Melitaea parthenoides
| Melitaea parthenoides | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Nymphalidae |
| Genus: | Melitaea |
| Species: | M. parthenoides |
| Binomial name | |
| Melitaea parthenoides Keferstein, 1851 | |
| Synonyms | |
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The meadow fritillary (Melitaea parthenoides) is a butterfly of the Nymphalidae family. Note that the common name meadow fritillary is also used for the North American species Boloria bellona. It is found in south-western Europe, more specifically on the Iberian Peninsula, south-western France, parts of the Italian Alps and southern and south-western Germany and a few regions of Switzerland. Recently one was spotted by an officer for The Parks Trust on private farmland in Tingewick, Buckingham, England, which was later confirmed by the Butterfly Conservation, as reported in the local newspaper dated 15 August 2014.
Description
The wingspan is 28–34 mm. In dry, favourable climates, adults are on wing in two generations, from May to June and from August to September. On high altitudes, there is one generation from June to July.
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The larvae feed on Plantago species, but mainly Plantago lanceolata.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Melitaea parthenoides. |