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Wingspan Male: 39 - 44mm Female: 42 - 47mm

Heath Fritillary Melitaea athalia mell-it-EE-uh a-THAY-lee-uh Rottemburg, 1775 Ref: 1613

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

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 Heath Fritillary is one of our rarest butterflies and was considered to be on the brink of extinction in the late 1970s. Strange as it may sound, the extinction of the Large Blue in 1979 was to work in favour of this species, since the shock felt by many entomologists resulted in a renewed effort to conserve the Heath Fritillary. This required detailed knowledge of this butterfly's requirements and, as a result of research conducted by Martin Warren, appropriate habitat management plans were put into effect that saved this butterfly from extinction.

	Distribution

This butterfly is confined to a small number of sites in south-west England, in Devon and Cornwall, and in Kent in south-east England. It has also been reintroduced at sites in Essex. Although very local in its distribution, this butterfly can be seen in large numbers at some sites in good years.

This butterfly is widespread on the continent and can be one of the commonest butterflies seen in some regions. This butterfly forms discrete colonies and rarely strays from the main breeding grounds.

	Annual Cycle

At sites in the west country, this butterfly emerges in late May, peaking in early June. The butterfly emerges in early June elsewhere, peaking toward the end of June. There is one generation each year.

	Habitat

Colonies in south west England are found on heathland, as well as on rich grassland. Those in south east England are found in woodland. Whatever the habitat, this species requires areas that are relatively-warm. This could be a patch of heathland that has recently been burned or a newly-coppiced clearing in a wood. The butterfly will readily colonise such areas, which resulted in it being given the name of "woodman's follower" as it colonises new clearings that have been created in a wood.

Woodland colonies tend to use Common Cow-wheat and Foxglove as the larval foodplant, whereas those on other sites tend to use Ribwort Plantain and Germander Speedwell.

	Larval Foodplants

The primary larval foodplants are Common Cow-wheat (Melampyrum pratense), Germander Speedwell (Veronica chamaedrys) and Ribwort Plantain (Plantago lanceolata). Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) is also used.

	Nectar Sources

Adults feed primarily on Bramble (Rubus fruticosus agg.). Bugle (Ajuga reptans), Buttercups (Ranunculus spp.), Heather (Calluna vulgaris / Erica spp.), Knapweeds (Centaurea spp.) and Tormentil (Potentilla erecta) are also used.

	Imago

This butterfly is very variable in terms of both the colour and the pattern of the wings. The male is the more conspicuous of the two sexes as it patrols clearings in search of a mate. They can be seen flying close to the ground alternating a few flicks of their wings with a short glide. The female has a much more laboured flight, weighed down by her load of eggs. Having found a suitable area, she will crawl around the vegetation before laying an untidy batch of up to 150 eggs. These are typically laid close to the foodplant on the underside of a Bramble leaf, or on a dead leaf. Both sexes can often be found in the company of others as they bask on shrubs.

Photo © Vince Massimo 17-Jun-2009	Photo © Vince Massimo 17-Jun-2009	Photo © Vince Massimo 17-Jun-2009	Photo © Vince Massimo 19-Jun-2007
Photo © Pete Eeles 11-Jun-2005	Photo © Pete Eeles 12-Jun-2006	Photo © Pete Eeles 12-Jun-2006	Photo © Pete Eeles 12-Jun-2006
Photo © Pete Eeles 12-Jun-2006	Photo © Pete Eeles 12-Jun-2006

	Aberrations

Description to be completed

Photo © Vince Massimo 19-Jun-2007	Photo © Vince Massimo 19-Jun-2007	ab. cymathoe Photo © Marc Heath	ab. cymathoe Photo © Marc Heath
Photo © Jules Cross 07-Jun-2008	Photo © Jules Cross 11-Jun-2007	Photo © Elliott Staley 13-Jun-2009

	Ovum

Eggs are pale green when first laid, but soon turn pale yellow in colour. Eggs hatch in around 2 weeks.

Photo © Pete Eeles 02-Jul-2005

	Larva

On hatching, newly-emerged larvae eat their eggshells before moving together to the foodplant, where they spin a loose silk web on which they bask and from which they feed. The larvae eventually divide into smaller groups, creating new webs as required, before ultimately separating to find a curled up dead leaf within which to hibernate, although they may be found together in twos and threes.

The larvae emerge in the spring and recommence feeding and can be seen basking in full sun as they absorb the sun's rays, when their higher body temperature aids digestion. There are 5 moults in total.

Photo © Pete Eeles 19-May-2004	Photo © Pete Eeles 19-May-2004	Photo © Pete Eeles 24-Apr-2005	Photo © Pete Eeles 24-Apr-2005
Photo © Pete Eeles 24-Apr-2005

	Pupa

The pupa is formed among ground debris, attached upside-down to a dead leaf or twig. This stage lasts around 2 weeks.

Photo © Pete Eeles 10-Jun-2006	Photo © Pete Eeles 11-Jun-2008	Photo © Pete Eeles 11-Jun-2008	Photo © Pete Eeles 19-May-2004
Photo © Pete Eeles 28-May-2005

	Similar Species

Glanville 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

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	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
	East Blean Wood
	Haddon Hill, Hockley Woods, Thrift Wood
Not rated	Greenscombe Woods, Lydford Old Railway

	Conservation Status

This butterfly has suffered a long-term decline and requires targeted habitat management. This species continues to be a priority species for conservation efforts.

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

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.

• British Butterflies by Steven Cheshire
• Butterfly Conservation priority species factsheet
• 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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