Insects of Britain and Ireland: Lepidoptera families - Nymphalidae

Nymphalidae

~Nymphalidae-Nymphalinae

Adults diurnal; medium sized to large (mostly), or very large; relatively very short-bodied, or medium-bodied (in some smaller Fritillaries); relatively slender-bodied (wingspan more than 15 times the thoracic width) to medium built (wingspan more than 8 and less than 15 times the thoracic width); wings in repose apposed vertically over the back.

Head rough. Antennae of medium length (mostly), or very short (sometimes, in Boloria and Nymphalis); extending to about 0.42–0.55 times the length of the forewing; inserted markedly less than one half the width of the head apart; clubbed. The club gradual, or abruptly terminal (not curved, sometimes flattened). The club not curved. Antennae of males simple; non-ciliate. Eyes hairy, or glabrous. Ocelli absent. Chaetosemata present. Maxillary palps much reduced; 1 segmented. Labial palps ascending; 3 segmented. Proboscis fully developed; not scaly.

Wingspan (40–)50–80(–92) mm; 10.5–17 times the thoracic width. Forewings broad; (1.4–)1.5–1.9(–2) times as long as wide. The outer and hind margins angled at (85–)95–110(–115) degrees. The outer margin convexly curved to concavely curved, or angulated; forewings apically blunt (mostly), or pointed (e.g., in Aglais urticae); ground colour predominantly light brown, or dark brown, or orange-brown, or purple, or black, or grey (or fuscous); forewings eye-spotted above, or without eye-spots above; forewings not eye-spotted underneath near the tip. Hindwings broadly rounded, or broadly angular; similar in breadth to the forewings; tailed (but no more than slightly, in Britain), or not tailed; the upper surfaces conspicuously patterned above (the markings often more or less resembling those of the forewings); with the conventional lepidopterous lines and discal marks lacking or more or less obscured by conversion into bands, blotches or rows of spots; silver-marked underneath (conspicuously so, in most Fritillaries), or not silver-marked underneath; without a frenulum.

Neuration of forewings and hindwings dissimilar. Forewings 12 veined (usually), or 13 veined; without basally dilated or vesicular veins; with 1 anal vein (mostly), or with 2 anal veins (an upper, weaker anal vein sometimes evident, e.g. in Aglais urticae). The anal veins of the forewings representing 1b only (mostly), or comprising 1b and 1c. Forewings exhibiting a tubular vein 1c, or lacking a tubular vein 1c. Vein 1b of the forewings furcate proximally to simple. Forewings with a discal cell, or without a discal cell. The transverse vein complete, or incomplete (sometimes reduced or lacking between veins 4 and 5). Discal cell of the forewings without a tubular media (M) vein. Vein 2 of the forewings forewing veins 8 and 9 out of 7, with 3 and 4 often connate. Hindwings 9 veined; with 2 anal veins. The anal veins of the hindwings comprising 1a and 1b. Hindwings exhibiting vein 1a; lacking a tubular vein 1c. The transverse vein complete, or incomplete (lacking between veins 4 and 5 in Ladoga, Apatura and Argynnis), or lacking (rarely). Hindwings with a praecostal spur (mostly), or without a praecostal spur (lacking in Vanessa and Cynthia). The hindwing cell emitting more than six veins. 7 veins arising from the hindwing cell. The cell-derived hindwing veins all arising independently of one another, or 3+4 proximally joined (connate only). Vein 8 of the hindwings arising from the upper margin of the cell (from near its base); not approximating to vein 7.

Adults having only 4 fully developed legs (forelegs of the males brushlike with two tarsal joints, those of the females having 4 tarsal joints with only short setae). Fore-legs of female useless for walking. Fore-legs without a tibial epiphysis. Tibiae of middle legs 2-spurred. Posterior tibiae 2-spurred.

Tympanal organs absent.

