Knapweed Fritillary
Melitaea phoebe
Melitaea phoebe, also known as the knapweed fritillary, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in the Palearctic realm, including most of Europe and North Africa, excluding the United Kingdom and Scandinavia.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melitaea_phoebe
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Arthropoda
Class
Insecta
Order
Lepidoptera
Family
Nymphalidae
Genus
Melitaea
Knapweed Fritillary belongs to the family Nymphalidae, order Lepidoptera, within the Insecta class.
Species Profile
Melitaea phoebe, also known as the knapweed fritillary, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in the Palearctic realm, including most of Europe and North Africa, excluding the United Kingdom and Scandinavia. Previously, it also included Melitaea telona, which was recently revalidated as a distinct cryptic species.
The Knapweed Fritillary faces severe population declines primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of its specialized grassland ecosystems. Agricultural intensification, urbanization, and changes in land management practices have eliminated much of the species' required habitat containing its host plants. Climate change and habitat fragmentation further threaten the remaining isolated populations.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
M. phoebe is present throughout Europe except for the northern regions such as England, Ireland, Northern France, Germany, Poland, Holland, Belgium and Scandinavia. It can also be found in North Africa: Morocco and Algeria, Turkey, Siberia, and Central Asia in Mongolia and northern China included. M. phoebe inhabits flowery meadows and plains, but may just also be found in stonier places such as...
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
The Knapweed Fritillary faces severe population declines primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of its specialized grassland ecosystems. Agricultural intensification, urbanization, and changes in land management practices have eliminated much of the species' required habitat containing its host plants. Climate change and habitat fragmentation further threaten the remaining isolated populations.
Agricultural intensification
Habitat loss and degradation
Urbanization and development
Climate change
Habitat fragmentation
National vs Global Threat Status
How this species is assessed at the national level compared to its IUCN global status (CR).
| Country | National Status | Global Status | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU | LCLeast Concern | CRCritically Endangered | Lower local risk |
| EU | LCLeast Concern | CRCritically Endangered | Lower local risk |
National Red List data sourced from the National Red List Project (nationalredlist.org, ZSL) and country-specific Red List authorities.
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
National Red Lists: ZSL (2025). National Red List. Zoological Society of London. Available at: https://www.nationalredlist.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/knapweed-fritillary