Mullein fritillary

Melitaea trivia nana

A small fritillary with a wingspan of 28-42 mm, of a characteristically bright reddish-orange with many black crescent-shaped markings. Also called the “lesser spotted fritillary,” the mullein lives in many habitat types, including coasts, farmland, waste ground, dry scrub, grassland, damp meadows, steppes, and semi-desert. Host plants include a number of species of mullein (Verbascum spp.), hence the name, as well as figworts (Scrophularia spp.) and cut-leaved phlomis (Eremostachys spp.). It flies from April through August, the flight is fast and close to the ground. This butterfly is considered vulnerable.

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