Tag Archives: Marsh Fritillary

Side view of a butterfly with orange, cream and brown markings

Marsh Fritillary. Photo: Nick Galer

Butterfly with open wings showing striking markings in orange, cream and brown

Marsh Fritillary. Photo: Nick Galer

Nick tells us:

On an early visit to Lydlinch Common [11/5/25], I was able to spend time with this very sleepy Marsh Fritillary; I left the common at about 08.15am at which time many Fritillaries were taking to the wing

 

Side view of a butterfly with light brown wings heavily marked with black, white and orange

Adonis Blue. Photo: Mike Kirby

Butterfly with open orange wings marked in a pattern with brown and cream

Marsh Fritillary. Photo: Mark Kirby

Mark says:

Having been on holiday and only getting back last night, I realised there were lots of great butterflies now showing and felt I was missing out.

A trip out to Compton Down this afternoon (Sunday 4 May) soon rectified that! I saw six new species for the year – Glanville & Marsh Fritillaries, Dingy Skipper, Painted Lady, Small Heath & an Adonis Blue.

There were good numbers of Small Heath, Grizzled & Dingy Skippers showing. It was my earliest recorded dates for Small Heath, Marsh & Glanville Fritillaries & Adonis Blue (Marsh & Adonis by 10 days!). Other species seen were Speckled Wood & Orange Tip.

Side view of orange butterfly with a lot of cream as well as cream markings

Marsh Fritillary (variation). Photo: Mark Pike

Butterfly with orange wings with intricate markings in brown and cream

Marsh Fritllary. Photo: Mark Pike

Mark says:

Here are a couple of Marsh Fritillaries seen at Lydlynch Common this morning. The one showing the back of the wings is very well defined and the hindwing has much more cream colour than usual, I think its is just a variation rather than a known aberration though.

 

Very small chestnut brown moth with yellow flashes on its underwings

Pyrausta Aurata (Mint Moth). Photo: Matt Cooper

Orange butterfly with complex pattern of cream and brown marks

Marsh Fritillary. Photo: Matt Cooper

Matt tell us:

Marsh Fritillary and a Mint Moth today (29/4/25) at Compton Down. It was a little breezy, and fairly quiet down the track, just a couple of Speckled Wood, couple of Brimstone and a Holly Blue between about 8 and 10, ohh, and a hare in the middle of the track!

A golden brown butterfly together with a dark brown slug on a yellow flower

Large Skipper and Slug. Photo: Shona Refoy

An orange butterfly with black and yellow markings on a yellow flower

Marsh Fritillary. Photo: Shona Refoy

Two photos from Shona sent in telling us:

I went to Badbury Rings early this morning, 07/06/2024) to see some butterflies before it clouded over yet again.  I hadn’t seen a Large Skipper sharing a Dandelion with a slug before but both seemed quite happy!  Another first for me at Badbury Rings was this Marsh Fritillary – it was not as surprising as the one I saw on Ballard Down though, as Marsh Fritillaries have recently been seen on the Bishops Court transect on the nearby Kingston Lacy estate.