Euphydryas

Euphydryas is a genus of butterflies, family Nymphalidae, tribe Melitaeini, named by Samuel Hubbard Scudder in 1872, commonly called checkerspot and fritillary butterflies, comprising approximately 20 species across four subgenera. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution across North America, Europe and Asia, ranging from Arctic regions to Mediterranean areas with notable concentrations in the Rocky Mountains and alpine zones. Members display patterned wings typical of fritillaries and checkerspots, with checked or spotted patterns combining orange, black and white, and vary in size and coloration across species while sharing the family own characteristic wing venation; larval host plants vary by species but commonly include plantain, speedwell, honeysuckle and various wildflowers such as castilleja and pedicularis.