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Orange patterned butterflies at a glance! The typical characteristics are described with the help of pictures. Short outdoor videos make identification easier.
The species that are most likely to be encountered in Austria, Central Europe, are described in black letters. The eastern and southern parts of Austria are warmer than the western, where you find mountains up to ~3800m (12500 feet) called Alps.
Pearl = shiny white. |
Large and Small Fritillaries (Argynninae) *1 |
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Fritillary upperside
The upperside is very similar in all of them. |

Silver-washed Fritillary (Video)
(Argynnis paphia)
1... strip-shaped pearl-spots,
2... fore-wing ocher,
3... pointed and curved fore-wing,
4... upperside,
flies about Jun.-Oct.
throughout Austria (Central Europe),
caterpillar food violet-species (viola). |

Silver-washed Fritillary f. valesina (Video)
(Argynnis paphia f. valesina)
a rare greenish female form,
1... strip-shaped pearl-spots,
2... fore-wing greenish-ocher,
3... pointed and curved fore-wing,
4... upperside,
flies about Jun.-Sep. throughout Austria,
caterpillar food violet-species (viola). |

Kardinal Fritillary *2
(Argynnis pandora)
1... strip-shaped pearl-spots,
2... fore-wing red,
3... pointed and curved fore-wing,
4... upperside,
flies about May-Jun.
rather in southern and eastern Austria,
caterpillar food violet-species (viola). |
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Dark Green Fritillary (Video)
(Speyeria aglaja)
1... postdiscal NO Dots,
2... scattered pearl-spots,
3... upperside: third dot small,
flies about Jun.-Aug. throughout Austria
caterpillar food violet-species (viola). |

High Brown Fritillary (Video)
(Fabriciana adippe adippe)
1... Dots postdiscal,
2... brown veins,
3... basal mostly NO black dot,
4...pearl-spots also near the border,
5... upperside: third dot small,
flies about May-Aug. throughout Austria,
caterpillar food violet-species (viola). |

High Brown Fr. f. cleodippe
(Fabriciana adippe f. cleodippe)
1... Dots postdiscal,
2... brown veins,
3... basal mostly NO black dot,
4... near the border NO pearl-spots,
5... upperside*5: third dot small,
flies about May-Aug. throughout Austria,
caterpillar food violet-species (viola).
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High Brown Fr. f. cleodoxa (Video) (Fabriciana adippe f. cleodoxa)
1... NO pearl-spots, but flat yellow and little pattern,
2... upperside: third dot small,
flies about May-Aug. in southern Austria,
caterpillar food violet-species (viola). |
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Niobe Fritillary (Video)
(Fabriciana niobe)
1... Dots postdiscal,
2... often basal a black dot,
3... black veins,
4... white pearl-spots,
5... upperside: third dot small,
flies about May-Aug.
throughout Austria,
caterpillar food violet-species (viola). |

Niobe Fritillary f. eris
(Fabriciana niobe f. eris)
1... Dots postdiscal,
2... often basal a black dot,
3... black veins,
4... yellowish pearl-spots,
5... upperside: third dot small,
flies about May-Aug. throughout Austria,
caterpillar food violet-species (viola). |

Pearl-bordered Fritillary (Video)
(Boloria euphrosyne)
1... Basal and discal a single clear pearl-spot,
2... marginal a pearl-spot-row,
3... basal often a small black spot,
4... marginal vague black checkmarks,
5... orange-yellow band,
6...upperside: marginal triangles filled with black,
7... basal a prominent dot,
flies about Apr.-Sep. throughout Austria
caterpillar food violet-species (viola). |

Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary (Boloria selene) (Video)
1... Basal several clearly limited spots and discal several pearl-spots,
2... marginal pearl-spot-row,
3... basal a strong black spot,,
4... marginal clear black checkmarks,
5... brown spots,
6... upperside: marginal black checkmarks,
7... basal a prominent dot,
flies about May-Sep. in wetlands throughout Austria,
caterpillar food violet-species (viola). |
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Weaver's Fritillary
(Video) (Boloria dia)
1...discal distributed pearl-spots,
2...marginal small pearl-spots,
3...angular wing tip,
4...often sprayed purple,
5... upperside,
flies about Apr.-Sep. throughout Austria,
caterpillar food violet-species (viola). |

