Looks like the Great Spangled Fritillary/Speyeria cybele. They love to nectar on coneflowers.

I agree. This species drops their eggs in the fall near the rhizomes of the violets. Egg hatch and tiny first instar caterpillars winter over. Don't clean up too much until late spring.

Here is a link that might be useful: Great Spangled Fritillary, Speyeria cybele

It's just beautiful!
Sherry

Oh, I'm feeling bad at this! Thank you so much for the ID! No need to worry about garden clean up. The most I do in the fall is cut daylily sticks down. It's so much easier to clean up when things are getting ready to pop...and it's basically when I'm ready as well.

Thanks again!
Kristy :)

Don't get too crazy about spring clean up either. :) The caterpillars overwinter and hide down in debris.

I was lucky enough to find two late instar caterpillars this spring. I had been clearing out a bed cursing myself because I had let the grass get in, but I found a GSF caterpillar. Got lucky!

A lot of butterflies overwinter in some form in debris. I try to inspect everything, and then once I see those butterflies on the wing (azures, coppers, frits, suplhurs, etc) I get a little more liberal with the clean-up.

Good point! Thanks, bernergrrl!

Kristy :)