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High Brown Fritillary

Argynnis adippe

Not yet photographed by the community

Rare fritillary of bracken hillsides; UK conservation priority.

Species Profile

UK Red List (Endangered)

Lifespan: 2–4 weeks as an adult butterfly
Size & Weight: Wingspan 52–60 mm
Habitat: Warm, sheltered grassland and scrub with abundant violets, typically on south-facing slopes and woodland edges.
UK Distribution: Restricted to southern England, particularly Devon, Cornwall, and parts of the South Downs; resident but with very fragmented populations and in significant decline.
Diet: Adults feed on nectar from various wildflowers including teasel, marjoram, and bramble; caterpillars feed exclusively on viola species, particularly sweet violet and hairy violet.
Predators: Spiders, robber flies, birds, and small mammals; also vulnerable to parasitic wasps targeting caterpillars.
Mating Season: June to August
Breeding: Females lay single eggs on or near violet plants; caterpillars are solitary and feed for several weeks before pupating; one generation per year in the UK.
Behaviour: Males are notably pugnacious, patrolling territories and engaging in spiralling aerial combat with rivals. The species is strongly sun-dependent and remains inactive in cool or overcast weather. Adults have a fast, erratic flight pattern that makes them difficult to follow.

Did You Know?

•The High Brown Fritillary has declined by over 95% in the UK since the 1970s due to habitat loss and fragmentation.
•Unlike many fritillaries, females do not lay eggs directly on violet plants but scatter them nearby, relying on newly emerged caterpillars to find their own food plant.
•The distinctive silver spots on the undersides of the hindwings give the species its characteristic appearance.
•Climate change and warmer, drier summers have paradoxically harmed UK populations, as the species' caterpillars require specific moisture conditions in their violet food plants.
•The species is part of a conservation priority for several UK wildlife trusts, with reintroduction schemes underway in suitable habitat across southern England.

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