Wildlife Welfare

Wild Marsh Fritillary Butterfly Conservation

Protecting the endangered marsh fritillary through habitat restoration and population management.

Key Facts

Marsh fritillary is one of the UK's most threatened butterflies, with populations in severe decline
It depends entirely on devil's-bit scabious as its larval food plant in damp grassland habitats
Populations are highly fragmented and vulnerable to local extinction through weather events or overgrazing
Agri-environment scheme payments for appropriate grassland management have produced population recoveries

Welfare Considerations

Marsh fritillary caterpillars, which overwinter in communal webs on their food plant, are highly vulnerable to habitat management changes. A single incorrect grazing management decision can eliminate an entire local population. Welfare considerations must integrate individual insect impacts as well as population trends.

What You Can Do

Support agri-environment schemes that fund marsh fritillary habitat management on private land
Record marsh fritillary sightings using Butterfly Conservation's app during survey periods
Advocate for grassland habitat connectivity through green corridors linking isolated populations