Tag Archives: Marsh Fritillary

An orange, yellow, black and white butterfly on green vegetation

Marsh Fritillary. Photo: Sam Ellis

Sam sent in this photo telling us:

Just sharing this photo of one of eleven Marsh Fritillaries I saw today, 24/05/2023 at Lankham Bottom in a 15-min Count. I actually saw several more after I finished the count! So good numbers considering the season. All seemed fairly fresh. They were all recorded on the north-west facing slope in the gully at the southern end of the site. I didn’t see any on the south-facing slope at the northern end where you also usually see them.

An orange, yellow, black and white butterfly on green vegetation

Marsh Fritillary. Photo: Mark Hemmings

Mark sent us this photo of his first Marsh Fritillary of the year which he saw at Aners Gorse on 19/05/2023 – he told us that he saw a total of five there but this was the only one that allowed itself to be photographed.

An orange, yellow, black and white butterfly on green vegetation

Marsh Fritillary. Photo: Luc Mitchem

An orange, yellow, black and white butterfly on persons hand

Marsh Fritillary. Photo: Luc Mitchem

Luc sent in these two photos of an obliging Marsh Fritillary he saw on 21/05/2023 which he told us delighted his 3 year old daughter on her first trip to the Cerne Abbas Giant.

An orange, yellow, black and white butterfly on a green leaf

Marsh Fritillary. Photo: Clive Hill

A brown butterfly with orange markings and white edge to the wings

Brown Argus. Photo: Clive Hill

The sunshine made it a memorable day for Clive yesterday, 13/05/2023  and he sent in these photos to share with us all some of the butterflies he had seen.  The Marsh Fritillary was taken at Lydlinch Common where he told us this was the only one of this species he saw there. The next place he visited was Fontmell Down where he saw 3 or 4 more Marsh Fritillaries, the Brown Argus in this photo  plus a further 10 species.

An orange, yellow, black and white butterfly on a white flower

Marsh Fritillary. Photo: Dave Law

Dave sent in this photo with some thoughts on the butterfly year to date:

A quick look at Fontmell Down today, 12/05/2023 threw up the first Marsh Fritillary of the season. Even though the season is well on the way now, butterfly numbers are disappointingly low in my opinion. 

At Fontmell and Compton Down, Grizzled Skipper numbers are slowly building, Dingy Skippers are just starting but the Whites and Speckled Woods haven’t really got going.

On the plus side, Brimstone and Holly Blue are showing well in most places. Hoping this weekend will bring an explosion of butterflies or are we seeing the knock-on effect of last year’s drought?

An orange butterfly with black, white and yellow markings

Marsh Fritillary. Photo: Rob Morrison

An orange butterfly with black, white and yellow markings

Marsh Fritillary. Photo: Rob Morrison

Two photos from Rob sent in telling us:

Yesterday, 24/05/2022 on a day of sunshine and heavy showers, my wife and I visited Alners Gorse to try our luck at seeing Marsh Fritillary and anything else about.

Despite the poor showing of almost anything, we managed around 6 Marsh Fritillaries, now a little weather worn and both Dingy and Grizzled Skippers. Little else showed in numbers other than Speckled Woods.  As requested on the Reserve’s notice-boards, we were very careful not to leave the paths in order to preserve their food plant, Devil’s-bit scabious and attendant earlier life stages of the Marsh Fritillaries.

An orange butterfly with yellow, black and brown markings resting amongst some green vegetation

Marsh Fritillary. Photo: Mike Lewis

A yellow moth with brown markings resting on some green vegetation

Speckled Yellow Moth. Photo: Mike Lewis

Two photos from Mike who sent them in commenting as follows:

Marvellous walk at Lankham Bottom this morning, 19/05/2022.  Literally hundreds of Wood Tiger moths, my first Brown Argus of the year, a Speckled Yellow moth, the usual collection of Common Blues, Dingy and Grizzled Skippers, one high speed fly-past by a Painted Lady and a couple of Marsh Fritillaries.

This Marsh Fritillary is not just another Marsh Fritillary though, it’s special because it’s my first ever!

An orange butterfly with black, white and yellowish markings on a green leaf

Marsh Fritillary. Photo: Caroline Stringer

An orange butterfly with brown, black and yellowish markings on green leaves

Marsh Fritillary. Photo: Caroline Stringer

It is good to know that Marsh Fritillaries are back again this year at Alner’s Gorse and here are a couple of photos of them there sent to us by Caroline – photos taken on 14/05/2022.