Butterfly Conservation is a registered charity with a national membership of over 14,000. The Society is dedicated to the conservation of butterflies, moths and their habitats.
Butterfly taxonomy (classification) The skippers The swallowtails The whites The hairstreaks, coppers and blues. Includes the Duke of Burgundy. The nymphalids, fritillaries and browns. Includes the Monarch.
Pearl Bordered Fritillary Male - Abbots Wood, Sussex 22-April-09Wingspan
Male: 38 - 46mm
Female: 43 - 47mm
Pearl-bordered Fritillary

Boloria euphrosyne
Pronunciation boh-LOR-ee-uh
you-FROZ-sy-nee
Linnaeus, 1758
Ref: 1601
Superfamily: Papilionoidea
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Argynninae
Genus: Boloria
Subgenus:  
Species: euphrosyne
< Previous Species (Click here to show all available media for this species) Next Species >



Pearl Bordered Fritillary Male - Abbots Wood, Sussex 22-April-09
Male
Pearl-Bordered Fritillary - imago - Bentley Wood - 12-May-06 (0112)
Male Underside
Pearl Bordered Fritillary Female - Abbots Wood, Sussex 28-May-06
Female
Pearl Bordered Fritillary Female - Abbots Wood, Sussex 26-April-07
Female Underside

Introduction  

This woodland butterfly gets its name from the series of "pearls" that run along the outside edge of the underside of the hindwing. Males are often seen flying swiftly, low across the breeding site in search of a mate and are extremely difficult to follow, the colouring of the wings providing excellent camouflage against the dead bracken that is often found at these sites. The Pearl-bordered Fritillary may fly with the Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary at certain sites, although the Pearl-bordered Fritillary, which emerges a couple of weeks before the Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, generally appears much paler in colour as a result.

Distribution  

This butterfly forms discrete colonies which can be found in isolated pockets in southern and western England, Wales, Scotland and the Burren in western Ireland. Colonies can fluctuate wildly in numbers, from a couple of dozen to over a thousand, this being largely-determined by the availability of suitable habitat. Most colonies contain a few dozen adults.

Annual Cycle  

This is the earliest of our fritillaries to emerge. In good years, the butterfly emerges at the end of April in the south - this butterfly once being known as the "April Fritillary" as a result. Most adults emerge at the start of May, but may not appear until the end of May in more northern sites. In exceptional years, there may be a partial second brood at some southern sites, with adults emerging in August.


Habitat  

This butterfly is typically found in deciduous woodland containing open areas, such as woodland clearings, that provide the right conditions, foodplants and nectar sources for this species to thrive. This butterfly can also be found in conifer plantations and limestone pavements in some areas. Sites are generally suitable 2 to 4 years after a woodland clearing has been formed, when the foodplants and nectar sources are optimal for this species. However, these sites can quickly become overgrown and, unless there is suitable habitat nearby, colonies will tend to die out.

Larval Foodplants  

The primary larval foodplant is Common Dog-violet (Viola riviniana). Heath Dog-violet (Viola canina) and Marsh Violet (Viola palustris) are also used.

Nectar Sources  

Adults feed primarily on Bugle (Ajuga reptans). Bird's-foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), Bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scriptus), Buttercups (Ranunculus spp.), Dandelion (Taraxacum agg.), Hawkweeds (Hieracium/Hypochoeris), Ragged Robin (Lychnis flos-cuculi), Selfheal (Prunella vulgaris), Thistles (Cirsium spp. and Carduus spp.) and Tormentil (Potentilla erecta) are also used.

Imago  

Males start their day by nectaring on various flowers, such as those of Bugle, Dandelion, Bird's-foot Trefoil and Buttercup, before patrolling low over the breeding sites in search of a mate, investigating any reddish brown object encountered. When a virgin female is found, the female will fly to a suitable platform, sometimes at some height, where the two mate, staying together for 30 to 60 minutes. Egg-laying females are relatively-easy to follow in flight as they flutter slowly and deliberately low down over vegetation, searching out suitable patches of foodplant on which to lay.


Pearl-bordered Fritillary. New Forest. 25 May 2006
Photo © Mikhail
B.euphrosyne N Yorks 230509 2
Photo © Paul
Pearl Bordered Fritillary pair - Abbots Wood, Sussex 9-May-08
Photo © Vince Massimo
09-May-2008
Pearl Bordered Fritillary Female - Abbots Wood, Sussex 26-April-07
Photo © Vince Massimo
26-Apr-2007
Pearl Bordered Fritillary Female - Abbots Wood, Sussex 28-May-06
Photo © Vince Massimo
28-May-2006
Pearl Bordered Fritillary Male - Abbots Wood, Sussex 26-April-07
Photo © Vince Massimo
26-Apr-2007
Pearl Bordered Fritillary Male - Abbots Wood, Sussex 22-April-09
Photo © Vince Massimo
22-Apr-2009
Pearl Bordered Fritillary Male - Abbots Wood, Sussex 22-April-09
Photo © Vince Massimo
22-Apr-2009
Pearl-Bordered Fritillary - imago - Bentley Wood - 01-May-09 (7)
Photo © Pete Eeles
01-May-2009
Pearl-Bordered Fritillary - imago - Bentley Wood - 10-May-06 (0080)
Photo © Pete Eeles
10-May-2006
Pearl-Bordered Fritillary - imago - Bentley Wood - 10-May-06 (0085)
Photo © Pete Eeles
10-May-2006
Pearl-Bordered Fritillary - imago - Bentley Wood - 12-May-06 (0112)
Photo © Pete Eeles
12-May-2006
Pearl-Bordered Fritillary - imago - Bentley Wood - 20-May-04 (2)
Photo © Pete Eeles
20-May-2004
Pearl-bordered Fritillary. New Forest. 25 May 2006
Photo © Mikhail
Pearl-Bordered Fritillary - imago - Bentley Wood - 12-May-06 [Adrian Hoskins]
Photo © Adrian Hoskins
Pearl-bordered Fritillary
Photo © Gruditch
03-May-2009

