The Silver-washed Fritillary, Argynnis paphia

This species is more common in the south and west of the country, but is being more frequently reported from woodland in Essex.
The population at Marks Hall near Coggeshall is referred to in their visitor guide as recently reintroduced.

It is on the wing from the end of June to mid to late August when it can be seen in warm, sheltered clearings in woodland. It over-winters as a caterpillar. The larval food plants are Violets.

Personal sightings:

5 July 2011. Marks Hall, Coggeshall, Essex. 4 Silver-washed Fritillaries.
4 July 2011. Stour Wood, Essex. 2 Silver-washed Fritillaries.
11 July 2011. Stour Wood, Essex. 2 Silver-washed Fritillaries.
19 July 2011. Marks Hall, Coggeshall, Essex. 4 Silver-washed Fritillaries in Thrift Wood (morning).
22 July 2011. Brampton Wood, Cambs. 2 Silver-washed Fritillaries (morning).
22 July 2012. Gamlingay Wood, Cambs. 2 Silver-washed Fritillaries (late afternoon).
26 July 2012. Gamlingay Wood. 3 Silver-washed Fritillaries.
26 July 2012. Brampton Wood, Main Ride. 2 Silver-washed Fritillaries (afternoon). One appeared fascinated by a few clover leaves in the middle of the ride, it made several landings and looked to be probing the surface.
11 July 2013. Brampton Wood (late afternoon). 2 Silver-washed Fritillaries.
15 July 2013. Wolves Wood, Suffolk (mid day). 2 Silver-washed Fritillaries - from time to time being hustled by Commas.
1 Aug 2014. Broak's Wood, Gosfield, Essex. 1 Silver-washed Fritillary, male. Seen in a sun-lit gap where a path briefly widened.
17 July 2018. Roseland House, Great Yeldham. 1 Silver-washed Fritillary, male. Brief landing in sheltered sunny corner.
5 August 2018. Roseland House. 1 Silver-washed Fritillary, male. Stayed about an hour in the boggy corner.
27 June 2020. Roseland House. 1 Silver-washed Fritillary, male. Nectaring on Bramble flowers in bright interval on a windy day.

Weather notes:
2011. July - early August very wet.
2012. April - mid July very wet. August to mid September dry.
2013. Winter wet, March and early April, very cold. The rest of the spring was mostly cold. July, mostly very warm. August, warm.
2014. Winter very wet, mild. Spring was early, colder in mid April. Summer to early August, warm without a drought.
2015. Winter normal, March, April - May mostly cold. Sallow flowers opened on March 28 - 29th. Summer, fairly normal.
2016. Winter normal. Sallow flowers opened on April 2 - 3rd. Spring mostly cool and breezy. For a few weeks in late spring there was heavy rainfall and saturated soil and vegetation. Late summer with hot, dry periods.
2017. Winter mildish, hardly any frost. Sallow flowers opened on March 14 - 15th. Warm spells in March. April mostly dry and chilly. First Creeping Thistle flowers open on June 13th, followed by about 7 days of heat wave. Early July was very warm, excellent for counting butterflies. Late summer, autumn normal.
2018. Winter normal with a few days of settled snow. Sallow flowers open on March 26th. March, April mostly cold and wet, May warm. June 11, Bramble flowers opening to greet first Large Skippers. Mid June to early August, very hot and dry. Autumn mostly dry.
2019. Winter normal. Hardly any frost. Sallow flowers seen on March 10th. Spring mostly cool apart from Easter heatwave. May 31, Bramble flowers starting to open. June 1, Buckthorn in full bloom. Dryish summer with some heatwaves.
2020. Mildish winter. Sallow flowers open March 10th. Spring mostly cool. Several warm days in early April and through May. May 28 Bramble flowers opening. Record dry May. June nectar sources mostly Buttercups in the unmown paths, and Brambles.
2021.Winter normal. Very wet, early spring then cold. Sallow flowers opened on March 23rd. Summer with a few hot spells and moderate rain.
2022. Winter, normal. Sallow flowers open on March 18th. Bramble flowers open May 28. Summer, mostly very dry with long hot spells.
2023. Winter normal, some frost. Feb very dry, March very wet. Sallow flowers open on March 21st. Cold wet spring followed by hottest May on record, warm June and wet July. Autumn, mild and wet.
2024. Winter mild and wet. Feb very wet. Sallow flowers open on March 13th. April record rainfall. Late summer, early autumn much dryer.