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Species Marsh fritillary - Evrodryas avirnia, butterfly
Habitat CALCAREOUS GRASSLAND, DAMP NEUTRAL/ACIDIC GRASSLAND
Background and status Its main larval food host plant is devil’s bit scabious Succisa pratensis. Most colonies occupy very small patches (typically less than two ha). The most natural habitat pattern of existence is in metapopulations (collection of local populations, connected by occasional dispersal, in which there are local extinctions and colonisations). To survive, metapopulations need a network of nearby habitat patches (within 5-10 km) within which periodic extinction and re-colonisation occurs in areas where the habitat is not occupied by the butterfly all of the time.

The UK is a major European stronghold for this species. It is currently estimated that colonies are disappearing at a rate of more than 10% per decade. The South West supports nearly 50% of the UK population.

Main Threats Destruction of habitat due to agricultural improvement and development pressures.
Conservation and targets

Halt the decline and maintain the present marsh fritillary colonies in the South West.

There is a need to seek favourable land management, via appropriate agreements/schemes, on all occupied grasslands and appropriate potential habitats and complete surveys of existing populations, colony size, and conservation status

Maintain all large populations at or above present levels and ensure sites with smaller populations are managed to increase them.

Establish and/or maintain extensive networks of suitable marsh fritillary habitat around or near occupied sites with large populations.

Ensure the nature conservation value of these sites is enhanced for other species.
  Contribution from National Trust Contribution from Environment Agency

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