Silver-washed Fritillary
EN

Silver-washed Fritillary

Argynnis paphia

UnknownLCEULCEU

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver-washed_fritillary

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

The Silver-washed Fritillary faces severe population declines across its European range due to woodland fragmentation and the loss of ancient deciduous forests where its host violets grow. Climate change is shifting suitable habitat northward faster than the species can disperse, while intensive forestry practices eliminate the dappled sunlight conditions essential for both adult butterflies and violet food plants. Urban development continues to fragment remaining woodland corridors, isolating populations and reducing genetic diversity.

Threat summary

Habitat

The Silver-washed Fritillary inhabits mature deciduous and mixed woodlands with open glades and rides, particularly favoring oak and beech forests with abundant bramble patches for nectar. Adults require dappled sunlight filtering through the canopy, while larvae depend on dog violets growing in partially shaded woodland clearings.

Other threatened species in Nymphalidae

Scarce FritillaryCR

Scarce Fritillary

Euphydryas maturna

Unknown
EN

Altopedaliodes albonotata

Unknown
Two-tailed PashaVU

Two-tailed Pasha

Charaxes jasius

Unknown
False GraylingVU

False Grayling

Arethusana arethusa

Unknown

Threatened in Åland Islands

Calidris ferrugineaVU

Calidris ferruginea

Declining
Scarce BlackneckCR

Scarce Blackneck

Lygephila craccae

Unknown
EN

knopphodeedderkopp

Walckenaeria nodosa

Unknown
EN

Dolichopus notatus

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Silver-washed Fritillary classified as Endangered?
Silver-washed Fritillary is classified as Endangered — facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild — because population numbers are declining steeply and key habitats are under sustained pressure. The Silver-washed Fritillary faces severe population declines across its European range due to woodland fragmentation and the loss of ancient deciduous forests where its host violets grow. Climate change is shifting suitable habitat northward faster than the species can disperse, while intensive forestry practices eliminate the dappled sunlight conditions essential for both adult butterflies and violet food plants. Urban development continues to fragment remaining woodland corridors, isolating populations and reducing genetic diversity.
Where does Silver-washed Fritillary live?
Silver-washed Fritillary occurs in Åland Islands, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Armenia, and Austria (plus 61 other countries). Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Silver-washed Fritillary?
The main threats to Silver-washed Fritillary are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

Get weekly conservation intelligence

One short digest a week of the most striking species and country data we ship, plus breaking conservation news paired with our database where it matters.

Free, no spam. One-click unsubscribe in every email.