Heath Fritillary (mellicta athalia)
2008 photos highlighted green. Click on any photo to go to an enlarged picture, or simply scroll down the page.
|
|
|
|
| 8017_male_Isere_6Jul07 | 10614_male_Var_19May08 | 11869_male_Alpes Maritimes_1Jul08 |
|
|
|
|
| 11207_male_Rhone_15Jun08 | 5718_female_Var_26May07 | 11042_female_Var_3Jun08 |
|
|
|
|
| 11291_female_Rhone_15Jun08 | 11022_female_Var_1Jun08 | 11950_female_Alpes de Haute Provence_5Jul08 |
A rare and localised butterfly in England, but common and widely distributed in most of France, especially in the south, where it is often the most common species. It is also subject to considerable variation, which can make differentiation from its close mellicta cousins, especially the Meadow Fritillary (M. parthenoides) and the Provencal Fritillary (M. dejone), very difficult.
8017: a male, with very heavy black borders that may be altitude-related. This looks quite orange-red and rather dejone-like. Altitude 1500m.
10614: a lightly marked small male in an unusual but typical pose (for this population) of the wings widely separated.
11869: a similar pose to 10614, but rather dark upf markings.
11207: a male underside.
5718: a female, slightly worn, but with very heavy black markings, demonstrating the extreme variability of this species. Altitude 220m.
11042: a female, another example of the variability of athalia, dark and quite pale orange colouring.
11291: a female, more typically orange, with uph discal line missing (a pointer to parthenoides) and a heavy black uph border offset by chequered white fringes (also I feel a pointer to parthenoides), but on balance I feel it is athalia.
11022: a pale female underside with rather indistinct but heavy black lines.
11950: a more typical female underside with rather more colour contrast.
11869_male_Alpes Maritimes_1Jul08
11950_female_Alpes de Haute Provence_5Jul08
