University of Alberta Museums Search

The upperside is bright orange with multiple rows of black spots, and the hindwing underside is purple-brown, lacking prominent pale markings. The spring brood has a slightly darker upperside. Most similar to B. epithore and B. frigga, it can be separated by the shape of the forewing outer margin: it is slighlty angled out, giving a squared-off look. The forewing is evenly rouned in epithore and frigga. Subspecies jenistorum (=jenistae), described from Rivercourse, Alberta (Kondla 1996), occurs throughout the province.

The white eggs are laid near, but not often on, the larval hostplants (Scott 1986), and hatch in about 11 days (Bird et al. 1995). Mature larvae look much like those of B. selene, but have a purplish cast to them (Scott 1986, Guppy & Shepard 2001). The third or fourth instar larvae (of the second brood) overwinter (Scott 1986). This is our most common and widespread Boloria, and can be found in mesic habitats as well as dry prairie and pastures.