Diagnostic description ⁸

If seen well both sexes are unmistakable, but inexperienced persons sometimes mistake large southern females of S. cybele for male S. diana when seen flying. For the male the plain two-tone brownish underside hindwing with some silver at the margins but no silver spots, and solidly dark basal portion and almost unmarked orange outer third of both wings above are diagnostic. For the female a lack of tails and lack of any orange spots on the hindwing beneath or elsewhere and extensive blue on the hindwing above combined with three rows of white or bluish white (but not yellowish) spots on the forewing above are diagnostic. While a forest understory setting for a larva would suggest this species, for now identifications should not be based on immatures since S. cybele caterpillar is similar (see illustration in Allen, 1997).

Distribution ⁹

Global Range: (200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)) As of about year 2003, this species had essentially a two part range in the Appalachians from the Virginias and eastern Kentucky into north Georgia and probably Alabama and separately in the Ozarks and Quachitas of Missouri and Arkansas. Within Arkansas and adjacent regions and its main Appalachian range it is fairly widespread (perhaps less so in West Virginia) and occurrences may be very hard to define. It is now very rare and sporadic or absent elsewhere.

Originally possibly as far north as western Pennsylvania, and certainly west through the Ohio Valley to Illinois, and south to northern Louisiana, although somewhat spotty. Former disjunct coastal plain-eastern piedmont populations of Virginia and North Carolina populations seem to be eradicated. Probably no longer resident in Ohio, Indiana or Illinois. Not now found in Pennsylvania or Maryland but there is no real evidence it was ever established in these states.

Habitat ¹⁰

Comments: Breeding habitat is deciduous or mixed forest with a lot of violetds in the understory in most of the range. In Arkansas oak woodland or savanna, with a lot of violets in the understory are also breeding habitats. While violets do occur in open areas, there is no evidence females oviposit there. James Bess (pers. comm. to Schweitzer, February, 2005) verifies that breeding habitats in Arkansas are wooded, but not as heavily as eastward. In most of the range habitats are generally mesic, such as cove forests, but sometimes bottomlands are also used. Adults also use adjacent fields, pastures, shrublands and grassland for nectar and such places are part of the habitat. In Arkansas, and more widely, breeding habitats and nectaring habitats may be quite different (Moran and Baldridge, 2002) and bothare checked off here. Flower preferences may vary regionally. For example milkweeds are often used farther east and are not noted in this Arkansas study (Table 1).

North American ecology (US and Canada) ¹¹

Speyeria diana is resident in the s. Appalachians from western Va and WV to northeast Ga and the Ark. Ozarks. It is migratory but uncommon elsewhere and became extinct in southeastern Va in 1951 (Scott 1986). Habitats are deciduous and pine woodland near streams. Host plants are herbaceous, limited to a few species of genus Viola (Violaceae). Eggs are laid haphazardly, near the host plant, singly. Individuals overwinter as unfed first instar larvae. There is one flight each year with the approximate flight time June 15-early Aug. (Scott 1986).

Sources and Credits

1. (c) Diana-Terry Hibbitts, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Diana-Terry Hibbitts
2. (c) Jerry Oldenettel, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/jroldenettel/4694992056/
3. (c) Bill Bouton, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://butterfliesofamerica.com/images/Nymphalidae/Argynnini/Speyeria_diana/Speyeria_diana_M_Viola_TN_17-VI-06__121.jpg
4. (c) Flutterbug5, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), https://www.flickr.com/photos/flutterbug5/1134368131/
5. (c) acole, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
6. (c) Jerry Oldenettel, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/jroldenettel/4694362517/
7. (c) Jim P. Brock, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://butterfliesofamerica.com/images/Nymphalidae/Argynnini/Speyeria_diana/Speyeria_diana_last_instar_larva_ex_ova_ex_female_USA_GEORGIA_Fanin_Co._Cooper_Creek_August_1999.jpg
8. (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/28809000
9. (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/28808995
10. (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/28809002
11. Adapted by Will Kuhn from a work by (c) Leslie Ries, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://eol.org/data_objects/19885200

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