Marbled Fritillary (Video)
(Brenthis daphne)
1... NO white pearl-spots but yellow spots,
2... middle-spot almost brown,
3... sprayed clearly purple,
4... upperside: third dot small,
flies about May-Aug.
less in western Austria,
caterpillar food blackberries or raspberries (Rubus). |

Lesser Marbled Fritillary (Video)
(Brenthis ino)
1... NO white pearl-spots but bright spots,
2... middle-spot yellow,
3... sprayed pale purple,
4... upperside: third dot small,
flies about Jun.-Aug.
throughout Austria,
caterpillar food meadowsweet (Filipendula) or blackberries (Rubus) and other. |

Queen of Spain Fritillary (Video)
(Issoria lathonia)
small butterfly
1...
conspicuous distributed pearl-spots,
2... slightly angular wing shape,
3... upperside,
flies about Mar.-Oct. throughout Austria,
caterpillar food violet-species (viola). |
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Twin-spot Fritillary (Video)
(Brenthis hecate)
1... postdiscal TWO rows of black dots,
2...
also on the upperside two rows of black dots,
flies about May-Aug.
in the warm eastern Austria,
caterpillar food Real Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria). |

Bog Fritillary (Video)
(Boloria eunomia)
1...
postdiscal clear circular dots with light filling,
2... row-shaped pale light spots,
3... basic color pale yellow,
4... upperside,
flies about May-Jul.
in moor areas from approx. 300m -1500m (1000 - 4900 ft), not in the eastern of Austria,
caterpillar food Knotweed (Bistorta offficinalis) or violet (viola). |

Titania's Fritillary (Video)
(Boloria titania ssp. cypris)
1... very long, black spikes or filled triangles near the border characteristic,
2... NO white pearl-spots, but yellowish irregular spots,
3... sprayed purple,
4... upperside,
flies about Jun.-Aug.
in moor areas from approx. 500m (1600 ft) in the Alps,
caterpillar food Knotweed (Bistorta officinalis) or violet (viola). |

Thor's Fritillary (video female, video male) (Boloria thore),
1... discal continuous yellow spot row,
2... few white pearl-spots that are sometimes purple,
3...marginal spots sometimes purple,
4... upperside very dark,
flies about Jun.-Aug.
in cool and damp forest clearings from approx. 700m (2300 ft) in the Alps,
caterpillar food violet-species (viola), especially viola biflora. |
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Cranberry Fritillary (Video)
(Boloria aquilonaris)
basic color red-brown with high contrast, often sprayed purple,
1... in the middle a flat white pearl-spots,
2... on the underside fore-wing thick black spots,
3...
small yellow marginal spot,
4... clear black marginal arrows,
5... on the upperside fore-wing thick black spots,
flies about Jun.-Aug. from approx. 700m (2300 ft)
on marsh meadows and (high) moors in western and northern Austria,
caterpillar food Common Cranberry (Vaccinium oxycoccos). |

Shepherd's Fritillary (Video) (Boloria pales)
basic color red-brown, slightly washed out with yellow spots, sometimes sprayed purple,
1... in the middle a flat light pearl-spots,
2... on the underside fore-wing few thin spots,
3... long light marginal spot,
4... unclear marginal arrows,
5... on the upperside fore-wing are thick black spots,
flies about Jun.-Sep. from approx. 1200m (3900 ft)
on mountain meadows in the Alps of western Austria,
caterpillar food long-tailed violets (viola calcarata). |
Mountain Fritillary *2 - male
(Boloria napaea)
basic color bleached red-brown with yellow spots, basal often greenish, sometimes sprayed
purple,
1... in the middle a flat light pearl-spots,
2... on the underside fore-wing few thin spots,
3... long light marginal spot,
4... unclear marginal arrows,
5... on the upperside fore-wing are thin black spots,
flies about Jun.-Aug. from approx. 1200m (3900 ft)
on mountain meadows in the Alps of western Austria,
caterpillar food violet-species (viola) and other. |

