Meadow fritillary facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Meadow fritillary |
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The meadow fritillary (scientific name: Melitaea parthenoides) is a beautiful butterfly. It belongs to a group of butterflies called Nymphalidae. Sometimes, people also call a different butterfly from North America, Boloria bellona, by the same common name.
Contents
Where It Lives
This butterfly lives in parts of south-western Europe. You can find it in:
- The Iberian Peninsula (which includes Spain and Portugal)
- South-western France
- Parts of the Italian Alps
- Southern and south-western Germany
- A few areas in Switzerland
What It Looks Like
The meadow fritillary is a medium-sized butterfly. Its wingspan (how wide its wings are when spread out) is about 28 to 34 millimeters. That's roughly the length of two small paperclips!
Wing Colors and Patterns
The top side of its wings looks a lot like another butterfly called Melitaea athalia. However, the meadow fritillary has thinner black lines and markings. Its main color is a pretty yellowish-red.
Unlike some similar butterflies where the yellowish-red spots might blend together, the meadow fritillary has clear orange bands. These bands are almost the same width all the way across. The band in the middle of its wing is quite wide.
The underside of its wings also looks similar to Melitaea athalia. But the meadow fritillary's underside is brighter and has more different colors. The black edges around its colorful bands stand out more, making the colors look very distinct.
Life Cycle and Habits
The meadow fritillary butterfly has an interesting life cycle. The adults are usually active in two main periods, especially in warm, dry places.
Generations of Butterflies
- In warmer areas, you might see them flying from May to June.
- Then, a second group of butterflies appears from August to September.
- If they live in high, cold mountains, there is usually only one group of butterflies. These fly from June to July.
What Larvae Eat
The young butterflies, called larvae or caterpillars, need specific plants to eat. They mostly feed on plants from the Plantago family. Their favorite food is a plant called P. lanceolata, also known as ribwort plantain.
Images for kids
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Male meadow fritillary, top view
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Male meadow fritillary, underside view
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Female meadow fritillary, top view
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Female meadow fritillary, underside view
