This is one of the earliest fritillaries to emerge and can be found as early as April in woodland clearings or rough hillsides with bracken.

It flies close to the ground, stopping regularly to feed on spring flowers such as Bugle. It can be distinguished from the Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary by the two large silver 'pearls' and a row of seven outer 'pearls' on the underside hind wing, and also the red (as opposed to black) chevrons around the outer pearls and the small central spot on the hind wing.

The butterfly was once very widespread but has declined rapidly in recent decades, and is now highly threatened in England and Wales.

Size and Family

  • Family: Fritillaries
  • Size: Medium
  • Wing Span Range (male to female): 44-47mm

Conservation status

  • Section 41 species of principal importance under the NERC Act in England
  • Listed on Section 7 of the Environment (Wales) Act 2016
  • Scottish Biodiversity List
  • GB Red List (2022): Vulnerable    
  • Butterfly Conservation priority: High                        
  • European status: Not threatened            
  • Protected under Schedule 5 of the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act (for sale only)

Caterpillar Foodplants

The most widely used foodplant is Common Dog-violet (Viola riviniana) although it can use other violets such as Heath Dog-Violet (V. canina) and in the north, Marsh Violet (V. palustris).

Lifecycle

Habitat

Three main habitats are used: woodland clearings, usually in recently coppiced or clear-felled woodland; well-drained habitats with mosaics of grass, dense bracken and light scrub and open deciduous wood pasture in Scotland.  

In all habitats, it requires abundant foodplants growing in short, sparse vegetation, where there is abundant leaf litter.

Distribution

  • Countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland.
  • Once very widespread across Britain, the Pearl-bordered Fritillary remains widespread only in the northern half of Scotland, south Cumbria, Devon and Cornwall, and the woodlands of South East England.
  • Abundance trend: -64% (1976-2019)
  • Distribution trend: -88% (1979-2019)

Factsheets

Pearl-bordered Fritillary (female/upperwing) - Bob Eade

Pearl-bordered Fritillary (female / upperwing)

Pearl-bordered Fritillary (upperwing) - Iain Leach

Pearl-bordered Fritillary (upperwing)

Pearl-bordered Fritillary (upperwing) - Iain Leach

Pearl-bordered Fritillary (upperwing)

Pearl-bordered Fritillary (male) - Mark Searle

Pearl-bordered Fritillary (male)

Pearl-bordered Fritillary (freshly emerged adult) -Andrew Cooper

Pearl-bordered Fritillary (freshly emerged adult)

Pearl-bordered Fritillary (underwing) - Adam Gor

Pearl-bordered Fritillary (underwing)

Pearl-bordered Fritillary (underwing) - Iain Leach

Pearl-bordered Fritillary (underwing)

Pearl-bordered Fritillary (male & female) - Iain Leach

Pearl-bordered Fritillary (male & female)

Pearl-bordered Fritillary (egg) by Peter Eeles

Pearl-bordered Fritillary (egg)

Pearl-bordered Fritillary (caterpillar) by Peter Eeles

Pearl-bordered Fritillary (young caterpillar)

Pearl-bordered Fritillary (caterpillar) - Peter Eeles

Pearl-bordered Fritillary (caterpillar)

Pearl-bordered Fritillary (pupa) - Peter Eeles

Pearl-bordered Fritillary (pupa)