Granddad’s Camera
Silver-washed fritillary, as it appears in the game

No.037 · Butterflies, moths and other insects · Uncommon

Silver-washed fritillary

Argynnis paphia

A big, fast, orange butterfly of sunny woodland rides, with black spots, and the underside washed with silver-green streaks. It is the largest fritillary in Britain.

When to look

July to August, mostly at day.

Time of day

Best time
Sunny midday, July–August, when the New Forest's oak woods are at their best; first ones fly from late June. Nectars on bramble flowers.
Where in the game
the New Forest (ancient woodland)
Size
Wingspan 72–76 mm
Wingspan
72–76 mm (Butterfly Conservation)
Lifespan
Adults fly for a few weeks; the caterpillar overwinters
Population
Abundance up 248% between 1976 and 2019 (Butterfly Conservation)
Status
Least Concern (Great Britain Red List, 2022)

Diet

Caterpillars eat common dog-violet; adults feed on bramble flowers, thistles and other nectar.

Habitat

Broadleaved woodland with sunny rides and glades, especially oak; also wooded hedgerows.

Breeding

Females usually lay eggs on the trunks of mature trees, often on the shadier north side, near violets; the caterpillar hatches, overwinters, then drops to the violets in spring.

Field signs

  • Fast, gliding flight along woodland rides
  • Egg-laying on trunk bark near dog-violets
  • Silver-green streaks on the underside when at rest
  • Pairs in a spiral courtship flight in July

Did you know?

  • Unlike other fritillaries, females usually lay their eggs on tree trunks rather than on the violets; the tiny caterpillars overwinter, then drop to the ground in spring to find violets (New Forest National Park Authority).
  • A rare bronze-green female form called 'valezina' occurs in some southern English populations (Butterfly Conservation).
  • It decreased greatly during the 1900s but appears to be increasing again, and the New Forest remains a stronghold for it (New Forest National Park Authority).

Moments worth waiting for

  • Spiral courtship flight July, day
    A male loops in wide spirals above a female, showering her with scent while she rests on a leaf.
  • The valezina form July to August, day
    Among the orange butterflies, one female glows an unusual bronze-green: the rare valezina.

Rare forms and local legends

  • Valezina fritillary A rare colour form, about 1 in 20 sightings
    About 1 in 20 females is the green-washed valezina form, from a single gene. Males are always orange.

Photo tip

Find a sunny ride with bramble in flower and wait: fritillaries return to the same flowers. Use a 100–300 mm lens, approach slowly on a still, warm day, and fire at 1/1000 s if flying. Shoot from a low angle to catch the silver underside.

Be a good naturalist

Do not net, handle or chase butterflies. Stay on tracks, don't trample violets or bramble, and never shake trunks to see eggs or caterpillars.

The law

No specific legal protection for the species, but woodland sites are often protected.

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