Melitaea parthenoides
Introduction '''''Melitaea parthenoides''''', the '''meadow fritillary''', is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. Note that the common name ''meadow fritillary'' is also used for the North American species ''Boloria bellona''.
Distribution It is found in south-western Europe, more specifically on the Iberian Peninsula, south-western France, parts of the Italian Alps and southern and south-western Germany and a few regions of Switzerland.
Description The wingspan is 28–34 mm. Seitz-  ''M.parthenie'' Brk. (= ''parthenoides'' Kef.) (67a). Above very similar to ''athalia'', especially in pattern, but the black markings much thinner, yellowish red the prevalent colour. While in ''aurelia'' and ''athalia'' the yellowish red spots may be said to be united to bands, ''parthenie'' has orange bands of almost even width and traversedby thin black veins; the median band especially is very broad, the spots composing it being almost twice as long as wide, which is hardly ever the case in European ''athalia''. The underside likewise resembles athalia inpattern, but is brighter, more variegated, the black edges of the various bands being more prominent, the colours contrasting more distinctly.Melitaea parthenoides MHNT CUT 2013 3 29 Venerque Male dorsal.jpg|MaleMelitaea parthenoides MHNT CUT 2013 3 29 Venerque Male ventral.jpg|Male undersideMelitaea parthenoides MHNT CUT 2013 3 29 Flottes female dorsal.jpg|FemaleMelitaea parthenoides MHNT CUT 2013 3 29 Flottes female ventral.jpg|Female underside
Biology In dry, favourable climates, adults are on wing in two generations, from May to June and from August to September. At high altitudes, there is one generation from June to July.The larvae feed on ''Plantago'' species, mainly ''P. lanceolata''.
References
External links *  lepiforum.eu*  "''Melitaea'' Fabricius, 1807" at Markku Savela's ''Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms''*  Fauna Europaea