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House Joint Resolution 2 - IntroducedA Bill ForA Joint Resolution 1designating the regal fritillary as the
2official state butterfly of the State of Iowa.
3WHEREAS, the regal fritillary (Speyeria idalia) is one of
4Iowa’s largest native butterflies with a wingspan that can
5exceed four inches;and
6WHEREAS, the regal fritillary is one of temperate North
7America’s most striking butterflies with forewings that are a
8rich reddish orange with a number of irregularly shaped black
9spots and a deep orange-brown border, and hind wings that are
10a unique velvety, iridescent blue-black with cream and orange
11spots;and
12WHEREAS, the regal fritillary has statewide distribution,
13making it possible for Iowans to see adults flying in summer
14and early fall in association with native prairie habitats
15including upland and wet prairies;and
16WHEREAS, the regal fritillary is a univoltine species,
17meaning it takes one year for a single brood to complete the
18four stages of its life cycle;and
19WHEREAS, in the fall the female regal fritillary may lay up
20to two thousand eggs on the ground near the growing point of
21their host plant;and
22WHEREAS, soon after being laid the eggs hatch and the first
23instar larvae eat only their eggshells before hibernating and
24surviving the winter in their smallest form;and
25WHEREAS, in spring when the prairie violets, bird’s-foot
26violets, and other native violets begin to grow the larvae come
27out of winter diapause or dormancy to have their first host
28plant meal;and
29WHEREAS, most butterfly larvae have five larval instars,
30or growth stages, the regal fritillary is unique in that it
31completes six instars before it makes a chrysalis;and
32WHEREAS, the adults live one to three months and feed on
33nectar, mostly from thistles, blazing stars, coneflowers, and
34ironweeds;and
35WHEREAS, although the historic range of the regal fritillary
36covered the midwest, great plains, and the northeastern United
37States, habitat losses east of the Mississippi river have
38shifted its presence, placing Iowa in the core of its current
39range;and
40WHEREAS, as efforts are being made in the state to preserve
41prairies and reestablish grassland habitats, the regal
42fritillary is the perfect symbol to represent the prairie
43heritage of Iowa, and the disappearance of this butterfly from
44the state would be a tremendous loss;and
45WHEREAS, the General Assembly supports efforts to designate
46the regal fritillary as the state butterfly and raise awareness
47of all native butterflies and insects in the state;NOW
48THEREFORE,
49BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. STATE BUTTERFLY DESIGNATED. The regal
2fritillary (Speyeria idalia) is designated and shall be
3officially known as the state butterfly of Iowa.
4 Sec. 2. APPROPRIATE REPRESENTATIONS. The director of
5the department of cultural affairs shall obtain appropriate
6pictures and other representations of the regal fritillary
7and shall display the pictures and representations in an
8appropriate place in the state historical museum.
9 Sec. 3. OFFICIAL REGISTER. The legislative services agency
10shall include an appropriate picture and commentary of the
11regal fritillary in the Iowa official register along with the
12pictures of the state rock, state flower, state bird, and state
13tree.
14EXPLANATION
15The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
16the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
17This joint resolution designates the regal fritillary
18as the official state butterfly of Iowa. The director of
19the department of cultural affairs is required to obtain
20pictures and other appropriate representations of the regal
21fritillary and display the pictures and information in the
22state historical museum. The legislative services agency is
23required to include in the Iowa official register a picture of
24the regal fritillary along with pictures of the state rock,
25state bird, state tree, and state flower.
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2official state butterfly of the State of Iowa.
3WHEREAS, the regal fritillary (Speyeria idalia) is one of
4Iowa’s largest native butterflies with a wingspan that can
5exceed four inches;and
6WHEREAS, the regal fritillary is one of temperate North
7America’s most striking butterflies with forewings that are a
8rich reddish orange with a number of irregularly shaped black
9spots and a deep orange-brown border, and hind wings that are
10a unique velvety, iridescent blue-black with cream and orange
11spots;and
12WHEREAS, the regal fritillary has statewide distribution,
13making it possible for Iowans to see adults flying in summer
14and early fall in association with native prairie habitats
15including upland and wet prairies;and
16WHEREAS, the regal fritillary is a univoltine species,
17meaning it takes one year for a single brood to complete the
18four stages of its life cycle;and
19WHEREAS, in the fall the female regal fritillary may lay up
20to two thousand eggs on the ground near the growing point of
21their host plant;and
22WHEREAS, soon after being laid the eggs hatch and the first
23instar larvae eat only their eggshells before hibernating and
24surviving the winter in their smallest form;and
25WHEREAS, in spring when the prairie violets, bird’s-foot
26violets, and other native violets begin to grow the larvae come
27out of winter diapause or dormancy to have their first host
28plant meal;and
29WHEREAS, most butterfly larvae have five larval instars,
30or growth stages, the regal fritillary is unique in that it
31completes six instars before it makes a chrysalis;and
32WHEREAS, the adults live one to three months and feed on
33nectar, mostly from thistles, blazing stars, coneflowers, and
34ironweeds;and
35WHEREAS, although the historic range of the regal fritillary
36covered the midwest, great plains, and the northeastern United
37States, habitat losses east of the Mississippi river have
38shifted its presence, placing Iowa in the core of its current
39range;and
40WHEREAS, as efforts are being made in the state to preserve
41prairies and reestablish grassland habitats, the regal
42fritillary is the perfect symbol to represent the prairie
43heritage of Iowa, and the disappearance of this butterfly from
44the state would be a tremendous loss;and
45WHEREAS, the General Assembly supports efforts to designate
46the regal fritillary as the state butterfly and raise awareness
47of all native butterflies and insects in the state;NOW
48THEREFORE,
49BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. STATE BUTTERFLY DESIGNATED. The regal
2fritillary (Speyeria idalia) is designated and shall be
3officially known as the state butterfly of Iowa.
4 Sec. 2. APPROPRIATE REPRESENTATIONS. The director of
5the department of cultural affairs shall obtain appropriate
6pictures and other representations of the regal fritillary
7and shall display the pictures and representations in an
8appropriate place in the state historical museum.
9 Sec. 3. OFFICIAL REGISTER. The legislative services agency
10shall include an appropriate picture and commentary of the
11regal fritillary in the Iowa official register along with the
12pictures of the state rock, state flower, state bird, and state
13tree.
14EXPLANATION
15The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
16the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
17This joint resolution designates the regal fritillary
18as the official state butterfly of Iowa. The director of
19the department of cultural affairs is required to obtain
20pictures and other appropriate representations of the regal
21fritillary and display the pictures and information in the
22state historical museum. The legislative services agency is
23required to include in the Iowa official register a picture of
24the regal fritillary along with pictures of the state rock,
25state bird, state tree, and state flower.
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