Marsh Fritillary (euphydryas aurinia)
2008 photos highlighted green. Click on any photo to go to an enlarged picture, or simply scroll down the page.
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| 10420_male_Alpes Maritimes_9May08 | 12284_male_Hautes Alpes_8Jul08 | 10470_female_Alpes Maritimes_10May08 |
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| 00_102 |
A beautifully marked butterfly, with delicate orange submarginal band with smudgy beige centres. It is rare and has restricted distribution in the UK, but is reasonably widespread in France with a wide altitude range, often (and maybe most commonly) found at altitude. The forewing colouration can vary from almost constant pale orange to a more variegated pattern of alternating lighter and darker bands.
10420: a typical male, great contrast in the upperside markings, with the whitish uph marginal marks setting the contrast nicely. Altitude 1000m.
12284: a darker male seen at high altitude of 2000m. It was not the smaller mountain form debilis, which looks like a rather smaller and duller version of the nominate form, and occurs in the same region. Altitude 2050m.
10470: a female, from the same location as 10420. It is rather larger than the male, with slightly less contrast in the markings. Altitude 1000m.
00_102: a very old photo but the only underside shot I have.
10420_male_Alpes Maritimes_9May08
12284_male_Hautes Alpes_8Jul08
10470_female_Alpes Maritimes_10May08
