Family Nymphalidae

The Pearl-Bordered Fritillary butterfly is becoming an increasingly rare butterfly in this area. It's most likely to be seen on the Heaths from late April to June. It prefers open woodland areas. The upper wings are orange-brown with black markings providing excellent camouflage in dead bracken. It gets its name from the pearly-white spots on the margins of the underwings. Eggs are laid singly on the underside of its foodplant, dog-violet. The yellow-brown caterpillar hibernates overwinter. It is known to bask on dead bracken.