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Text and photographs protected by Copyright © Adrian Hoskins 2007, and must not be published in part or in whole elsewhere without prior written permission from the author.
Butterflies of Britain & Europe
 
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary
Clossiana selene DENIS & SCHIFFERMULLER, 1775
Family - NYMPHALIDAE
subfamily - HELICONIINAE
Tribe - ARGYNNINI
 
 introduction | habitats | lifecycle | adult behaviour
 
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary Clossiana selene, male at roost on St Johns wort
 
Introduction
 
This species is distributed throughout northern Europe, but is absent from Ireland, the southern half of the Iberian peninsula, Italy, Greece and the Mediterranean islands. It is found in temperate Asia as far east as Mongolia and Korea; and in North America.
 
It often shares it's habitats with the similar Pearl-bordered Fritillary, which flies a week or two earlier in the season. The flight periods of the 2 species overlap, so that worn specimens of euphrosyne can be seen in the company of fresh specimens of selene. The latter is easily distinguished by examining the undersides, which have additional silver spots in the median area, and distinct black chevrons on the inner edge of the silvery submarginal lunules. The uppersides of selene have darker veins and more linear markings than euphrosyne. See comparison photographs.
 
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary Clossiana selene, male
 
Habitats
 
In Britain this species breeds primarily in sheltered, sunny and damp woodland clearings, particularly in the vicinity of irrigation ditches or small streams beside which it's larval foodplants - common dog violet and marsh violet - grow in profusion. In Scotland and  Wales the species also breeds in more open habitats on moors, heaths and rough grass-land, usually in wet areas close to lakes, lochs or mountain streams. In Cornwall the butterfly is found along cliff tops.
 
Most colonies are small and isolated, comprising no more than 100 individuals, and often far fewer, but in Scotland the butterfly is much more widespread, and can be found at low densities over extensive areas.
 
In Europe the butterfly occurs commonly in damp meadows, moist heathland, and on mountainsides in the Alps, Pyrenees and Massif Central.
 
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary Clossiana selene, male, Wiltshire, England
 
Lifecycle
 
The Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary is single brooded in the northern part of it's range, but produces a partial or complete 2nd brood in warmer areas in the south. The 1st brood emerges in June, and the 2nd ( where and when it occurs ) emerges in August.
 
The straw coloured eggs are laid singly in early June ( and again in August if there is a 2nd brood ) on the leaves and stems of violets or nearby herbaceous plants. They hatch after about 12 days, and eat their egg-shells, then wander in search of violet leaves.
 
The larvae feed diurnally on the lobes of violet leaves ( Viola palustris, V. riviniana and sometimes on V. hirta ). In September, when in the 3rd or early 4th instar, they enter hibernation within a dead curled up leaf. In March of the following year they awaken and resume feeding, becoming fully grown by late April.
 
The presence of the larvae, which are dark brown, and adorned with distinctive orange spikes, is given away by the presence of semi-circular nibble marks on the edges of violet leaves.
 
Pupation takes place amongst low vegetation. The chrysalis is dark brown, with paler wing cases, marked with darker streaks, and has small silvery spots on the thorax.
 
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary Clossiana selene, male, Wiltshire, England
 
Adult behaviour

 

Early on sunny mornings the butterflies spend long periods basking on bracken. By about 9.00 am they are fully active, and can be seen nectaring at wood spurge, ragged robin, thistles, and less frequently at tormentil, speedwell, bugle or heather. The very similar Pearl-bordered Fritillary, which often flies in company with this species, nectars almost exclusively at bugle and dandelion - a useful identification point.

 

Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary Clossiana selene, male on wood spurge, Hampshire

 

In the late mornings the males patrol back and forth across the breeding sites, flying low over the ground in search of females. I have not observed any courtship behaviour, and it is likely that copulation occurs almost immediately when the sexes meet. Mated pairs can sometimes be found at rest on low herbage, and copulation lasts for about 2 hours, during which time the pair may both spread their wings to bask if the temperature drops.

 

The butterflies roost overnight on bracken fronds, dead flower-heads of St Johns wort, or on the flowers of rushes or pendulous sedge, in sheltered glades.

 

Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary Clossiana selene, female at roost on bracken frond

 
                                                       
Almost every British and European species of butterfly is declining rapidly in numbers, due in most cases to loss or degradation of habitats.
 
You can help to reverse the decline by supporting conservation organisations which purchase and manage habitats as nature reserves, and which lobby government at local, national and international levels, often very successfully, to bring about changes in farming, forestry and urban development policies.
 
Please contact the conservation organisations for advice on how you can help protect British and European butterflies and their habitats. You may be able to offer practical help e.g. by monitoring butterfly populations or helping to manage nature reserves. Donations to these organisations enable them to employ ecologists and biologists. Even if you are unable to provide such help, merely having your name on the membership list can be a powerful tool for conservation organisations wishing to demonstrate the levels of support they have for their policies.

 

 
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