This year the flight of Pearl-bordered Fritillary butterflies and Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries have overlapped and they have been flying together in the hot sunshine.

This has given us a chance to look at them closely to distinguish the 2 species.

As well as the 7 silver ‘pearls’ along the edge of the underwing from which both species get their English names, the Pearl-bordered Fritillary has 2 extra bright patches of silver and the Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary has 7 or 8.

Looking closely at the silver ‘pearls’, those of the PNF are framed with red chevrons and those of the SPBF are framed with black chevrons. These lovely phoots by Mick Farmer show this clearly.

 

 

 

 

Pearl-bordered Fritillary

(Boloria eupbrosyne)

Photograph by – Mick Farmer