Lesser Marbled Fritillary
Common NameLesser Marbled Fritillary
Scientific NameBrenthis ino
FamilyNymphalidae
SubfamilyHeliconiinae
Wingspan (mm)40
Primary Colorsorange, brown, cream
HabitatDamp meadows, bogs, fens, forest clearings, marshy areas
Geographic RangeEurope (central, eastern, northern), Siberia, Mongolia, China, Korea, Japan
Host PlantsFilipendula ulmaria, Sanguisorba officinalis, Rubus idaeus, Spiraea salicifolia
Flight PeriodJune to August
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesEggs are laid singly on host plants. Larvae are spiny and typically overwinter as young instars before completing development and pupating near the ground.
Identification TipsDistinguished by its relatively small size among fritillaries and the unique marbled pattern on the hindwing underside, which lacks the prominent silver spots found in many other fritillary species, instead having small white spots.
Description
This butterfly displays a warm orange-brown upperside (not fully visible) and a distinctive hindwing underside, which features a complex, marbled pattern of yellowish-cream veins and patches against a reddish-brown background, with small white spots.
