Identify a butterfly

Breadcrumbs

Previous
Butterfly 4 of 9
Next
Heath Fritillary - Photograph by Jim AsherNBN Map - Heath FritillaryMap courtesy of National Biodiversity Network (NBN)View full NBN Gateway profile

Heath Fritillary

One of the smallest and darkest of our orange and brown fritillaries, but also one of the rarest. Restricted to woodland clearings at a few sites in Cornwall, Devon, Essex and Kent, and to sheltered valleys on Exmoor.

ResidentHeath Fritillary - Photograph by Jim Asher

Range declining.

The Heath Fritillary is distinguished by its dusky wing colours. It is restricted to a few specialized habitats where it flies close to the ground with characteristic flits and glides.

The butterfly has historically been linked with the traditional practice of woodland coppicing, giving it the local name of the 'Woodman's Follower' as it follows the cycle of cutting around a wood. Sadly it is now one of our rarest butterflies but has been saved from the brink of extinction by the concerted action of conservationists.

Conservation status

  • UK BAP status: Priority Species
  • Butterfly Conservation prority: High
  • European threat status: not threatened
  • Fully protected in Great Britain

European/world range

Widespread and often abundant through most of Europe and across Russia to Asia and Japan. Its range has changed little in southern Europe but it has declined in 12 European countries.

Foodplants

The main foodplants are Common Cow-wheat (Melampyrum pratense), Ribwort Plantain (Plantago lanceolata), Germander Speedwell (Veronica chamaedrys), and occasionally other speedwells (Veronica spp.). Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) can be a secondary foodplant, especially on Exmoor.

Habitat

The species uses sunny, warm, and sheltered habitats of two main types: coppiced or newly felled woodland on acid soils where Common Cow-wheat is abundant; and sheltered heathland combes (valleys) on Exmoor (up to 200-400m above sea level) where Common Cow-wheat grows as scattered plants on mineral soils amongst vegetation dominated by Bilberry.

On a few sites in south-west England, it also breeds on unimproved grassland with abundant Ribwort Plantain and/or Germander Speedwell growing in short or sparse conditions.