Wildlife

Wild Marsh Fritillary Larval Web Protection

Marsh fritillary larvae overwinter communally in webs that are highly vulnerable to agricultural management. Protecting larval webs is critical to colony survival.

Key Facts

Marsh fritillary larvae construct communal silk webs on devil's bit scabious
Larvae overwinter from August onwards in increasingly tight webs
Web survival through winter is the critical bottleneck for colony survival
Grazing management must avoid disturbing webs between August and April
Surveys in July identify web locations for targeted protection

Welfare Considerations

Marsh fritillary larvae dispersed from webs by inappropriate grazing or mowing die from exposure and starvation. Individual larvae suffer and populations collapse when web survival rates are low. Seasonal grazing management that protects larval webs from August to April is the most direct welfare and conservation intervention for this threatened species.

What You Can Do

Support Butterfly Conservation marsh fritillary habitat management
Survey and report larval webs to guide protective management
Volunteer for seasonal butterfly monitoring and conservation work