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Issoria lathonia / Queen of Spain Fritillary
Flatrargjenda e vogël
Nymphalidae - Heliconiinae
Issoria lathonia (Linnaeus, 1758). TL: Sweden.
 
 
1a. Issoria lathonia, distribution map (09.i.2025).  Historical data ;  Additional data from the 2018 update ;  New observations since the 2018 update.
1b. Issoria lathonia ♂ upperside. Llogoro pass-Qorre pass, Albania (© Lulëzim Shuka)
1c. Issoria lathonia ♂ underside. Romania (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1d. Issoria lathonia ♂ lateral. Greece (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
Description
♂♂
Medium size butterfly. Fw: 19-23 mm.
Ups: bright fulvous gc.
Upf: no sex-brand, concave outer margin below v5.
Unh: very large silvery spots.
♀♀
Slightly larger, similar markings.
Similar species
None.
Life cycle
Adults: at least three continuous generations from second half of March to November.
Egg: 4-9 days.
Caterpillar: overwintering as L3 and L4 larva, rarely as L5.
Pupa: 8-15 days.
Habitat
Issoria lathonia inhabits rough places and meadows from lowland and can be found hill-topping up to 2600 m a.s.l.
Spatial requirement considerable, population density moderate, nomadic.
Foodplants
Caterpillars feed on Viola aetolica, V. arvensis, V. canina, V. dacica, V. eximia, V. hirta, V. kitaibeliana, V. lutea, V. odorata, V. reichenbachiana, V. riviniana, V. rupestris and V. tricolor.
Butterflies feed on a large variety of flowers.
Distribution
Albania: widespread in the mountains.
Balkan: AL - BG - BIH - GR - HR - NMK - MNE - RKS - RO - SLO - SRB
Europe: IB - IT - ALP - BAL - NWE - UK* - SCA* - EEU
Asia Minor, Near East, Transcaucasia, Caucasus and further east.
Conservation status
Issoria lathonia is not endangered.
Albanian Red List: NE.
IUCN Red List, category at the Mediterranean level: LC.
Useful links
Bink 2015
Pyrgus.de
Lepiforum
Euroleps
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