Butterflies of
Britain & Europe
Queen of Spain
Fritillary
Issoria lathonia
LINNAEUS, 1758
Family - NYMPHALINAE
subfamily -
HELICONIINAE
Tribe - ARGYNNINI
introduction
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habitats |
lifecycle |
adult behaviour
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Queen of Spain
Fritillary, female nectaring at thistle |
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Queen of Spain
Fritillary, female |
Introduction
The Queen of Spain Fritillary is a
fairly common butterfly in Europe and temperate Asia, but it only occurs in
Britain as an extremely rare migrant, in fact there have been less than 400
records of this species since it was first recorded 300 years ago by William
Vernon at Gamlingay, Cambridgeshire. The biggest migration was in 1872 when 50
were recorded in Britain, and in 1945, no less than 25 adults were recorded from
Portreath in Cornwall, indicating that the butterfly had successfully bred
there. However there have been many years when not even a single specimen has
been recorded anywhere in Britain, although there are possible indications that
migrations may be increasing, most likely as a result of climate changes
increasing the butterfly's abundance in northern France.
An unusually high number of adults
were recorded in 2007, when 6 were reported from various parts of Hampshire and
Sussex. These migrations seem to originate from Normandy, and funnel into the UK
via river valleys. Small migrations also took place in 2008 & 2009. In the
latter case a single female arriving in West Sussex in July produced offspring
which emerged in September and October - at least 7 different adults were
recorded, including a mating pair on October 13th.
The very distinctive large silver
spots on the underside hindwings mean that this butterfly is unlikely to be
confused with any other species, although early summer specimens could possibly
be mistaken in flight for a Pearl-bordered or Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary.
In late summer or early autumn they could be confused in flight with a Wall
Brown but the differences are obvious as soon as the butterfly settles.
Both sexes are very similar in
appearance, although the female is slightly larger, with a shorter abdomen and a
more greenish hue around the base of the upperside wings. The sexes can more
easily be distinguished by their behaviour - females are sedentary, while males
actively pursue all passing butterflies.
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Queen of Spain
Fritillary, female basking on maize |
Habitats
This species breeds in a diverse
range of habitats in Europe, ranging from hay meadows to heaths and woodlands.
It tends to breed mainly in lowland areas, but migrates to higher altitudes
particularly if the summer has been warm and dry, and can then be found up to an
altitude of at least 2000m in the Alps and Pyrenees.
In Britain it requires warm dry
habitats to breed successfully, but such events are extremely rare. In 2009 a
female recorded on 14th July laid eggs at a farmland site in Sussex where the
larval foodplant field pansy Viola arvensis grew
around the margins of a maize crop. The progeny began to emerge in mid September
and remained on the wing until mid October, with a maximum of 6 adults at the
peak of the flight.
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Queen of Spain
Fritillary, basking on bramble |
Lifecycle
In Europe there are 3 generations of
this species, emerging in March/April, July, and September in lowland areas. In
montane areas there is usually only a single brood which emerges in late June
and remains on the wing until the end of August. Hibernation can occur in any
stage of the lifecycle depending on location and climate, but most commonly
occurs in the egg stage or as young larvae.
In Britain migrants usually arrive
either in May or July, and if they breed here the progeny normally emerge in
mid-late September. Eggs from the UK bred generation hatch after about a week.
The pale straw coloured eggs are
conical in shape, with about 40 longitudinal keels. They are laid singly on the
stems and leaves of the foodplants, and probably also on surrounding stems and
leaf litter. Oviposition sites are invariably in dry sheltered situations where
vegetation is sparse. Reportedly as many as 100 eggs can be laid by a single
female per day in captivity.
The caterpillars are velvety black,
heavily sprinkled with tiny white dots, and adorned with rows of dull orange
spikes along the back and sides. They feed on field pansy
Viola arvensis, wild pansy V. tricolor, and
sweet violet V. odorata, but do not normally feed
on other Viola species.
Prior to pupation the larvae wander
aimlessly for 2 or 3 days without feeding, and eventually attach themselves by
the tail to a button of silk spun on the underside of a leaf, or a low stem. The
pupa, which wriggles frantically if disturbed, is blackish-olive colour, marked
with small white patches on the abdomen, which is adorned with a series of
stubby white spikes. It bears a strong resemblance to a bird dropping. The adult
butterflies emerge in the morning, about 10-12 days after pupation.
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Queen of Spain
Fritillary, male nectaring at yarrow |
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Queen of Spain
Fritillary, female |
Adult behaviour
Males tend to bask on flat dry
paths, where they regulate their body temperature either by holding their wings
in a "V", or spread flat on the ground, depending on ambient conditions. They
dart up to investigate passing butterflies, even those that could not possibly
be mistaken for their own kind. In October 2009 for instance, at Chichester in
Sussex, I witnessed a 3-way territorial "dog-fight" when a male dashed up from
his perching place to intercept a pair of sparring male Clouded Yellows.
Both sexes visit
a wide variety of flowers for nectar, including thistles, hawkbit, cow parsley,
thyme, dandelion, hemp agrimony, marjoram, yarrow and bramble blossom. When
nectaring the wings are normally held almost fully outspread. In the Alps and
Pyrenees I have often seen males imbibing at the edge of puddles, and at these
times the wings are normally held erect.
The adults are
not particularly wary of humans, and tend to fly a short distance and resettle
on the ground a few metres away if disturbed. They have a zigzag fluttery flight
low over the ground, but males often fly over bushes, or soar up a slope, or
over the edges of tall crops for a few moments before circling around and
returning to a favoured warm sheltered spot.
Roosting probably
takes place mainly in the tree tops - in Sussex for example, where the species
bred at the edge of a maize field in 2009, both sexes were seen going to roost
at the top of oaks and sweet chestnut trees in late afternoon. At the same site
however they have also been found roosting among herbage or at the top of tall
plants such as thistles and knapweeds. I also watched 2 males go to roost on
maize plants, where they settled hanging beneath broad dry leaves high up on the
plant.
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Queen of Spain
Fritillary, female |
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