Marsh Fritillary
Image: Nicolaes de Bruyn / Assuerus van Londerseel (Public domain)
Common NameMarsh Fritillary
Scientific NameEuphydryas aurinia
FamilyNymphalidae
SubfamilyNymphalinae
Wingspan (mm)45
Primary Colorsorange, yellow, black
HabitatDamp grasslands, heathlands, woodland clearings, marshy meadows
Geographic RangeEurope, parts of Asia, North Africa
Host PlantsDevil's-bit Scabious, Plantains
Flight PeriodMay to July
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statusnear-threatened
Lifecycle NotesEggs are laid in batches on host plants. Larvae are gregarious, feeding communally in silken webs before overwintering as small caterpillars. They pupate in spring.
Identification TipsLook for the distinctive and complex checkered pattern of orange, yellow, and black on the wings. Often found in damp, unimproved grasslands with its primary host plant, Devil's-bit Scabious.
Description
A medium-sized butterfly with a highly intricate, mosaic-like checkered pattern of dark lines and spots on an orange and yellow background.
