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Wingspan Male: 38 - 46mm Female: 44 - 52mm

Glanville Fritillary Melitaea cinxia mell-it-EE-uh SINK-see-uh Linnaeus, 1758 Ref: 1612

Superfamily: Papilionoidea Family: Nymphalidae Subfamily: Argynninae Genus: Melitaea Subgenus:   Species: cinxia

Introduction Distribution Annual Cycle Habitat Larval Foodplants Nectar Sources

Imago Ovum Larva Pupa Similar Species Videos

Sites Conservation Status Links References

Male

Male Underside

Female

Female Underside

	Introduction

The Glanville Fritillary is named after Lady Eleanor Glanville, a 17th century Lepidopterist who discovered this species in Lincolnshire. After her death, one of her sons contested her will on the grounds of lunacy, as eloquently described by Moses Harris in "The Aurelian" in 1766: "This Fly took its Name from the ingenious Lady Glanvil, whose Memory had like to have suffered for her Curiosity. Some Relations that was disappointed by her Will, attempted to let it aside by Acts of Lunacy, for they suggested that none but those who were deprived of their Senses, would go in Pursuit of Butterflies".

	Distribution

This butterfly forms discrete colonies with little interchange between them. However, the odd stray will turn up several miles from any known colony.

This butterfly is at the northern limit of its range in the British Isles and, aside from the odd unauthorised introduction, is found mainly on the Isle of Wight and in a couple of locations on the south Hampshire coast. It is also found on Guernsey and Alderney in the Channel Islands. It was formerly known as far north as Lincolnshire.

	Annual Cycle

Adults emerge at the end of May, reaching a peak at the start of June. There is typically one generation each year but in good years, when there has been a particularly-early emergence that starts as early as April, there may be a partial second brood that emerges in August.

	Habitat

This species is primarily found in locations where regular disturbance of the ground allows the foodplant to grow and flourish, as is the case in coastal areas where there are frequent cliff falls. This allows the butterfly to move to new areas as the existing habitat becomes overgrown.

	Larval Foodplants

The primary larval foodplant is Ribwort Plantain (Plantago lanceolata).

	Nectar Sources

Adults feed primarily on Bird's-foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), Dandelion (Taraxacum agg.), Hawkweeds (Hieracium/Hypochoeris) and Thrift (Armeria spp.).

	Imago

This is a sun-loving butterfly, being active only in bright sunshine. Like most fritillaries, it is difficult to follow as it flies with a series of rapid wing beats followed by a short glide. Both sexes are avid nectar feeders, Thrift and Bird's-foot Trefoil being particular favourites. The adults roost, often communally, on flower heads of various grasses.

The male is the most conspicuous of the two sexes, as it patrols the breeding grounds, investigating any brown object in the hope of finding a less-conspicuous virgin female in the vegetation. Even while mating the pair may remain active, flying between shrubs and even nectaring.

The female takes great care when choosing a site in which to lay her batch of eggs. Favoured sites are sheltered and warm, and where relatively-young foodplant grows vigorously with plenty of bare ground around.

Photo © Trev Sawyer	Aude France August 2008 Photo © Charles Nicol	Photo © Pete Eeles 19-May-2008	Photo © Pete Eeles 19-May-2008
Photo © Pete Eeles 19-May-2008	Photo © Pete Eeles 19-May-2008	Photo © Pete Eeles 29-May-2007	Photo © Pete Eeles 18-Jun-2006
Photo © Pete Eeles 18-Jun-2006	Photo © Pete Eeles 25-Jun-2005	Photo © Vince Massimo 20-Jun-2006	Photo © Vince Massimo 19-Jun-2006
Photo © Vince Massimo 19-Jun-2006	Photo © Vince Massimo 20-Jun-2006	Photo © Roger Buchanan	Photo © Clive 04-Jun-2010

	Aberrations

Description to be completed

	Ovum

The yellow eggs are laid in large and untidy batches of between 50 and 200 on the underside of a leaf of the foodplant. This stage lasts between 2 and 3 weeks.

