Fabriciana niobe
One of the larger fritillaries with a wingspan of 41-64 mm, males are a bright brown-orange colour while females are larger and duller with darker markings; the undersides are greenish, unlike any other species except the cardinal. The fritillaries in general are so-named because of their “checkerboard” wing pattern. There are several subspecies in Lebanon. The Niobe lives in many different habitats, such as scrub, grassy places, woodland, forest clearings, dry meadows, and mountains. Host plants include garden violet (Viola odorata), Rivinus’ violet (V. riviniana), and plantain (Plantago lanceolata). This butterfly flies from May through August, the flight is fast and close to the ground.
Attribution: Zeynel Cebeci (Wikipedia Creative Commons)
Attribution: Hectonichus (Wikipedia Creative Commons)