Mountain Fritillary *2 - female
(Boloria napaea)
basic color bleached red-brown with yellow spots, often greenish, sometimes sprayed purple,
1... in the middle a flat light pearl-spots,
2... on the underside fore-wing few thin spots,
3... long light marginal spot,
4... unclear marginal arrows,
5... on the upperside very dark and often sprayed purple,
flies about Jun.-Aug. from approx. 1200m (3900 ft)
on mountain meadows in the Alps of western Austria,
caterpillar food violet-species (viola) and other. |
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Small Fritillaries (Melitaeinae) *1 |
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Spotted Fritillary (Video)
(Melitaea didyma)
1... basal black dots,
2... rather connected orange bands,
3... single dark lines over the postdiscal-band,
4... round dark edge dots,
5... upperside: rather loose dark edge dots
6... upper side look of some females,
flies about Apr.-Sep. throughout Austria,
caterpillar food Toadflax- (Linaria-), Snapdragon- (Antirrhinum-), Plantain- (Plantago-) Species, u. a. |

Lesser Spotted Fritillary (Video)
(Melitaea trivia)
1... basal black dots,
2...INTERRUPTED, irregular orange bands,
3... rather whole dark garland over the postdiscal-band,
4... triangular dark edge dots,
5... upperside: dark garland forms orange edge spots,
flies about Apr.-Aug.in the warmer south and east of Austria,
caterpillar food Mullein-species (Verbascum). |

Knapweed-Fritillary (Video)
(Melitaea phoebe)
1... basal black dots,
2... round, freestanding, orange dots in yellow band (postdiscal),
3... upperside,
flies about Apr.-Sep. throughout Austria,
caterpillar food Knapweed- (Centaurea-), Thistles- (Cirsium-), Ring thistle- (Carduus-), Plantain- (Plantago-) species. |

Glanville-Fritillary (Video)
(Melitaea cinxia)
1... basal black dots,
2... dark dots postdiscal,
3... upperside hind-wing: dark dots postdiscal,
flies about Apr.-Jul. throughout Austria,
caterpillar food Plantain- (Plantago-) species. |
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Heath Fritillary (Video)
(Melitaea athalia)
Most common Fritillary,
M. athalia, aurelia and britomartis are hardly distinguishable!
All hind-wing spots strongly bordered,
1... also basal bordered spots,
2... marginal strip as bright as marginal spots,
3... dark palm hair on top,
4... anal a single-colored spot with little dividing line *4,
5... upperside
flies about May-Sep. throughout Austria,
caterpillar food Plantain (Plantago lanceolata), Quail wheat (Melampyrum pratense), ... |

Nickerl's Fritillary
(Melitaea aurelia)
M. athalia, aurelia and britomartis are hardly distinguishable!
All hind-wing spots strongly bordered,
1... also basal bordered spots,,
2... marginal strip a little darker than marginal spots,
3... female red, male black-red palm hair on top,
4... anal a single-colored spot with little dividing line*4,
5... upperside
flies about Jun.-Jul. throughout Austria,
caterpillar food Plantain (Plantago lanceolata).
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Assmann's Fritillary*5
(Melitaea britomartis)
M. athalia, aurelia and britomartis are hardly distinguishable!
All hind-wing spots strongly bordered,
1... also basal bordered spots,,
2... marginal strip darker than marginal spots,
3... dark palm hair on top,
4... anal two different colored spots with continous dividing line *4,
5... upperside
flies about May-Aug. more in eastern Austria,,
caterpillar food Plantain (Plantago lanceolata), Veronica teucrium, Rhinanthus minor. |

