Marsh Fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia)
Key Details
| Taxonomic Groups: | Invertebrate > insect - butterfly > Butterfly |
| Red List Status: | Vulnerable (Not Relevant) [VU(nr)] |
| D5 Status: | Included in the baseline Red List Index for England (Wilkins, Wilson & Brown, 2022) |
| Section 41 Status: | (not listed) |
| Taxa Included Synonym: | (none) |
| UKSI Recommended Name: | Euphydryas aurinia |
| UKSI Recommended Authority: | (Rottemburg, 1775) |
| UKSI Recommended Qualifier: | (none specified) |
| Red List Citation: | Fox & Dennis, 2021 |
| Notes on taxonomy/listing: | (none) |
Criteria
| Question 1: | Does species need conservation or recovery in England? |
| Response: | Yes |
| Justification: | GB Red List (Fox et al. 2022): VU. Statistically significant 60% decline in abundance since 1982 and a 20% short-term (10 year 2010-2019) decline; 35% long-term decline in distribution since 1975 and a 11% short-term decline (Fox et al. 2023) |
| Question 2: | Does recovery/ conservation depend on species-specific actions? |
| Response: | Yes |
| Justification: | Very well studied species; understand autecological requirements and bespoke management requirements |
| Question 3: | At a landscape scale, would the species benefit from untargeted habitat management to increase habitat mosaics, structural diversity, or particular successional stages? |
| Response: | No |
| Justification: | The species functions at the landscape-scale and actions need to take place at this scale but must be targeted and specific for this species |
Species Assessment
| Current step on the Species Recovery Curve (SRC): | 7. Best approach adopted at appropriate scales |
| Recovery potential/expectation: | Low - Combination or other (detail in comments) |
| National Monitoring Resource: | Structured - sufficient |
| Species Comments: | Recovery potential is mixed and varies from region and landscape. Where still extant and landscape can be restored the recovery potential is med/high; where the species is extinct from a landscape there will be a legacy of extinction debt which would mean recovery potential is low without significant habitat creation/restoration |
Key Actions
Key Action 1
Proposed Action: Increase advice and support to landowners, advisors, land managers on appropriate management practices and target habitat restoration at the landscape-scale.
Action targets: 7. Best approach adopted at appropriate scales
Action type: Advice & support
Duration: >10 years
Scale of Implementation: National
High priority sites: Have given >10 years as this reflects need for ongoing support
Comments:
Key Action 2
Proposed Action: Investigate the potential benefits of designating the rhos pasture valley sites on Dartmoor as this landscape is the only one without SSSI (and therefore SAC) designation in England for this species protected across Europe.
Action targets: 7. Best approach adopted at appropriate scales
Action type: Site protection
Duration: >10 years
Scale of Implementation: ≤ 50 sites
High priority sites: Dartmoor
Comments: A significant gap in the SSSI series for this European protected species, example of recent threats have been risk from woodland planting on undesignated land.'
Key Action 3
Proposed Action: Research the causes of regional decline of populations on chalk grassland sites where the host plant appears to be negatively impacted by drought due to climate change and seek ways to buffer these affects.
Action targets: 5. Remedial action identified
Action type: Scientific research
Duration: 3-5 years
Scale of Implementation: ≤ 20 sites
High priority sites: Work required in Dorset and Wiltshire
Comments: Monitoring data demonstrates a downward trend on chalk grassland sites, it appears that Devil's-bit Scabious is being impacted by drought and changes in soil moisture our traditional management practices are not creating the ideal habitat, we need to research alternative grazing regimes'.
Acknowledgment:
Data used on this website are adapted from Threatened species recovery actions 2025 baseline (JP065): Technical report and spreadsheet user guide (Natural England, 2025). Available here.