Eggs, larvae and pupae. Eggs not flattened (usually somewhat taller than wide and broadest below, i.e., barrel-shaped or broadly conical); smooth or minutely pitted, or ribbed and/or reticulate, or with projections (nearly always longitudinally ribbed). Larval prolegs 10. Larvae conspicuously, densely long-hairy, or not densely long-hairy; without tentacles on segment 2 (but those of Apatura with horn-like appendages on the head); with rows of bristly spines (nearly always), or without bristly spines (Apatura only); exposed feeders (mostly), or concealed feeders; feeding in communal tents (e.g., Inachis io), or not feeding in communal tents. On various Dicots - Violaceae, Urticaceae, Ulmaceae, Salicaceae, Cannabaceae, Caprifoliaceae, etc.

Pupae ridged and angular; conspicuously patterned; with shining-metallic spots (commonly), or without shining-metallic spots; exposed, with no coccoon (usually), or concealed (Euphydryas); suspended from the tail (cremaster), with no median silk girdle.

British representation. Genera 14 (4 represented only by adventives); 31 species (including 12 adventives). Aglais urticae (Small Tortoise-shell), Apatura iris (Purple emperor, Araschnia levana (Map Butterfly, adventive), Argynnis adippe (High-brown Fritillary), Argynnis aglaia (var., Dark Green Fritillary), Argynnis niobe (Niobe, adventive), Argynnis pandora (Mediterranean Fritillary, adventive), Argynnis paphia (Silver-washed Fritillary), Boloria dia (Weaver's Fritillary, adventive), Boloria euphrosyne (Large Pearl-bordered Fritillary), Boloria selene (Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary), Cynthia (Vanessa) cardui (Painted Lady), Cynthia virginiensis (huntera) (American Painted Lady, adventive), Euphydryas aurinia (Marsh Fritillary), Inachis (Vanessa) io (Peacock), Issoria aphrodite (Venus Fritillary, adventive), Issoria lathonia (Queen of Spain Fritillary, Junonia (Precis) villida (adventive), Ladoga (Limenitis) camilla (White Admiral), Melitaea athalia (Heath Fritillary), Melitaea cinxia (Glanville Fritillary), Melitaea didyma (adventive), Nymphalis antiopa (Camberwell Beauty), Nymphalis (Aglais) polychloros (Large Tortoise-shell), Nymphalis xanthomelas (Scarce Tortoise-shell, adventive), Polygonia c-album (Comma), Vanessa atalanta (Red Admiral).

Classification. Butterflies. Suborder Ditrysia. Superfamily Papilionoidea.

Comments. Mostly brightly coloured and strong fliers.

