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Butterfly Survey 1976-2020
Silver Washed Fritillary
wingspan: 60 -65 mm (male)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnof4aNe1Bk
Habit: This large orange butterfly is unmistakable, once recognised, and larger than the Comma that is superficially similar in colour and may inhabit similar areas of border woodland. The silver washed fritillary is tireless and inhabits woods and woodland clearings. The brighter male is much more evident and can be seen patrolling gracefully in search of the subtler females, with which to pair. The female sports a variant called 'Valesina' which occurs in about 5-15% of cases, so not rare.
The local hotspots for this butterfly, are High Elms and Lullingstone Golf Course, where there are very healthy populations, but it is also present in Hayes and White Hill, Shoreham. One sighting in the Rookery, Scraginahall woodland area 2011, seems to have been a prelude to expansion and the butterfLY is now (2022) resident in the reserve, I recently created adjacent to Norman Park and Elmfield - it is on the wing there from late June/july until August with a peak in mid July. My first single records for this butterfly in the 1980's up on Fackenden and on Hayes Common tend to illustrate the butterflies scarcety. Philp, with his survey mid 1990's - quote, 'the butterfly is on the verge of extinction in Kent'. Grham Collins Butterflies of Surrey however quotes that the trend for the butterfly during the same period is one of it being on the increase. Chalmers Hunt similarly quotes 'the West' as being its hotspot (New Forest) and occasional sights in the area I have under study. I think when we take all this historic material and look at the current picture, it's clear there is a definite spread of the butterfly East into Kent and into some of its occasional haunts in South East London.
Single brooded - can be seen on the wing from early Summer onwards
Larval Food plant: violet, but eggs laid on nearby standing and fallen wood.
Status: locally common at High Elms, White Hill, Lullingstone and now Rookery/Scraginhall and Elmfield areas - increasing elsewhere.
WH - White Hill Shoreham, BC - Bromley Common, Ha Hayes --BN Bromley North - Ey Eynsford - Orp Orpington HE -High Elms Lull Lullingstone
© Rodney Compton
silver washed fritillary, male and female outspread wing
2011/12/13 © Howard Walmsley - © Fred O'Hare