The marsh fritillary
butterfly is declining in almost every European country and is now
extinct in northern Belgium. The UK is now believed to be one of
the major European stronghold for the species, but even here it has
declined substantially over the last 150 years. In Britain, its
range has reduced by over 62%, and it has recently disappeared from
most of eastern England and eastern Scotland. It is still quite
widespread in parts of south-west England and Wales, but colonies
are estimated to be disappearing at a rate of well over 10% per
decade. In Ireland, the butterfly`s range is thought to have
contracted by 50%.
Surveys in 1990
indicated that there were 228 definite colonies in England, 111 in
Wales, 35 in Scotland and 58 in Northern Ireland, in about 20 key
areas. 44% of colonies known in Britain are within SSSIs, and 11
within NNRs.
The marsh fritillary
breeds in two main habitats, damp neutral or acid grasslands (Rhos
pastures) and dry chalk and limestone grasslands. Colonies are
often small and prone to extinction, so extensive networks of
habitat patches which permit re-colonisation are essential to their
long term survival.
The butterfly is
listed on Annex II of the EC Habitats Directive and Appendix II of
the Bern Convention It is also protected under Schedule 5 of the
WCA 1981 (in respect of sale only), and fully protected under
Schedule 5 and 7 of the Wildlife Order (Northern Ireland)
1985.
