Melitaea diamina
Valerian Fritillary ( melitaea diamina )
The valerian Fritillary or Silver Check moth ( melitaea diamina ) is a butterfly ( butterfly ) of the family Nymphalidae ( Nymphalidae ).
- 5.1 Literature
Features
The moths reach a wingspan of about 33 millimeters. You have the typical drawing of their species, but this is, especially on the hind wings, heavily obscured. They have a dark brown ground color, in addition to are mainly distributed on the fore wings, but also on the hind wings orange spots. The undersides of the hind wings are bright orange, yellow-colored and white. At the edge, there are whitish border moons that are adjacent to the inside of orange fields in which patches are included that in some half are at least partially black and white.
The caterpillars are about 25 mm long. They are plump and dark gray in color with numerous small white spots. In addition, they have white side lines. Your body is provided with many thorns, which are colored yellow orange and light the tip.
Occurrence
The animals are widely used in Central Europe, in Northern Germany but rare. They also occur in many parts of Asia. They are only partially and often live in humid and sunny places, such as on litter meadows on the edge of bogs but also in damp and flooded with light woods and in some places on dry grass.
Way of life
They fly every year in a brood from May to July in warm regions they fly in two generations from May to July and August to September.
Food of the caterpillars
The caterpillars feed on the leaves of the little valerian (Valeriana dioica ) and other valerian species.
Development
The females lay their eggs in small groups under the leaves of their food plants. The young caterpillars live together in a dream. They overwinter between dry leaves and only after overwintering loner.