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This is one of three rather similar species. They
are all rather widespread across Europe from southern Spain to central
Scandinavia. The other species are: Dark Green Fritillary, A. aglaja
and Niobe Fritillary, A. niobe. Refer to the notes below to help
separate the species. The UK has never hosted niobe and adippe
is only found in about 40 colonies in the west of the country where
about 50 years ago it was widespread. The reasons for this decline are
unclear but great attention over the past 20 years to its conservation
has stopped the decline, at least for now.
To separate aglaja from niobe and adippe refer
to the underside hindwing. This is heavily green in aglaja and
usually a rather warm brown in the other two species. The submarginal
band is devoid of spots in aglaja where niobe and adippe
have several brown spots often centred with a small white or silvery
pupil. Another useful feature to separate adippe is the shape of
the outer margin of the forewing - this is slightly concave in adippe,
straight or convex in niobe and aglaja.
The separation of niobe from adippe is a more difficult
proposition. Nearly always niobe, and never (?) adippe,
has a small pale spot near the base of the underside hindwing. This spot
has the same colour as the ground colour and itself contains a small
black spot or mark. |