Aberrations  

Description to be completed


Pearl Bordered Fritillary Female (dark form) - Abbots Wood, Sussex 28-May-06
Photo © Vince Massimo
28-May-2006
Pearl Bordered Fritillary Female (dark form) - Abbots Wood, Sussex 28-May-06
Photo © Vince Massimo
28-May-2006
Pearl-Bordered Fritillary - aberration - Bentley Wood - 05-May-05
Photo © Pete Eeles
05-May-2005
Peal-Bordered Fritillary - aberration - Unknown location - Unknown date [REARED] [Mike Mullis]
Photo © Mike Mullis
Pearl-Bordered Fritillary - aberration - Marsland - 08-May-04 [Roger Harding]
Photo © Roger Harding
male pearl bordered fritillary, ab.transversa new copse inclosure
Photo © geniculata
12-May-2005

Ovum  

Eggs are generally laid singly on the underside of a leaf of the foodplant, but may be laid on nearby vegetation. The egg is yellow when first laid, turning grey prior to the larva emerging. This stage lasts around 2 weeks.


Pearl-Bordered Fritillary - ovum - nr Stockbridge Down - 11-May-07 (1)
Photo © Pete Eeles
11-May-2007

Larva  

Larvae feed by day and generally rest in leaf litter, but can also be found, especially after hibernation, basking on dead bracken. Larvae will eat whole leaves, leaving just the stem intact. They will also feed on only the leaf lobes, at the base of the leaf, leaving characteristic feeding damage that can give away the presence of a nearby larva. After moulting for the third time the larva enters hibernation, generally in a dried leaf, emerging in the spring to complete its growth. There are 4 moults in total.


Pearl-Bordered Fritillary - larva - Thatcham - 16-Jul-08 (1) {REARED}
Photo © Pete Eeles
16-Jul-2008

Pupa  

The pupa is formed low down in vegetation, suspended head down and attached by the cremaster. This stage lasts around 3 weeks.

Similar Species  

Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary

The Pearl-bordered Fritillary and Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary are most easily distinguished by their undersides. Both species have a row of 7 white "pearls" running along the edge of the hindwing (hence their vernacular names). However, the Pearl-bordered Fritillary has only 2 additional "pearls" on the underside hindwing, whereas the Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary has many more. The Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary also has a greater variety of brown colouration making it, in general, the more colourful underside.

Pearl-bordered Fritillary Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary

It is much more difficult to distinguish the Pearl-bordered Fritillary from the Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary based on their uppersides. However, as can be seen in the figures below, there are two general differences. The first is that, in the Pearl-bordered Fritillary, the triangles next to the wing edge are often "floating" and not attached to the outer margin. The second is that, in the Pearl-bordered Fritillary, the second row of dots from the edge are midway between the outer row of dots, and the inner row of dots. Whereas in the Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, the dots are not midway, but distinctly closer to the outer row of dots.

Pearl-bordered Fritillary Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary
Videos  

Play Video
Play Video
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.

RatingSites
Gait Barrows, Warton Crag, Whitbarrow NNR
Bentley Wood, Cambus O'May, Leighton Moss, Pignal Inclosure, Wyre Forest
Glasdrum Wood
Brickfields Country Park, Oaken Wood
Not rated
Allt Mhuic Nature Reserve, Ashclyst Forest, Beckley Woods, Blackmoor Copse, Bovey Valley Woodlands, Breney Common, Bunny's Hill, Chudleigh Knighton Heath, Clais Fhearnaig, Coulnacraig Meadow, Craigower Hill, Devil's Spittleful and Rifle Range, Dunsford Meadow, Earl's Hill, Eyarth Rocks, Flatropers Wood, Great Torrington Commons, Greenscombe Woods, Hailey Wood, Haldon Butterfly Walk, Haldon Woods, Hawkswood, Hutton Roof Crags, Jones' Rough, Linn of Tummel, Llanymynech Rocks, Loch Arkaig, Loch of Aboyne, Lydford Old Railway, Mabie Forest, Marsland Reserve, Miners Rest, Morrone Birkwood, New Bridge, Rewell Wood, Thundery Meadow, Tuckingmill, West Down, Woodside, Ynys-Hir

Conservation Status  

Once considered common and widespread, the Pearl-bordered Fritillary is now one of our most-threatened species. The cessation of coppicing which resulted in the loss of suitable habitat is believed to be one of the major causes of this drastic decline. Conservation efforts have therefore focused on habitat management and there have been a number of success stories. However, this butterfly is still declining and, as such, continues to be a priority species for conservation efforts.

UK BAP StatusDistribution TrendPopulation Trend
Priority Species
Click here to access the Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) for this species.
Large DecreaseLarge Decrease

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.

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.

Site brought to you by Webified
Copyright © Peter Eeles 2002-2010
All rights are reserved
Administrator Login