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Nature

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The small tortoiseshell is widespread and common in many gardens in spring and autumn, often in large numbers

Join the Great British Butterfly Hunt

Michael McCarthy: As these enchanting creatures dance on the spring breeze, we invite readers on a four-month voyage around Britain to look for them.

Inside UK butterflies

British Butterflies

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The small tortoiseshell is widespread and common in many gardens in spring and autumn, often in large numbers

Victory declared in Great Butterfly Hunt

It has taken five months, but now The Independent has achieved its aim of spotting every one of Britain's 58 species in a single summer.

Species Status

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Glanville Fritillary<p><i>Melitaea cinxia</i></p><p></p><p>One of the most localised of all our wildlife species, found only in the Isle of Wight, apart from occasional sightings on the nearby Hampshire coast. Similar in appearance to the rare heath fritillary, but the beige and orange bands on the underwings are distinctive. Named after Lady Eleanor Glanville, who first captured specimens in the 1690s. </p><p></p><p>Larval foodplants: ribwort plantain. </p><p>Where seen: the undercliffs and chines of the coast of the Isle of Wight. </p><p>Current conservation status: one of Britain's rarest butterflies because of its localised status, but despite enormous fluctuations in the population from year to year, no evidence of any major decline.</p>

Glanville fritillary

One of the most localised of all our wildlife species, found only in the Isle of Wight, apart from occasional sightings on the nearby Hampshire coast. Similar in appearance to the rare heath fritillary but the beige and orange bands on the underwings are distinctive. Named after Lady Eleanor Glanville, who first captured specimens in the 1690s.
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