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Hi - weren't to Chambers Farm Wood today (always been a favourite place to go of mine) and found among the countless red and white admirals this aberration of silver washed fritillary. Any idea which one it might be - had a look and there seem to be a lot of similar images but none exactly the same. Is it a type of confluens?

Thanks
George

we went not weren't (dodgy spell checker!)

Hi - does anyone know the answer?

Cheers
George

Hi George.

The problem is that there may well not be a definitive answer! As you say, there will be a lot of images of similar abs, but nothing identical to yours. This kind of aberration (in common with various degrees of melanic aberration in other fritillaries) does not necessarily run true to type creating a clearly identifiable form. Instead, there will be gradations between extremes and "normal" specimens. Such aberrations are thought to derive from the conditions to which the insect was subjected as a pupa - extremes of heat or cold at key points in metamorphosis affect scale pigmentation apparently.

If yours were to have a name, it does look like a variety of confluens, where (as the name suggests) the black markings have run into one another to some extent.

That's my take on this - there may be other views on the subject!

Cheers,

Dave

Hi Dave,

Thanks very much for your detailed reply - very helpful. I hadn't seen another SWF quite like this!

Cheers
George