Melanic fritillary
Posted: Thu May 21, 2009 3:47 pm
I'm guessing this is a meadow fritillary. Sadly, it had been hit by a car and couldn't fly properly. But it is an interesting specimen. I've never seen this extent of melanism in meadow frit, though I have seen it in false heath frit (the last picture below). I found it today in my village of Huémoz, at about 1000m in the Swiss Alps.
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2009/parthenoides096.jpg)
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2009/parthenoides097.jpg)
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2009/parthenoides094.jpg)
The next one is a false heath fritillary from considerable altitude in Switzerland, a few years ago.
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2006/diamina3.jpg)
Guy
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2009/parthenoides096.jpg)
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2009/parthenoides097.jpg)
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2009/parthenoides094.jpg)
The next one is a false heath fritillary from considerable altitude in Switzerland, a few years ago.
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2006/diamina3.jpg)
Guy