Time started Time stopped Survey

Wind Speed Still Medium Strong During your cliff-top walk, your help with the survey for adults on the wing would be greatly appreciated. Simply Cloudiness Clear / Light Medium Heavy complete the details below during your walk and drop off the slip in the leaflet dispenser here or in one along Temperature Cold Mild Hot the path. Please do so even if only to confirm that you didn’t see any Glanville Fritillaries. Rainfall None Light Heavy Your survey forms will be collected daily during the main flight period and collated and used to help us Number of Glanville Fritillary sightings understand the size and distribution of each Glanville colony. Thank you. Activity of when first spotted

Flying Nectaring Conservation Close monitoring has shown that our management support is needed to ensure that the Glanville has sufficient suitable habitat. A possible reason for its Egg laying Basking decline is that the opportunity for Plantain-rich habitat to develop and persist for a few years has reduced because of increased rates of cliff erosion. Our habitat management work with the coastal landowners is therefore focused on ensuring that the cliff-top has as much Ribwort Plantain as Location when first spotted possible and abundant nectar plants like Thrift (Armeria Down Top of cliff, seaward Top of cliff, field cliff side of path side of cliff maritima), Bird’s-foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) and Kidney Vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria). Other species recorded butterfly-conservation.org The 01929 400 209 Glanville With thanks to: R & J Fisk, Marsh Green Farm Illustration & cover photo: Tim Bernhard | Design: pangea-design.co.uk

Name Fritillary Butterfly Date Time started Butterfly Conservation: Company limited by guarantee, registered in England (2206468) Registered Office: Manor Yard, East Lulworth, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5QP. Charity registered in England & Wales (254937) and in Scotland (SCO39268). VAT No. GB 991 2771 89 A rare coastal jewel History Identification Life cycle The Glanville Fritillary ( cinxia) is Whilst there are several species of fritillary The tiny eggs are laid in batches of 50–250 named after Eleanor Glanville, a wealthy lady butterfly in the British Isles, the between May and July under the leaves of its entomologist, who collected the first specimens Glanville Fritillary is the only main caterpillar food plant, Ribwort Plantain in Lincolnshire in 1702. It is a Continental species one flying at this location at (). Although the food plant and in Britain is at the northern edge this time of year. Note that occurs here in abundance, only plants growing of its range. the Wall butterfly also occurs in a fairly sparse sward provide optimal on the south coast of the conditions for caterpillar growth. ; The caterpillars emerge and feed from late July it differs in to October living together as a colony in and having a single Adult basking on a web which they first spin over Distribution black-and-white the Plantain. There can be quite large numbers eyespot on the upper and living together, often in excess of 300, but This is a special species for the Isle of Wight which, underside of the generally 40–60 individuals. with the Channel Islands, supports the entire forewing and the The caterpillars hibernate from October until native population in the under hindwing is late February, then emerge to start feeding British Isles. Three types a mix of greys and again. The species can spend about ten browns. again. The species can spend about ten of interconnected coastal months of its life cycle as a caterpillar. As the habitat are used: patches caterpillars near maturity, they eventually Adult of short grassland on the cliff become solitary before pupating. slumps and falls, the grassy chine Emerging as a butterfly they flanks and more recently along the are on the wing from late April/ narrow strip of cliff-top grassland. The early May until the end of June/ presence of Ribwort Plantain (Plantago early July. There is only one lanceolata) in suitable stages of growth is generation a year. essential. Within these habitats there is a very warm microclimate, which appears critical to the growth of the caterpillars in early spring.

Whilst large annual Eggs fluctuations in colony Chrysalis size are typical, over Caterpillar recent decades surveys have shown a gradual reduction in numbers, raising concern that it is now vulnerable to extinction.