to eat the seeds.
The butterfly enjoying the Echinacea in this picture is a Great Spangled Fritillary.
Something important to think about. Our native violets are the most important host plant for caterpillars of many Fritillary Butterflies.
And for a good number of them these violets are their only host plant.
Fritillary Butterflies fall into one of two genuses. Either Greater or Lesser. And as you might expect the larger of the butterflies are in the Greater category, or genus Speyeria. The Greater Fritillaries are a group of fourteen species. One of those species is the Great Spangled Fritillary.
The Variegated Fritillary is one of the Lesser Fritillaries. And of course is a smaller butterfly. There are sixteen butterfly species in this genus, Bolloria. Though it certainly has a similar coloring to the Great Spangled Fritillary which can be confusing, I know.
All fourteen of the Greater Fritillaries depend entirely on violets as their host plant. Which means their caterpillars will only survive by eating leaves of violet plants.
The Lesser Fritillaries’ caterpillars do also eat violet leaves but will eat other things as well such as passionflower.
Violets are not a nectar source for butterflies but considering their role as a host plant for their caterpillars, violets are very important in the world of butterflies.
Keep this in mind as you’re out weeding in your garden. Perhaps you can let some violets into that precious space.
Keep this in mind as you’re looking over your perfect lawn. Perhaps you can let some violets in here and there.
Or perhaps there is some shady spot in your yard where violets would love to share your world and help out Fritillaries.