False Heath Fritillary (Video)
(Melitaea diamina)
All hind-wing spots strongly bordered,
1... also basal bordered spots,,
2... marginal strip clearly ocher,
3... orange-yellow postdiscal spots with dark dots,
4... upperside hind-wing very dark,
flies about May-Jul. throughout Austria at damp places,
caterpillar food Valeriana-species.
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Marsh Fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia) (Video)
1... basal bordered spots,
2... marginal strip bright,
3... yellow dots with dark dot in the orange postdiscalband,
4... contiguous orange band,
5... upperside hind-wing dark spots postdiscal, otherwise whole upperside chequered with yellow and orange spots,
flies about Apr.-Jul. throughout Austria,
or the pale-yellow variant od the alpine Fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia var. debilis) flies about Jun.-Aug. only in the Alps,
caterpillar food Succisa pratensis, Scabiosa-species, ... |

Cynthia's Fritillary *2
(Euphydryas cynthia)
1...basal bordered spots,
2... marginal strip orange,
3... small, dark dots in orange postdiscalband,
4... contiguous orange band,
5... female has discal no line in bright band,
6... male upperside hind-wing with dark dots postdiscal, and it is basal and discal white,
7... female upperside hind-wing with dark dots postdiscal,
flies about Jun.-Aug. from approx. 900m (3000 ft) in the Alps of western and southern Austria,
caterpillar food Plantain (Plantago alpina), Viola calcarata. |

Scarce Fritillary (Euphydryas maturna) (Video)
1... basal bordered spots,
2... marginal strip orange,
3... contiguous orange bands without dark dots,
4... upperside with orange marginal band and chequered with bright, yellow, orange spots,
flies about May-Jul. in northern, southern and eastern Austria,
caterpillar food Ash (Fraxinus excelsior), Plantain- (Plantago-) species, ... |

Asian Fritillary *6
(Euphydryas intermedia)
1... basal bordered spots,
2... marginal strip orange,
3... contiguous orange bands without dark dots,
4... the dark line in the light band (discal) is often interrupted,
5... postdiscal-line significant,
6... upperside with orange marginal band and chequered with bright, yellow, orange spots,
flies about Jun.-Aug. from approx. 1000m (3300 ft) in the Alps of southern Austria,
caterpillar food Blue Honeysuckle (Lonicera caerulea). |
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Little Fritillary *3
(Melitaea asteria)
looks like Heath Fritillary, but much smaller,
all hind-wing-spots strongly bordered,
1... also basal bordered spots,
2... no marginal strip, but ONE marginal line,
3... upperside sprayed grey,
flies about Jul.-Aug. from approx. 2000m (6600 ft) in the Alps of western Austria,
caterpillar food Alpen-Plantain (Plantago alpina). |

Grison's Fritillary *7
(Melitaea varia)
looks like Heath Fritillary,
all hind-wing-spots strongly bordered,
1... also basal bordered spots,
2... marginal strip bright,
3... shiny white middle-band (difference to Heath Fritillary),
4... upperside fore-wing postdiscal-line thin,
flies about Jun.-Aug. from about 1200m (3900 ft) in the Alps of western Austria,
caterpillar food Plantain (Plantago alpina), Gentiana-species.
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Argynninae meen Heliconiinae and Boloria, and Melitaeinae meen Melitaea, Mellicta, Hypodryas and Euphydryas.
2... Watercolor of Jacob Hübner, 1805
3... Watercolor of A. Spuler, 1910
4... differentiator of Thomas Netter and Jürgen Hensle on http://www.lepiforum.de/lepiwiki.pl?Melitaea_Britomartis (in German) from 14.3.2021
5... symbole picture
6... photos 2022 from Oberengadin, Switzerland, contributed by Gerhard Heger
7... watercolor of R. Meyer-Dür, 1851
The free, partly interactive identification aids help you to assign a butterfly to the right species. All animals photographed and filmed by us were photographed alive in their natural freedom and left undamaged in nature. Unless otherwise stated, the illustrations are original photos and field videos by Dolores and Peter Baldia, 1160 Vienna, Austria, Europe. The determination was based on the field photos. It should be noted that by studying the external characteristics via photos of living butterflies, a scientifically unambiguous assignment is not always possible. The idea, texts, compilation and computer processing of this identification aid come from Dolores Baldia, 1160 Vienna, Austria, Europe, and is online since 2018. This fritillary identification aid was created on March 20, 2021.
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