When seen in a woodland setting the silver-washed fritillary is unmistakable as it is a large, bright orange butterfly that cannot really be confused with any other species found in this habitat. This is true in Dorset I believe as the pearl-bordered fritillary is no longer found in Dorset woodlands having faded out here some years ago. The pearl-bordered may have been subject to a sad demise but thankfully the silver-washed is doing alright and is certainly holding its own for the time being at least. It should be born in mind that there is a darker form of silver-washed, the valezina form, which can be encountered and at first sight looks a totally different species!
The thirty eight reports of silver-washed fritillary in the Nature of Dorset database for 2017 and 2018 combined show that the first of these butterflies can be seen in week 25 in mid-June and then they are reported every week for seven weeks until week 31 in early August; they seem to be at their peak in early July. This flight period ties in with textbook information which validates the records we have here from Dorset so far.
There are records from thirty nine sites and they are all predominantly, or at least partially, broadleaf woodland where these butterflies feed in sunny glades on the flowers of bramble.
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