Photo © Pete Eeles 02-Jul-2005

Photo © Brian Clegg

	Larva

After hatching, the gregarious larvae spin a silk web over the foodplant in which they live and feed, and on which they bask. After the 4th moult, the larvae build a tent in which to hibernate, usually formed low down in vegetation. They emerge in the spring and only feed during periods of sun; in dull weather they remain motionless.

The larvae are unmistakable, their black bodies contrasting sharply with their dark red heads. They can also be extremely conspicuous when basking or feeding together - forming a black mass against their background. As for several other species, the larvae will instantly roll into a ball when disturbed, dropping deep into the undergrowth. Mature larvae leave the communal web and disperse to find fresh foodplant on which to feed. They are voracious feeders and a group can quickly decimate an entire plant. As a result, starvation of the larvae can be a real threat to this species. There are 6 moults in total.

Photo © Pete Eeles 07-May-2006	Photo © Mikhail	Photo © Pete Eeles	Photo © Pete Eeles 15-Sep-2005
Photo © Pete Eeles 15-Sep-2005	Photo © Pete Eeles 19-May-2004	Photo © Pete Eeles 26-Apr-2006	Photo © Pete Eeles 29-Mar-2006

	Pupa

The pupa is shiny and dark brown, with a series of orange spots running down its back. It is formed head down, attached by the cremaster, in a loose shelter formed deep in vegetation or in a rock crevice, where several pupa may be found together. This stage lasts around 3 weeks.

Photo © Pete Eeles 05-Jun-2004

Photo © Pete Eeles 29-Jun-2004

Photo © Pete Eeles 29-Jun-2004

Photo © Pete Eeles 30-May-2005

	Similar Species

Heath Fritillary

The Glanville Fritillary and Heath Fritillary are easily distinguished in the UK since the Glanville Fritillary is generally only found on the Isle of Wight, with a small colony on the mainland. Heath Fritillary do not occur here. Where these 2 species do occur together on the continent, they are most easily distinguished from their undersides. The Glanville Fritillary has several spots on the underside that are not present in the Heath Fritillary.

Glanville Fritillary	Heath Fritillary

	Videos

Play Video

Play Video

	Sites

Click here to see the distribution of this species overlaid with specific site information. Alternatively, select one of the sites listed below.

Rating	Sites
	Wheelers Bay
	Bonchurch Down, Hordle Cliff
Not rated	Horseshoe Bay

	Conservation Status

The colonies found in the British Isles, where this species is at the limit of its northern range, are considered relatively-stable. However, this butterfly is vulnerable to improvements to its coastal habitats and so it is a species of conservation concern.

UK BAP Status	Distribution Trend	Population Trend
Priority Species Click here to access the Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) for this species.		Insufficient Data

From The State of Butterflies in Britain and Ireland and the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UK BAP) (2007 review).

	Links

The following links provide additional information on this butterfly.

• BBC The One Show feature
• British Butterflies by Steven Cheshire
• Butterfly Conservation species action plan
• Butterfly Monitoring Scheme
• European Butterflies by Christopher Jonko
• European Butterflies by Matt Rowlings
• Guy Padfield's European Butterfly Page
• Learn About Butterflies by Adrian Hoskins
• Moths and Butterflies of Europe and North Africa
• Natural History Museum (Cockayne Database)

	References

The species description provided here has been derived from the author's own observations and the information contained in the following works:

• A Natural History of British Butterflies, by F.W.Frohawk.
• British and Irish Butterflies, by Adrian M. Riley
• South's British Butterflies, by T.G.Howarth (which is based extensively on the classic work, "The Butterflies of the British Isles", by Richard South).
• The Butterflies of Britain and Ireland, by Jeremy Thomas and Richard Lewington.
• The Millennium Atlas of Butterflies in Britain and Ireland, by Jim Asher, Martin Warren, Richard Fox, Paul Harding, Gail Jeffcoate, Stephen Jeffcoate.
• The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland Volume 7 (1) Hesperiidae to Nymphalidae (the Butterflies), by A. Maitland Emmet and John Heath (editors).
• The State of Butterflies in Britain and Ireland, Richard Fox, Jim Asher, Tom Brereton, David Roy and Martin Warren.

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