Species profile
Name: the silver-washed fritillary (Argynnis paphia) is a species of butterfly.
Appearance: silver-washed fritillaries are a deep orange colour with black spots on the uppersides of their wings. Unlike other fritillaries, they have silver streaks instead of spots, giving them the name silver-washed.
Size: they have a wingspan of around 54 to 70 mm, with the males being smaller than the females.
Diet: adults feed on the nectar of brambles, thistles, and knapweeds, as well as aphid honeydew. Silver-washed caterpillars typically feed on dog violets.
Did you know: males have scent scales on the uppersides of their wings that run along their veins. The scent produced from these scales attracts females and helps to distinguish them from other species.
Location: they can be found across Europe and Asia. Their preferred habitat is sunny, deciduous woodland, especially oak, although they have been known to live in coniferous woodland.
Where to see Silver-washed fritillaries
According to reports submitted to WildSide, you can see silver-washed fritillaries in the following places:
| Place | Chance to see | User rating | No. reports |
| Sydenham Hill Wood England |
46% average |
3.2 good |
13 reports |
Photo credit: Taken under a Creative Commons license from Pixabay