I. podalirius
         P. machaon
         P. aegeria
         M. didyma
         M. cinxia
         K. roxelana
         P. rapae
         S. pyri
         M. stellatarum

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Unless otherwise noted, all pictures on this site were taken in Pelion, Greece, shown on the map below.

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View images of the Common Toad, an ugly, bulky, but really sweet creature with an interesting... nightlife.

  Veggie of the Month

Learn about the Salsify, a beautiful plant, with edible and medicinal properties, that is currently blooming in Pelion.

  Cool Destination

Visit Mourtias, one of Pelion's most picturesque beaches on the Aegean coast.

  Exciting Site

Tour the Volos Archaeological Museum, a pretty century-old building, whose exhibits span a historical period of over 10 millennia!

  Month's Wallpaper

Download a fantastic picture of a rickety jetty in Lefokastron, Pelion, taken by Huw Jones.

Loading image. Please wait Spotted Fritillary (Melitaea didyma) :: 2002/08/12 :: Horton :: © A.Papadopoulos Spotted Fritillary (Melitaea didyma) :: 2002/08/12 :: Horton :: © A.Papadopoulos Spotted Fritillary (Melitaea didyma), Mating Couple :: 2002/08/12 :: Horton :: © A.Papadopoulos Spotted Fritillary (Melitaea didyma), Spreding Wings :: 2002/08/12 :: Horton :: © A.Papadopoulos No image!

Spotted Fritillary

Melitaea didyma

This butterfly is very widespread and fairly common throughout central and southern Europe, up to about 1,800 m (5,850 ft), but absent from Britain and northern France.

Its wingspan ranges between 35 - 50 mm (1 1/3 - 2 in). Males are usually a deeper orange than females, but both sexes are extremely geographically variable. Undersides are pale orange-brown, with cream markings and black spots.

It flies on mountain slopes and in flowery meadows, between mid-spring and late summer. There may be one to three broods, depending on locality and altitude.

Eggs are laid in batches on various foodplants, such as plantain, toadflax and speedwell.  Larvae live gregariously until after hibernation.

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Fact Sheet

Larva Food Plants
Plantain, toadflax and speedwell.

Flight Period
May - August.

Habitat
Flowery meadows.

Distribution
Central and southern Europe. Absent from Britain and northern France.


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Taxonomy


Superkingdom: Eukaryota; Kingdom: Metazoa; Phylum: Arthropoda; Superclass: Hexapoda; Class: Insecta; Subclass: Neoptera; Order: Lepidoptera; Family: Nymphalidae; Genus: Melitaea; Species: didyma

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