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Argynnis niobe

Posted by
Johan Dierckx (Wijnegem, Belgium) on 12 October 2011 in Animal & Insect and Portfolio.

Argynnis niobe (NL: Duinparelmoervlinder / EN: Niobe Fritillary / DE: Mittlerer Perlmuttfalter, Stiefmütterchen-Perlmutterfalter / FR: Le Chiffre, Nacré mat) is a butterfly of the Nymphalidae family and is one of three rather similar species. They are all rather widespread across Europe from southern Spain to central Scandinavia. The other species are: Argynnis adippe (High Brown Fritillary) and Argynnis aglaja (Dark Green Fritillary). To separate A.niobe from A.adippe and A.aglaja refer to the underside hindwing. This is heavily green in A.aglaja and usually a rather warm brown in the other two species. The submarginal band is devoid of spots in A.aglaja where A.niobe and A.adippe have several brown spots often centred with a small white or silvery pupil. The separation of A.niobe from A.adippe is a more difficult proposition. A.niobe has a small pale spot near the base of the underside hindwing. This spot has the same colour as the ground colour and itself usually contains a small black spot or mark.
A.niobe flies in open flowery places usually with woodland in the vicinity which presumably provides some habitat for the larval foodplant:Viola sp.

Image: Maloja (CH) - 18/07/2011

Canon EOS 400D 1/200 second F/5.6 ISO 200 150 mm

© Johan Dierckx

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Aubélia from Kortrijk, Belgium

Mooi beeld van deze prachtige vlinder.

12 Oct 2011 6:06am

Christine from Ellemford, United Kingdom

Beautiful

12 Oct 2011 6:10am

Ralf Kesper from Attendorn, Germany

Praechtig!

12 Oct 2011 5:00pm

Magda from Vancouver, Canada

outstanding detail and light!

14 Oct 2011 5:06am

Canon EOS 400D
1/200 second
F/5.6
ISO 200
150 mm

animalia
arthropoda
insecta
lepidoptera
nymphalidae
argynnis
ch