Marsh Fritillary

is one of the most beautiful butterflies of the Nymphalidae family, of golden-brown coloring with black ornaments. Living in moist or bog meadows and pastures, it is rather sensitive to its habitat; for the caterpillars to hatch, it needs thick vegetation of Devil's-bit Scabious. Moreover, it needs a rich choice of nectar plants and sunny, windless spots for mating. When mowing the meadow, broad edges must be left, patch mowing once a year being the most suitable method. The species suffers the most by the countryside dewatering and foresting. In the Czech Republic, the species lives only in several border areas in Western Bohemia. It is one of critically endangered species in the whole Europe.