Latin name - Boloria selene

Flight period - May to June

Wingspan 3.5 to 4.4 cm, 1.38 to 1.73 inch.

The Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary is an orange butterfly with black marks on the upperside of the wings. Similar in appearance to the Pearl-bordered Fritillary, they are most easily distinguished by their undersides. Both species have the 7 white "pearls" running along the edge of the hindwing but the rest is quite different. The Pearl-bordered Fritillary exhibits 2 very distinct additional "pearls", whereas the Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary has a mozaic of white, oranges and browns and, as such, has the more colourful underside. It occupies a diverse range of habitats including woodland glades, grassland, heath, moorland and coastal cliffs. Breeding in damp conditions, the caterpillar feeds on violets, typically Common Dog-violet and Marsh Violet.