Regal Quest is an advanced community science project for experienced butterfly watchers to identify and document observations of regal fritillaries, a butterfly native to Minnesota's prairies. Regals were once found throughout the prairies of western and southern Minnesota, but as Minnesota’s landscape has changed, regal fritillary and other prairie butterfly populations have decreased. We want to learn where regal fritillaries are still living and breeding in Minnesota.
What are regal fritillaries?
The regal fritillary (Argynnis idalia) is a native Minnesota butterfly species whose presence indicates prairie health. It is one of the few prairie endemic species (found only in a specific area or habitat) remaining in Minnesota and has experienced significant population declines throughout its native range.
Due to these population declines, the regal fritillary was proposed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) for federal listing as a threatened species in 2024. It is state listed in Minnesota as a species of special concern.
What is Regal Quest?
Regal Quest is a project that engages volunteers to learn to identify regal fritillaries and other at-risk butterflies such as the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) and report observations during the regal flight period, generally mid-June – July.
We are especially interested in observations of female regal fritillaries, as this indicates there may be a breeding population at or near that location.
During the 2026 pilot year of the project, we are limiting participation to individuals and groups who already have experience working in prairies. See the “how to get involved” section below for more information.
Why research regal fritillaries?
Regal fritillary populations change from year to year, sometimes wildly. They are strong fliers and during years when their populations are larger, they can travel long distances and colonize new locations or recolonize previously occupied locations.
We need regular, consistent observations across their range to learn more about how many of them are still in Minnesota and where they are located.
This research will document butterfly populations throughout the state, update and expand existing distribution data and provide a baseline for focused research and population monitoring.
How to get involved
During the 2026 pilot year of the project, we are limiting participation to individuals and groups who already have experience with regals or regal habitat, including conservation professionals and others who are conducting work in priority survey areas. We look forward to welcoming additional volunteers in future seasons.
Anyone who wants to start getting involved in reporting regal fritillaries and practice skills for next season’s Regal Quest can submit observations to either of the following public databases:
iNaturalist-iNaturalist is easy and free to join, and your observations are added to a database used for conservation research. The Minnesota Butterflies project on iNaturalist (not DNR affiliated) is a great way to document butterflies and learn what other naturalists in your area are seeing. You don’t need to be a butterfly expert or even sure about what species you photographed, the whole iNaturalist community is there to help!
MN DNR Plant and Animal Observations Form-Using the DNR form is quick and easy, and reporting observations of regal fritillaries helps us document and track their populations.
Please be mindful! Any time you are searching for regals or enjoying nature on our public lands, remember to be careful not to spread invasive species. Follow the MN DNR’s Prevent the Spread guidance to help protect important wildlife habitat from invasive species.
Want to stay in the loop? Sign up for our community science bulletin newsletter for future project updates!
- FAQs
- Are regal fritillaries hard to identify?
Regal fritillaries are fairly easy to identify with a little practice, but they fly a lot and are relatively fast. Practicing your identification skills and using binoculars to ID nearby butterflies are both important for success.
How can I tell if an area is good habitat for regals?
Good habitat includes native (remnant) or sometimes restored prairies. When regals are abundant, males especially can fly quite far and have in the past been detected in old fields and filter strips between corn fields. Most of the time, female regals are found in remnant prairie habitat with prairie or birdsfoot violets. Check out our Rare Species Guide for a map of the historic regal fritillary range in Minnesota.
When are regal fritillaries found in Minnesota?
The regal flight period (the period when adult regals are active) is generally mid-June through July, though regals may be found earlier or later in the season. Males start flying first, followed by females about 2 weeks later.
- Regal fritillary resources
Funding for this program was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR) and the MN DNR Nongame Wildlife Program.