Glanville Fritillary France
The Glanville Fritillary, Melitaea cinxia , is named after Lady Eleanor Glanville, a 17th century Lepidopterist who discovered this species in Lincolnshire . She first discovered this species in 1702 when it was first named as the Lincolnshire Fritillary and only later in 1748 was it was officially re-named the Glanville Fritillary. These days it is mainly confined to the south coast of the Isle of Wight , with the occasional colony, typically short-lived, appearing on the South Hampshire coast. Click on images to expand It is a butterfly that can be found in most regions of France and the Channel Islands where it forms small colonies where there is suitable habitat. There has been a reduction in numbers especially in the north and west of its range with habitat loss being the most likely main cause. They require low growing sparse grassland, natural flower meadows, scrub, woodland edges and even roadside verges but due to the increase in what is cal...