Weaver's Fritillary (Boloria dia)
2011 photos highlighted in green. Click on any photo to go to an enlarged picture, or simply scroll down the page.
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| 7440_male_Alpes-Maritimes_25Jun07 | 25497_male_Alpes-Maritimes_08Jun11 | 27884_female_Côte-d'Or_26Jul11 |
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| 5794_female_Var_26May07 | 16777_sex?_Var_25Jun09 | 5789_female_Var_26May07 |
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| 8613_sex?_Var_27Jul07 |
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A relatively small fritillary, the upperside being superficially similar to the Pearl-bordered Fritillary (B. euphrosyne) and the Titania's Fritillary (B. titania) although easily distinguishable by the sharply-angled hindwing, more readily apparent from the underside shots, but as it quite often rests with wings wide open this can often be seen from the upperside. Titania also has an angled hindwing, but to a lesser extent than dia, and titania is an altitude species, so any specimens at low altitudes are bound to be dia. It has a beautiful orange colour when fresh. The undersides of dia and titania are quite similar but can easily de differentiated on close examination.
The uppersides of dia and euphrosyne are quite similar but the dia wing shape is usually definitive. |
It seems to be reasonably widespread throughout southern France as I have seen at least one at most places I have visited, and it was only in September 2006 that I found a location at 765m altitude in northern Var where it was common, and in this location each September it has been very common indeed. It seems to vary in size, often producing very small individuals, sometimes with very narrow wings. It is also (and perhaps more widely) known as the Violet Fritillary. |
| ref | sex |
observations |
alt. m |
| 7440 | M | a male, based on body shape (not 100% certain, though) and some subtleties of the black markings. | 1080 |
| 25497 | M | a male, based on body length, more heavily marked, possibly an altitude effect. | 1320 |
| 27884 | F | a female, quite dark and heavily suffused, but the low altitude indicates that this is not an altitude effcet. | 320 |
| 5794 | F |
a female, based on body shape and length (I am 100% certain on this one) and some subtleties of the black markings. |
220 |
| 16777 | M? |
a fairly typical dia underside, midway between 5789 and 8613 in terms of strength of markings. |
220 |
| 5789 | F |
a quite light and subtly-marked underside. It shows up the beautiful red-brown markings to good effect. I'm not sure why I originally thought this was a female, but 5794 was photographed within 60 seconds, and so they may well be the same butterfly. |
220 |
| 8613 | M? |
a very darkly-marked underside. The angularity of the hindwing is visible, and this is a clear pointer to dia. I am not sure whether it is male or female, possibly male based on the slightly territorial-looking pose. |
780 |
7440_male_Alpes-Maritimes_25Jun07
25497_male_Alpes-Maritimes_08Jun11
27884_female_Côte-d'Or_26Jul11