Illustrations. • The larger Fritillaries (1): Newman. 1a-c, Argynnis paphia (Silver-washed Fritillary male, female and female under-side); 1d, Argynnis paphia var. valezina; 1e, Argynnis paphia var.; 2a-b, Issoria lathonia (Queen of Spain Fritillary, female upper- and under-sides). From Newman, 1871. • The larger Fritillaries (2): Newman. 1a-b, Argynnis aglaja (Dark Green Fritillary, female upper-side and male under-side); 1c, Argynnis aglaja (under-side of female, var. charlotta); 2a-c, Argynnis adippe (High Brown Fritillary, male, female and under-side of male); 3a-b, Argynnis niobe (Niobe female, upper and under-sides). From Newman, 1871. • Argynnis paphia (Silver-washed Fritillary): Giles Watson, photos. Argynnis paphia (Silver-washed Fritillary). Uffington, Oxon, July 2007. Giles Watson. • The smaller Fritillaries: Newman. 1a-b, Boloria selene (Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, upper- and under-sides); 2a-b, Boloria euphrosyne (Pearl-bordered Fritillary, upper- and under-sides); 3a-b, Euphydryas aurinia (Greasy or Marsh Fritillary, upper- and under-sides); 4a, Melitaea cinxia (Glanville Fritillary, var.); 4b-d, Melitaea cinxia (under-sides, varieties); 5a-b, Melitaea athalia (Heath Fritillary, normal upper- and under-sides); 5c-e, Melitaea athalia, varieties). From Newman, 1871. • Apatura iris and Lodoga camilla: Newman. 1a-b, Apatura iris (Purple Emperor, male upper-side and female under-side); 2a-b, Limenitis camilla (White Admiral, normal upper- and under-sides); 2c-d, Limenitis camilla (varieties). From Newman, 1871. • Vanessa atalanta, Cynthia cardui, C. virginiensis and Aglais urticae: Newman. 1a-b, Vanessa atalanta (Red Admiral, upper- and under-sides); 2a, Cynthia cardui (Painted Lady, normal form); 2b, Cynthia cardui (variety); 3, Cynthia virginiensis (American Painted Lady); 4a-b, Aglais urticae (Small Tortoise-shell, normal form of female and male); 4c-d, Aglais urticae (varieties). From Newman, 1871. • Nymphalis polychloros, N. antiopa, Inachis io and Polygonia c-album: Newman. 1, Nymphalis polychloros (Large Tortoise-shell); 2, Inachis io (Peacock); 3, Nymphalis antiopa (Camberwell Beauty); 4a-b, Polygonia c-album (Comma, upper- and under-sides). From Newman, 1871. • Inachis io (Peacock: Giles Watson, photos). Inachis io (Peacock). Uffington, Oxon, July 2007. Giles Watson. • Vanessa atalanta (Red Admiral: Giles Watson, photos). Vanessa atalanta (Red Admiral). St. Mary's, Isles of Scilly, 2006. Giles Watson. • Polygonia c-album (Comma), imbibing from fox dung (1): photo, Giles Watson. Polygonia c-album (Comma), imbibing from fox dung. Nightingale Woods, South Marsdon, Wiltshire, July 2008. Giles Watson. • Polygonia c-album (Comma), imbibing from rotting plums: photo, Giles Wason. Polygonia c-album (Comma), imbibing from rotting plums. Uffington, Oxfordshire, July 2008. Giles Watson. • Apatura iris (Purple Emperor): photos. Apatura iris (Purple Emperor): uppersides (above) and undersides of male (left) and female (right).

Provenance of specimens unknown (probably mainland-European). From Watson’s collection. • Apatura iris (Purple Emperor: B. Ent. 338). • Apatura iris (legend+text: B. Ent. 338). • Apatura iris (text, cont.: B. Ent. 338). • Apatura iris (Purple Emperor: Shaw and Nodder, 1799). • Apatura iris (Purple Emperor: Shaw and Nodder, text). • Argynnis aglaia (var., Dark Green Fritillary: B. Ent. 290). • Argynnis aglaia (var.): B. Ent. 290, legend+text. • Argynnis aglaia (var.): B. Ent. 290, text cont.. • Argynnis paphia (Silver-washed Fritillary: Shaw & Nodder, about 1807). • Argynnis niobe, Argynnis pandora: Kirby. • Issonia aphrodite (Venus Fritillary: Morris). • Boloria selene (Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary: B. Ent. 386). • Boloria selene: B. Ent. 386, legend+text. • Boloria selene: B. Ent. 386, text cont.. • Argynnis, Boloria (Euphrosyne) (Fritillaries: Coleman). • Argynnis, Boloria, Melitaea (including Mellicta), Euphydryas (Fritillaries: Coleman). • Boloria dia (Weaver's Fritillary), Melitaea didyma (Spotted Fritillary): Kirby. 2, Boloria dia (Weaver's Fritillary). 7, Melitaea didyma (Spotted Fritillary): male (c) and female (d). 8b, Melitaea dictynna (underside). From Kirby (1907). • Boloria dia (Weaver's Fritillary: Morris). • Limenitis camilla (White Admiral: B. Ent. 124). • Limenitis camilla: B. Ent. 124, legend+text. • Limenitis camilla: B. Ent. 124, text cont.. • Nymphalis antiopa (Camberwell Beauty: B. Ent. 96). • Nymphalis antiopa: B. Ent. 96, legend+text. • Nymphalis antiopa: B. Ent. 96, text cont.. • Nymphalis antiopa (Camberwell Beauty: Shaw and Nodder, about 1807). • Nymphalis antiopa (Camberwell Beauty: Shaw and Nodder, text). • Nymphalis polychloros (Large Tortoise-shell: Hübner/Curtis). • Nymphalis polychloros (Large Tortoise-shell: Shaw and Nodder, 1813). • Nymphalis polychloros (Large Tortoise-shell: Shaw and Nodder, text). • Nymphalis xanthomelas (Scarce Tortoise-shell): Kirby. • Aglais urticae (Small Tortoise-shell: Hübner/Curtis). • Araschnia levana (Map Butterfly: Kirby). • Comparing Cynthia cardui (Painted Lady) and C. kershawi (Australasian Painted Lady): photos. Figs. 1 and 1a, C. kershawi (Australasian Painted Lady); Figs. 2 and 2a, Cynthia cardui (Painted Lady). Note the broader forewings and more rounded hindwings of the Australasian (sub-)species, and the blue circles within the subterminal spots of its hindwings.

