Cream spots among the orange and brown on the upper wings separate this medium-sized butterfly from other fritillaries. The wings of this beautiful butterfly are more brightly patterned than those of other fritillaries, with more heavily marked races being found in Scotland and Ireland.
Central and Western England, Scotland to the Great Glen, Wales, Ireland. The Marsh Fritillary was once widespread in Britain and Ireland but has declined severely over the twentieth century, a decline mirrored throughout Europe. Its populations are highly volatile and the species probably requires extensive habitats or habitat networks for its long term survival.
The Marsh Fritillary breeds in open grassy habitats, especially damp grassland dominated by tussock-forming grasses; calcareous grassland (usually on west- or south-facing slopes in England or on eskers in Ireland); and heath and mire vegetation with Devil's-bit Scabious. Temporary colonies may also exist in large (> 1 ha) woodland clearings and in other grasslands.
The Marsh fritillary is a European threatened species, and has become extinct in northern Belgium. The Uk has become a major stronghold for the species, however, it is still declining here through habitat loss. Its range in the UK has declined by 60% over the last 150 years, with colonies disappearing at a rate of 10% per decade. It is protected under the Berne Convention 1982 App II, listed on the EU Habitats Directive Annex IIa, and the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 Sch 5.
