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pearl-bordered fritillary   <>   boloria euphrosyne  <> fritileán péarlach

 

Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Clooncoose, Co Clare, June 2005
© D Hardiman 2005   

Habitat:  The Pearl-bordered Fritillary, which is confined to a small area in the Burren and south Galway and is Ireland's scarcest butterfly,  was only discovered in the 1920's.
It is single brooded.
Larval Food Plant:   
                                Common Dog Violet  Viola riviniana 
Flight Time:  Mid-May to mid-June
Hibernation:   Overwinters as a larva.

 

Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Clooncoose, Co Clare, June 2005

© DHardiman 2005  

 

                                                                                                     

Life Cycle of  the
Pearl-bordered Fritillary

 

Ovum:
The shiny cream conical  shaped eggs are laid singly or sometimes in pairs on the underside of a leaf of 
the food plant from about mid-May or early June,  hatching in c.2 weeks.

 

Larva:
The larva measures up to 25 mm in length when fully grown.  The body is velvety black with a grey-black
spots along the spiracular area.  It has sub-dorsal and lateral branched spines (scoli).  Those in the sub-dorsal 
area have  a contrasting yellow base,  but  prior to the final moult become black like all the others.

The larva feeds by day on the young and tender leaves of  Common Dog Violet  in June until the end of      
August  when as the 4th instar it enters hibernation.  
It overwinters on the ground sheltered by leaf debris and sometimes hidden in a dead rolled violet leaf. 
It emerges from hibernation during the first warm days days of March when the larva resumes       
its growth and feeding throughout April.

 

Pupa:
Pupation begins around mid-April among low vegetation of  its food plant or among ground debris. 
The pupa is suspended from a silk pad in a silken structure loosely spun on a leaf or stem among 
the dense ground vegetation. 
This stage lasts up to 19 days.

 

Adult:
Adults emerge in mid-May and are on the wing from mid-May to mid-June.  During this time they mate  and
feed.  Both sexes are avid feeders of  nectar with a preference for purple and yellow flowers.  The female
begins to lay her eggs about mid-May.

© DHardiman 2005  

 

 

 

 

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 SmallTortoiseshell ] Peacock ] [ Pearl-borderedFritillary ] DarkGreenFritillary ] Silver-washedFritillary ] MarshFritillary ] 

Hesperidae ] Pieridae ] Lycaenidae ] Nymphalidae ] Satyridae ] Migrants ] .