The twin-spot fritillary (''Brenthis hecate'') is a butterfly in the family

Nymphalidae The Nymphalidae are the largest family of butterflies, with more than 6,000 species distributed throughout most of the world. Belonging to the superfamily Papilionoidea, they are usually medium-sized to large butterflies. Most species ha ...

Description

''Brenthis hecate'' is a large fritillary with a wingspan reaching and bright orange uppersides of the wings. The underside of the hindwings shows a double parallel line of brown spots (hence the common name).

Description in Seitz

hecate W . V . (68f). Darker red-brown than most of the preceding species, above similar to ''niobe'', the wings more rounded, the spots thin but sharply defined, all separated from each other, only the median dentate line of the hindwing continuous. The underside is very characteristic; it has no silver and is alternately light yellow and cinnamon-red; the light yellow median band is somewhat shifted basad and is less curved than in ''

euphrosyne In ancient Greek religion and mythology, Euphrosyne (; ) is a goddess, one of the three Charites. She was sometimes named Euthymia () or Eutychia (). Family According to Hesiod, Euphrosyne and her sisters Thalia and Aglaea are the daughters ...

'', '' thore'', '' amphilochus'', etc. In Central and South Europe, France, Northern Italy, especially Austria-Hungary, Russia and Asia Minor. — ''caucasica'' Stgr. ow ''B. hectae transcaucasica'' (Wnukowsky, 1929)68f) is a rather large form, which is more yellowish brown above and very light yellow on the hindwing beneath, the cinnamon-brown being much reduced; from the shores of the Black Sea, especially Armenia. — ''alaica'' Stgr. ow ''B. hecate alaica'' (Staudinger, 1886)(68g), from the Pamir and the Ala-Dagh, is rather strongly edged with black above, while the black markings are much reduced on the rest of the surface, especially in the outer third of the forewing. — ''aigina'' Fruhst. ow ''B. hecate aigina'' (Fruhstorfer, 1908) from Andalusia, is paler on both sides, the basal half of the hindwing above lighter and the hindwing beneath more uniformly yellow, the russet-red being entirely absent or only vestigial as some smears. — Of individual aberrations ab. ''priscilla ''Schultz is characterized by a broad black median band and ab. ''avernensis'' Guill. by the darkened upperside having a bluish sheen. Butterflies occur from the end of May till July on mountain meadows and clearings in woods, being very local. Seitz. A. in Seitz, A. ed. Band 1: Abt. 1, ''Die Großschmetterlinge des palaearktischen Faunengebietes, Die palaearktischen Tagfalter'', 1909, 379 Seiten, mit 89 kolorierten Tafeln (3470 Figuren)

Biology

The flight period extends from May to early August. The larva feeds on ''

Filipendula vulgaris ''Filipendula vulgaris'', commonly known as dropwort or fern-leaf dropwort, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the family Rosaceae, closely related to meadowsweet (''Filipendula ulmaria''). It is found in Europe, western Siberia, Asia Minor, the ...

'' and ''

Dorycnium ''Lotus'', a latinization of Greek '' lōtos'' (), is a genus of flowering plants that includes most bird's-foot trefoils (also known as bacon-and-eggs) and deervetches. Depending on the taxonomic authority, roughly between 70 and 150 species a ...

''. Brenthis hecate MHNT CUT 2013 3 20 Penne Dos.jpg, Dorsal Brenthis hecate MHNT CUT 2013 3 20 Penne Ventre.jpg, Ventral Brenthishecatecaucasica.jpg, ''Brenthis hecate caucasica'' in Seitz

Distribution

''Brenthis hecate'' is found in south-western

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

Lithuania Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, P ...

, southern

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

, the

Balkans The Balkans ( , ), corresponding partially with the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throug ...

Asia Minor Anatolia (), also known as Asia Minor, is a peninsula in West Asia that makes up the majority of the land area of Turkey. It is the westernmost protrusion of Asia and is geographically bounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the south, the Aegean ...

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

and

Central Asia Central Asia is a region of Asia consisting of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The countries as a group are also colloquially referred to as the "-stans" as all have names ending with the Persian language, Pers ...

Habitat

This species is typical of dry flowery meadows with light scrub and woodland margins, at an elevation of above sea level.

Etymology

Named in the

Classical tradition The Western classical tradition is the reception of classical Greco-Roman antiquity by later cultures, especially the post-classical West, involving texts, imagery, objects, ideas, institutions, monuments, architecture, cultural artifacts, ritu ...

Hecate Hecate ( ; ) is a goddess in ancient Greek religion and mythology, most often shown holding a pair of torches, a key, or snakes, or accompanied by dogs, and in later periods depicted as three-formed or triple-bodied. She is variously associat ...

is a goddess in ancient Greek religion and mythology.

References

External links

Leps It"''Brenthis'' Hübner, [1819]"
at Markku Savela's ''Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms''

*[http://www.butterfly-guide.co.uk/species/fritillaries/frit2.htm Butterfly Guide] {{Taxonbar, from=Q1251378 Argynnini Butterflies of Asia Butterflies of Europe Butterflies described in 1775