| Queen of Spain fritillary | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Upperside | |
 | |
| Underside | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Nymphalidae |
| Genus: | Issoria |
| Species: | I. lathonia |
| Binomial name | |
| Issoria lathonia | |
| Synonyms [1] | |
List
| |
The Queen of Spain fritillary (Issoria lathonia) is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae.
Subspecies include: [2]
This migratory species is widespread in most of Europe, in North Africa, Canary Islands, and in the eastern Palearctic realm (Central Asia, Himalayas, Baluchistan, and Western China). [2] [3] These butterflies live in open areas, in dry lawns, agricultural wastelands and in extensive crops at altitudes between sea level and 2700 m. [2] [4] [5]
Issoria lathonia is a medium-sized butterfly with a wingspan of 38–46 millimetres (1.5–1.8 in). [4] The wings show a deep orange-violet background, with rounded black spots arranged in regular rows and suffused with greenish gray in the females. The underside of the hindwings is decorated with large pearly nacreous spots and it is crossed by a postdiscal row of black eyespots with pearly pupils. Some pearly spots also appear at the apex of the forewings. [5]
The caterpillar can reach a length of 35 millimetres (1.4 in). It is grayish brown, with black spots, and relatively short brown spines with white tip, and a double row of dorsal white streaks. The suspended chrysalis is dark brown, with a large white saddle-shaped stain and some smaller ones of the same color, resembling a bird's dropping. [5]
The imago is loosely similar to Speyeria aglaja , Fabriciana adippe and Brenthis daphne , which have the same orange color on the upperside of the wings, but show different markings and spots. Moreover, the underside of the hindwings does not have the large pearly spots characteristic of the Queen of Spain fritillary.
This species is present almost throughout the year, with three or four successive generations. The eggs are laid separately on the underside of the leaves of the host plant. The larval cycle is exceptionally short. The pupation takes place among the low vegetation, between a few leaves united by silk. This species may overwinter at all larval stages. [5]
Adults are strong flyers and fly from March to October. The heat-dependent caterpillars feed on Viola species (wild pansy or heartsease ( Viola tricolor ), field pansy ( Viola arvensis ), Viola canina , Viola odorata , Viola calcarata , Viola lutea , Viola biflora ), lucerne ( Medicago sativa ), borage ( Borago officinalis ), Anchusa , Rubus and Onobrychis species. [2] [6]
In the dry regions Issoria lathonia carries out a seasonal vertical migration between hardy evergreen shrubs and small trees of plains and mountain fir pines, where it remains in summer to descend in autumn at low altitude. [5]
The Niobe fritillary is a species of butterfly in the family Nymphalidae.
The Glanville fritillary is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is named for the naturalist who discovered it and the checkerboard pattern on its wings. These butterflies live in almost all of Europe, especially Finland, and in parts of northwest Africa. They are absent from the far north of Europe and parts of the Iberian Peninsula. To the east they are found across the Palearctic.
The rosy grizzled skipper is a species of skipper.
Melitaea diamina, the false heath fritillary, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae.
The purple-edged copper is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae.
The nine-spotted moth or yellow belted burnet is a moth in the family Erebidae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae.
Erebia euryale, the large ringlet, is a species of butterfly belonging to the family Nymphalidae.
Erebia medusa, the woodland ringlet, is a member of the subfamily Satyrinae of the family Nymphalidae.
The marbled ringlet is a member of the subfamily Satyrinae of the family Nymphalidae.
Hipparchia fagi, the woodland grayling, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae.
Boloria titania, the Titania's fritillary or purple bog fritillary, is a butterfly of the subfamily Heliconiinae of the family Nymphalidae.
Brenthis daphne, the marbled fritillary, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae.
Limenitis reducta, the southern white admiral, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae.
Melitaea didyma, the spotted fritillary or red-band fritillary, is a Palearctic butterfly of the family Nymphalidae.
Plebejus argyrognomon, common name Reverdin's blue is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. The species is named after Jacques-Louis Reverdin.
Polyommatus daphnis, the Meleager's blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae.
Pontia edusa, the eastern Bath white, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae.
Minois dryas, the dryad, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae.
Erebia cassioides, the common brassy ringlet, is a member of the subfamily Satyrinae of family Nymphalidae.
Issoria hanningtoni, the Hannington's fritillary, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in Sudan, Kenya and Tanzania. The habitat consists of highland forests.
