Pearl-bordered Fritillary

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

Resident

Range declining in England and Wales.

This is one of the earliest fritillaries to emerge and can be found as early as April in woodland clearings or rough hillsides with bracken.

It flies close to the ground, stopping regularly to feed on spring flowers such as Bugle. It can be distinguished from the Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary by the two large silver 'pearls' and row of seven outer 'pearls' on the underside hind wing, and also the red (as opposed to black) chevrons around the outer pearls and the small central spot on the hind wing.

The butterfly was once very widespread but has declined rapidly in recent decades, and is now highly threatened in England and Wales.

Conservation status

• UK BAP status: Priority Species
• Butterfly Conservation priority: high
• European threat status: not threatened
• Protected in Great Britain for sale only

European/world range

Widespread across Europe from northern Spain to Scandinavia, and eastwards to Russia and Asia. Apparently stable through much of Europe but declines reported in at least 12 countries.

Foodplants
The most widely used foodplant is Common Dog-violet (Viola riviniana) although it can use other violets such as Heath Dog-violet (V. canina) and in the north, Marsh Violet (V. palustris).

Habitat
Three main habitats are used: woodland clearings, usually in recently coppiced or clear-felled woodland; well-drained habitats with mosaics of grass, dense bracken, and light scrub; and open deciduous wood-pasture in Scotland, typically on south-facing edges of birch or oak woodland where there are patches of dense bracken and grazing by deer and/or sheep.

In all habitats it requires abundant foodplants growing in short, sparse vegetation, where there is abundant leaf litter.