Butterfly ID
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Field guide · Denmark
Brush-footed butterflies · Denmark

Map

Araschnia levana

Map is common in Denmark. Wing span: 31-42 mm. The spring generation occurs in May through early June. Map is associated with moist forest clearings and moist open forest edges with populations of nectar flowers and nettles.

Status in this countryCommon in DenmarkLC (Least concern)
Map

Flight period

The spring generation flies from May to early June. The summer generation flies from mid-July into August.

Habitat

Map is associated with moist forest undergrowth and moist open forest edges, with populations of nectar-bearing flowers and nettles. The spring generation is quite selective in its site selection and is almost exclusively found on moderately moist forest undergrowth with nettle.

Identifying features

Wingspan: 31-42 mm. The female is the largest, and 2.

Similar species

The spring generation may be confused with small fritillaries, but can be distinguished from them by the underside, which is orange-red with a light stripe. The spring generation may also be confused with Painted Lady, but this species has a light orange base colour, dark wingtips, an orange wing base without a strong dark pattern, and a light/brown underside.

Distribution

Back in 1881, Map was first discovered in Denmark, in Kohave forest on Falster. And since then, the species has spread and is now commonly found in deciduous forests on the Islands and in the eastern Jutland.

Biology

The species overwinters as a pupa, and the spring generation emerges in May and flies until mid-June. The eggs are laid in hanging rows on the underside of a pondweed leaf and resemble a flower head.