Dark Green Fritillary
Speyeria aglaja
National Status
Occurs throughout the UK but declining in central and eastern England. Population trend 10 years to 2016 +18%; since 1976 + 186%.
West Midlands Status
Very local, range possibly decreasing but under-recorded.
Dark Green Fritillary was recorded in 28 squares in 2026
10 Year Trend Analysis
Habitat
Flower-rich meadows, hills and open moorland with grass and bracken mosaic.
Caterpillar Food Plant
The main foodplants are Common Dog-violet (Viola riviniana), Hairy Violet (Viola hirta) and Marsh Violet (Viola palustris).
Life Cycle
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Egg | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Larva | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pupa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Adult | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Flight Period
Mid-June to mid-August.
First/Last Sightings 2026
| First Sighting | Recorded by | Last Sighting | Recorded by |
| 13 June | Ian burgess | 8 August | May , Andrew |
Distribution Map
Key
Total number of sightings per tetrad
Hotspots
Shropshire Hills, Staffordshire Moorlands, Wardlow Quarry in Staffordshire. Llanymynech Rocks, Wyre Forest