Silver-Washed Fritillary at Shorne !

Found myself back at Shorne Woods Country Park today giving my Grandson some clean fresh country air as he took his morning siesta.


As I walked around the Fishing lakes looking  for that elusive Downy Emerald Dragonfly that I caught a glimpse of last week, the usual Emperors were still patrolling up and down the lake, the females ovipostering in the thick weed near the end of each lake every now and then, Black Tailed Skimmers were basking on the sun dried mud at each fishing station around the lake, Ruddy Darters  were everywhere, especially the females, a few Red eyed Damselflys were still to be seen on the lily pads. but no sign of the Downy Emerald.


As I walked around the back of the lake a large comma type Butterfly caught my eye nectaring on a plant which I believe is called Hemp Agrimony but I could be wrong.


It was certainly attracted to the flowerhead allowing a close approach, unfortunately no camera, just my trusty old Samsung  android which I managed to get some photographs of this very obliging butterfly.



I could now see that it was a Fritillary of some sort, and not the Dark Green Fritillary that I am familiar with, this was much larger, I could clearly see a very pale blue shimmer to the lower edge of the wings, and this  Fritillary had what looked like three very pale bars on the underside of the wing, not spotted like the Dark Green.

Unbelievably, I had stumbled on my very first Silver Washed Fritillary.

This one looks like a female, very approachable, which was fortunate for me,  having only my mobile phone camera to record this historic sighting for me.


The male has four distinctive black veins on its fore-wings, these apparently contain special androconial scales that are used in courtship, known as " sex brands" must be a similar brand as seen in the small skippers.

A Butterfly of the woodlands, I'm surprised I have not seen one before, very large, very beautiful.

Silver-washed fritillary