Butterflies endangered and rare

High Brown Fritillary

To see a High Brown Fritillary is a rare privilege. To see two, a female followed by a male, is remarkable. The High Brown Fritillary is the UKs most endangered butterfly. It's auto-ecology, its habitat, is precise. The female seeks bracken litter upon which to lay her eggs which will hibernate in the micro-climate it provides. Common dog-violet or hairy violet are the food plants for her caterpillars and must be close by.  Lose the violets, we lose the butterfly so Butterfly Conservation monitors butterflies and ensures violets are present.  
In the last 70 years there's been a dramatic decline in High Brown Fritillary numbers. In flight, it's hard to distinguish Dark Green and High Brown Fritillary. Patterns are intricate. I love the deep rich orange of the upper-wings and the head of the butterfly. Under-wings are paler and more delicate in pattern. 

The first fresh Silver Washed Fritillary are on the wing.  Another stunning Fritillary.  Females lay their eggs under the bark of oak or deciduous trees with common dog violet, the food plant of their caterpillars, close to the base of the trunk.   Butterflies emerge from the shadowy woodland fringe and often the first glimpse is amongst bracken fronds.  A large butterfly with pointed wings. 
Today's Fritillaries are fresh, bright and exquisite. 

Northern Brown Argus can be confused with the Common Blue, Polyommatus Icarus. We saw both today and images of their underwings show the similarity.

Several Tiger moths were on the wing over bracken.  I glimpsed the scarlet under-wing and have a rather blurred image.  The moth settled, wings closed, to show a black and white patterning.
​A Dingy Skipper showed well on self-heal. 
Butterfly Conservation is about creating the precise habitat endangered species need to survive, to thrive.  So ensuring caterpillar food plants, like common dog violet, are present is an important task. And working with farmers to ensure an appropriate cattle-grazing regime. 

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