Bright-eyed Ringlet vs Marsh Fritillary

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Bright-eyed Ringlet Marsh Fritillary
Scientific Name Erebia oeme Euphydryas aurinia
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Nymphalidae Nymphalidae
Size 32-38 mm wingspan 38-50 mm wingspan
Habitat Mountains Underground
Diet Nectar Feeders Gall Makers
Regions Alps, Carpathians, Balkans Europe, temperate Asia, North Africa
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern (but declining and protected under E

Bright-eyed Ringlet

A dark brown ringlet with prominent white-pupiled eyespots. It frequents damp, grassy slopes in subalpine and alpine zones.

💡

Did You Know?

Its bright eyespots likely serve to startle predatory birds.

Marsh Fritillary

A colourful butterfly with a complex mosaic of orange, cream, and brown markings across its wings. It is the most rapidly declining fritillary in Europe and is legally protected.

💡

Did You Know?

Its populations undergo dramatic boom-and-bust cycles driven by a parasitic wasp that specialises on its larvae.