Dark Green Fritillary

Argynnis aglaja Wingspan: Male 72mm, female 76mm 

Description
If you see a large fast-flying fritillary on open grassland in Wiltshire it will almost certainly be a Dark Green. If it settles nearby check for large silver spots on the underside of the hindwing. 

Your photographs 

Flight Period
June to mid/late August. 

Larval Food plants
Common Dog-violet (Viola riviniana)
Hairy Violet (Viola hirta)
Marsh Violet (Viola palustris) 

Habitat Requirements
Open chalk grassland, occasionally in open woodland. 

Wiltshire Status
Frequent/common, locally widespread. 

Wiltshire Sites
Grovely Wood
Porton Down
Salisbury Plain
Sidbury Hill 

Earliest sightings
Earliest county record 24^th May 1987 

Latest county record
2^nd September 2000