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A somewhat variable species that can hard to distinguish from S. egleis and S. edwardsii. The ground colour of the hindwing underside is reddish brown, while egleis and edwardsii generally have an overall darker, more greenish hindwing, with a poorly defined submarginal pale band. The upperside of Zerene also has smaller dark markings than Egleis. Subspecies garretti inhabits Alberta.

Unknown in Alberta. The pink-tan eggs are laid near violets (Scott 1986), and mature larvae vary from orange-brown to grey to black, but generally with a lateral stripe (Layberry et al. 1998), and possess an eversible gland on the thorax which emits a musky smell, a possible anti-predator mechanism (McCorkle in Scott 1986). Larvae, like those of most other Speyeria, have spine-bearing protubernaces (Guppy & Shepard 2001). Females are able to delay egg laying until the cooler, moister conditions of late summer prevail (Scott 1986, Guppy & Shepard 2001). Subspecies hippolyta, the Oregon Silverspot, is threatened in the US, and ssp. bremneri (Bremner's Fritillary) is of special concern in BC (Guppy & Shepard 2001).