Euphydryas cynthia
Violet Fritillary ( Euphydryas cynthia ) ♂
The Violet Fritillary ( Euphydryas cynthia ) is a butterfly ( butterfly ) of the family Nymphalidae ( Nymphalidae ).
- 2.1 Flight time
- 3.1 food of the caterpillars
- 5.1 Notes and references
Features
The moths reach a wingspan of 35 to 40 millimeters. The males are unmistakable: You have dark brown to black Walking Wings tops, on which a white pattern and several orange spots are seen. Near the rear edge of the wing goes outside a white dot row and behind an orange, with slightly larger, black cored points. The females see the Golden Fritillary ( Euphydryas aurinia ) similar, they also have a dark brown, but slightly shimmery blue base color and one in bright orange and darker graduated, almost rectangular pattern. The underside of the hind wings are colored in both the males and the females have orange and at the edge and in the middle of bright napkins. To the wing roots, there are more bright spots. Between the two tying runs a series of small, black dots, which in contrast to the Golden Fritillary but are not bright border.
The caterpillars are about 30 mm long and are colored black. But they have on the rear edge of each segment garish yellow colored rings and several, closely spaced yellow spots.
Similar Species
- Golden Fritillary ( Euphydryas aurinia ) ( females only )
Dissemination
The animals live in the Alps at an altitude from 1,500 to 3,000 meters to alpine meadows and rocky areas in deeper regions even on damp meadows, heaths and moors slope. They are rare, but for years, in some regions very often.
Flight time
They fly in one generation from late June to mid-July, the flight time is highly dependent on the weather.
Way of life
The moths are very shy in warm weather, but sit on cool or windy days, especially in the morning to warm with open wings on hot stones or cow dung around.
Food of the caterpillars
The caterpillars feed on alpine plantain ( Plantago alpina ) and long- spur violet ( Viola calcarata ). Presumably, however, other herbaceous plants are eaten. The rearing can be made with plantain ( Plantago lanceolata).
Development
The females lay their eggs in small piles on the underside of the leaves of their food plants. The young caterpillars live socially in a dream, but later live solitary. They overwinter twice before they usually pupate on stones in black and white spotted dolls. Occasionally, outbreaks, but they are decimated by parasites before hatching.