189/365 ‘A confetti of scent scales’

08 Monday Jul 2019

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androconial scales, British butterflies, butterflies, butterfly anatomy, butterfly courtship, Large skipper, pheromones, sex brands, Silver-washed fritillary, Small skipper

The observant among you may have noticed silvery looking lines on the veins of the Silver-washed fritillary in yesterday’s post – those are its sex brands. In these particular frits, the males have four such brands, two on each top upper wing. The brands contain androconial scales, special scented scales that are used during courtship to attract females. As the Woodland Trust website explains, Silver-washed fritillary ‘courtship is an aerobatic spectacular: the female flies in a straight line while the male loops the loop around her, before showering her in a confetti of scent scales’.

190708 silver-washed fritillary

Silver-washed fritillaries are not the only butterflies to have sex brands: they can also be found, for example, in Large and Small skippers (below left and right, respectively). The Learn about Butterflies website (which has a much more detailed explanation for those who are interested in the nitty gritty of butterfly anatomy) explains, the dark diagonal marks on the skippers’ wings

are composed of hundreds of androconial scales. These disseminate pheromones that can be detected by females during courtship. As the male ages the strength of his pheromones diminishes, thus by analysing the strength of the pheromones a female can assess the age and virility of a potential mate.

The more I find out about butterflies, the more fascinated I become.

188/365 Silver-washed fritillary

07 Sunday Jul 2019

Posted by sconzani in 365DaysWildin2019, insects, nature

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

#365DaysWild, British butterflies, butterflies, butterfly, fritillaries, Silver-washed fritillary

As well as the endangered High brown fritillaries and their cousins the Dark greens, Friday’s butterflying day out also turned up a couple of these beauties, the equally glorious members of the family, the Silver-washed fritillaries (Argynnis paphia).

190707 silver-washed fritillary (1)

If you’re wondering how an orange-and-black-patterned butterfly got the name silver-washed, it’s because the underside of its wings are streaked silver. Unfortunately, my photos don’t show that very clearly … next time.

190707 silver-washed fritillary (2)

Silver-washed fritillaries

22 Sunday Jul 2018

Posted by sconzani in insects, nature

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

Abbot's Wood, Argynnis paphia, British butterflies, butterflies, fritillaries, Silver-washed fritillary

What an absolute delight it was to see these beauties during my recent visit to Sussex, my second new butterfly sighting for the week!

180722 Silver-washed fritillary (3)

My friend Jill can testify to the fact that I was grinning from ear to ear as we followed the Abbot’s Amble trail through Abbot’s Wood, a Forestry Commission site near Polegate, and were entertained at every sunlit spot by Silver-washed fritillaries (Argynnis paphia) flitting about the bracken, bramble, thistles and burdock.

180722 Silver-washed fritillary (5)

With a wingspan between 7 and 8 cms, they’re large butterflies, and so very vibrant.

180722 Silver-washed fritillary (4)

These are woodland butterflies, feeding on the flowers that grow along the edges of paths and trails in wooded areas. Apparently, they also lay their eggs on tree trunks, rather than on their caterpillar’s food plant. Once hatched, the caterpillars hibernate through the winter, awakening and descending to the forest floor come the springtime to feed on the leaves of violets.