Wildlife Photography and Digital Video Images
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Butterflies 96 – Glanville Fritillaries
GLANVILLE FRITILLARY Melitaea cinxia
GLANVILLE FRITILLARY Melitaea cinxia
GLANVILLE
FRITILLARY Melitaea cinxia
GLANVILLE FRITILLARY Melitaea cinxia
GLANVILLE FRITILLARY Melitaea cinxia
GLANVILLE FRITILLARY Melitaea cinxia
GLANVILLE FRITILLARY Melitaea cinxia
GLANVILLE FRITILLARY Melitaea cinxia
GLANVILLE FRITILLARY Melitaea cinxia
GLANVILLE FRITILLARY Melitaea cinxia
GLANVILLE FRITILLARY Melitaea cinxia
GLANVILLE FRITILLARY Melitaea cinxia
GLANVILLE FRITILLARY Melitaea cinxia
GLANVILLE FRITILLARY Melitaea cinxia
GLANVILLE
FRITILLARIES Melitaea cinxia (m, f)
GLANVILLE
FRITILLARIES Melitaea cinxia (m, f)
GLANVILLE
FRITILLARIES Melitaea cinxia (m, f)
GLANVILLE FRITILLARY Melitaea cinxia
GLANVILLE FRITILLARY Melitaea cinxia
GLANVILLE FRITILLARY Melitaea cinxia
GLANVILLE FRITILLARY Melitaea cinxia
GLANVILLE
FRITILLARY Melitaea cinxia
·
Small European fritillaries are very attractive
insects, but they can be difficult to identify to species, even from clear,
sharp, and detailed photographs of freshly emerged specimens. Worn examples may
be impossible to tell apart and there are many species that appear to be
similar, making identification of these butterflies in the field tricky,
particularly if they won’t settle. There may be significant differences between
the sexes too, and there is a great deal of variation in the strength and shape
of the markings, meaning that it is not always possible to identify them unless
there is a characteristic peculiar to an individual species. Location and
altitude are important as certain species may be able to be separated by
geography. The Glanville Fritillary Melitaea cinxia
(named after the pioneering entomologist Eleanor Glanville) possesses a row of
black spots on the underside of the hindwings with an orange background and
bordered by black, concave, scalloped lines that are usually absent from other
small fritillaries. Black spots are also present in the equivalent positions on
the upper surfaces of the hindwings, but their intensity is variable, and they
are sometimes quite faint. Fortunately, there are many well illustrated
reference books and web sites covering European butterflies, but the books
usually have limited space available to show the differences between
fritillaries in extensive detail. A very useful on-line resource has been
provided by Butterfly Conservation: http://www.european-butterflies.org.uk/downloads/Sm%20Frits%20Melitaea-EBG%20guide_low.pdf. The above
photographs were taken in France. Distribution in the UK is restricted to the
Isle of Wight, but colonies have been found elsewhere following attempted
introductions. Provided that suitable climatic conditions, habitat and
foodplants are available this species may extend its range northwards in
response to anthropogenic global warming.
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