Silver-washed Fritillary (Argynnis paphia)

Silver-washed Fritillary (Argynnis paphia (Linnaeus, 1758))

Scientific name: Argynnis paphia (Linnaeus, 1758)
Common name: Silver-washed Fritillary
French name: Tabac d'Espagne
Order: Lepidoptera
Suborder: Rhopalocera
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Argynninae
Wingspan: 55-65 mm
Biotope: Open places and tracks in woodlands, often around bramble branches, from plain up to an altitude of 1400 m.
Geographic area: Southern and central Europe.
Flight time: June to August.
Number of generations : 1
Caterpillar: Dark brown back with two yellow lines, brown dappled sides with dark lines, reddish brown spines with a black end; The two first spines are black and are directed forward over the head.
Host plant: Violet (Viola)

Large butterfly with bright brown orange colour and black spots on the upper side. The underside of the hindwings is green with transverse silver streaks. The underside of the fore wings is bright brown orange.
The male bears very visible black stripes on the upper side of the fore wings.
These are androconial stripes, made up of scent scales to attract females.
The female is paler. The caterpillar grows on different species of violets.
The female does not lay her eggs on the host plant but on a close trunk where the caterpillar over winters until next spring.

Silver-washed Fritillary (Argynnis paphia) - Tarn, France - August 10th 2004

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Here is one of my very first picture of a butterfly.
I have a lot to improve especially about the control of the depth of view.
The very short focus distance (about 30cm) with a focal length of 55mm gives a very low depth of view (1 or 2 mm).
In the future, I will have to use a smaller aperture at least f/11 or f/16 by increasing the sensibility or by using the flash.

Silver-washed Fritillary (Argynnis paphia) - Tarn, France - August 13th 2004

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