1, Leek, Staffs., larvae collected from thistles, July 1949. 2, Mount Franklin, A.C.T., Australia, November 1970. From Watson’s collection. • Cynthia (Vanessa) cardui (Painted Lady: Hübner/Curtis). • Cynthea (Vanessa) virginiensis (American Painted Lady: Shaw & Nodder, 1813). • Vanessa atalanta (Red Admiral: Shaw & Nodder, 1793). • Inachis io (Peacock: Shaw and Nodder, 1799). • Inachis io (Peacock: Shaw and Nodder, text). • Inachis (Vanessa) io (Peacock: Hübner/Curtis). • Polygonia c-album (Comma: Hübner/Curtis). • Junonia (Precis) villida (Albin’s Hampstead Eye?): photos. Figs. 1–3, Australian specimens of Junonia (= Precis) villida; uppersides of female (1) and male (2), and underside of male (3). Fig. 4, the Papilio oculatus Hampstediensis ex aureo fuscus of Petiver, as depicted by F.O. Morris in the mid-19th Century.

Petiver’s Papilionum Britanniae of 1717 included the strange-looking butterfly depicted in Fig. 4 as "Albin's Hampstead-Eye, where it was caught by this curious person, and is the only one I have yet seen". It has sometimes been interpreted as a variety of the Speckled Wood (q.v.), but compares better with the South-Pacific Junonia villida. Striking common features additional to the general colour-patterning are the paired eye-spots on both fore- and hindwings, and the characteristically nymphalid concave forewing termen. In any event, although “Albin’s Hampstead-Eye” has never been seen in Britain again, it remains to this day a ridiculous inclusion in British checklists.

1: Narooma, New South Wales, March 1978. 2 and 3, Mount Stromlo, A.C.T., November 1977. From Watson's collection. • Larvae and pupae of Aglais urticae, Inachis io, Nymphalis antiopa (Duponchel, 1849). Larvae and pupae. 35, Nymphalis antiopa; 36, Inachis io; 37, Aglais urticae. • Argynnis: neuration.

We advise against extracting comparative information from the descriptions. This is much more easily achieved using the DELTA data files or the interactive key, which allows access to the character list, illustrations, full and partial descriptions, diagnostic descriptions, differences and similarities between taxa, lists of taxa exhibiting or lacking specified attributes, and distributions of character states within any set of taxa. See also Guidelines for using data taken from Web publications.

Cite this publication as: ‘Watson, L., and Dallwitz, M.J. 2003 onwards. Insects of Britain and Ireland: the families of Lepidoptera. Version: 14th April 2022. delta-intkey.com’.

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