Cardinal (Argynnis pandora)

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2023 photographs highlighted in green. Click on any photograph to go to an enlarged picture, or simply scroll down the page.

31550_male_Var_1Sep12 49236_male_Var_29May22 16229_female_Var_18Jun09 9579_female_Var_5Sep07
4212_female_Var_03Sep06 25777_female_Alpes-de-Haute-Provence_13Jun11 9326_female_Var_28Aug07 25901_male_Var_25Jun11
11319_male_Var_19Jun08 9312_female_Var_28Aug07 11448_female_Var_25Jun08 21335_female_Alpes-Maritimes_3Jul10
     
2661_female_Var_11Jul06 - Argynnis paphia, form valezina      

This is a majestic beast. It has superficially similar upperside markings to the Silver-washed Fritillary (A. paphia) but is somewhat larger and a beautiful bronze colouration rather than the orange of paphia (except for female paphia of the form valezina - or valesina - which is the green form). The unh is also green with similar markings to paphia, although the lower part of the unf is a deep rose red, which is a clear indicator of pandora. It is a butterfly of the deep south, not quite extending to central France, but it does occur along the west coast. According to Lafranchis, the flight period is from mid-May to the end of September in one long generation; it certainly emerges in May in Var and is usually in evidence mainly because it is a powerful flier and very large, so it can hardly be missed.

 

Whether that means it is common is another matter. Whereas I had seen quite a few in May/early June 2006, I did not see any more until late August and these were very fresh as can be seen in the photographs above, suggesting to me that they were second generation, not late emergers from a single generation.

However, the question remains as to whether they emerge in May and (or at least some of them) go into aestivation, or summer hibernation, only to re-emerge looking fresh in September. This second generation (if, in fact, it is) is quite abundant, especially in September. The fact that they seem more abundant in September would seem to argue that a second generation is more probable than aestivation.

 

It is a magnificent butterfly, not only in flight but also in its markings and colouring. The larger female is very heavily marked and the male is similar in colouring, with broad dark upf sex brands on veins 2 and 3. The unh of the male is a more consistent green, whereas the female has prominent silvery streaks, so they sexes can be determined from an underside view alone. This is another butterfly where the female seems to be more in evidence than the male.

ref sex

observations

alt. m
31550 M a male, taking salts (puddling). This is the only occasion I have seen a male pandora doing this, and, as noted above, males seem less numerous than females, which is contrary to what might be expected in that males are normally more in evidence. 20
49236 M a first-generation male. 140
16229 F

a female, slightly less bronze than the other females on this page.

780
9579 F

another female, more clearly demonstrating the bronze effect.

920
4212 F a female, probably the most suffused bronze I have ever seen. 60
25777 F a female, probably quite typical. 880
9326 F a female, quite light in comparison to most. 920
25901 M a male underside, nicely capturing the pale green colouring so characteristic of male pandora. 680
11319 M

a male underside, strong consistent green ground colour and much reduced silvery streaks. The forewing is sufficiently raised to show the rose-red.

60
9312 F

another female from the same location as 9579, showing the enhanced green reflective sheen on the underside.

920
11448 F

a female underside, probably quite typical, with the silvery streaks more pronounced than the male.

60
21335 F

a large female, the forewing being sufficiently far forward to show the rose-red colouring quite clearly.

1320
2661 F

a female paphia of the form valezina, for comparison purposes.

 

 

31550_male_Var_1Sep12

 

49236_male_Var_29May22

 

16229_female_Var_18Jun09

 

9579_female_Var_5Sep07

 

4212_female_Var_03Sep06

 

25777_female_Alpes-de-Haute-Provence_13Jun11

 

9326_female_Var_28Aug07

 

25901_male_Var_25Jun11

 

11319_male_Var_19Jun08

 

9312_female_Var_28Aug07

 

11448_female_Var_25Jun08

 

21335_female_Alpes-Maritimes_3Jul10

 

2661_female_Var_11Jul06 - Argynnis paphia, form valezina