Marsh Fritillary; Doncella de ondas

Description:

Butterfly of the Nymphalidae family. The adult butterflies are marked in checkered marking of gold and brown with a black background. The underside of the wings is patterned with yellow orange and black without any silver coloration at all. The eggs are yellow identified by being in a large batch,and the larvae are black. The larvae are recorded as feeding on Succisa pratensis and species of Digitalis, Plantago,Veronica, Geranium,Sambucus, Gentiana, Valeriana, Lonicera, Filipendula, Spiraea and Viburnum.

Habitat:

Pine tree forest (Pinus sylvestris) in the mountains above 1000 m. high. Parque Nacional de Sierra de Guadarrama.

Notes:

Research work on the population dynamics of the Marsh Fritillary has shown that they live in metapopulations, i.e. as local populations connected together by occasional dispersal of individuals. The small populations tend to die out and new populations are founded from nearby sites. There will always be empty habitat within the system. The security of suitable places where the butterfly does not presently occur is essential to its survival in the long term. Camera Model: NIKON D300. Exposure Time: 1/60 sec.; f/32; ISO Speed Rating: 800. Exposure Bias: 0 EV. Focal Length: 90.0 mm. Flash fired