Marsh Fritillary

• Latin name: Euphydryas aurinia
• Family group: Fritillaries, Duke of Burgundy
• Countries: England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland
• Size: Medium

Resident

Range declining.

The wings of this beautiful butterfly are more brightly patterned than those of other fritillaries, with more heavily marked races being found in Scotland and Ireland. The larvae spin conspicuous webs that can easily be recorded in late summer.

The Marsh Fritillary was once widespread in Britain and Ireland but has declined severely over the twentieth century, a decline mirrored throughout Europe. Its populations are highly volatile and the species probably requires extensive habitats or habitat networks for its long term survival.

Conservation status

• UK BAP status: Priority Species
• Butterfly Conservation priority: high
• European threat status: vulnerable
• Fully protected in Great Britain and Northern Ireland
• Bern Convention (Annexe II) and EC Habitats and Species Directive (Annexe II).

European/world range

Widely distributed across Europe to Asia as far east as Korea. Declining in most European countries.

Foodplants

The main foodplant is Devil's-bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis). On calcareous grassland, it occasionally uses Field Scabious (Knautia arvensis) and Small Scabious (Scabiosa columbaria).

Habitat

The Marsh Fritillary breeds in open grassy habitats, especially damp grassland dominated by tussock-forming grasses; calcareous grassland (usually on west- or south-facing slopes in England or on eskers in Ireland); and heath and mire vegetation with Devil's-bit Scabious. Temporary colonies may also exist in large (> 1 ha) woodland clearings and in other grasslands.