Argynnis paphia (Linn.) Silver-washed Fritillary
p31. Formerly local resident, now very rare ?vagrant. N.E. Essex was for long this large fritillary's
stronghold in the County but an extension of its range began in the 1930s and by 1950 it was fairly
widespread and was common in some districts *. Within a decade, however, it had largely vanished
and the Guide could give no record after 1962. 69 Norsey Wood, a tattered specimen, 1983 (KC); 60
W. Chelmsford, in garden on buddleja, 1976 (CRP); 01 Fingringhoe Wick NR, 1977 (DY).
Note: in addition to the records in 1976 and 1977 of the large fritillaries, as listed above, there were at
least three reliable sightings in 1977 and 1978 of large fritillaries that could not be specifically
identified. The several occurrences seem to point to the possibility of attempted re-colonisation of the
County during and immediately following the exceptional summer of 1976.
Eurodryas aurinia (Rott.) (Euphydryas aurinia) Marsh Fritillary
pl 31. No recent record (extinct). This butterfly was very locally distributed in the west and south-
west of the County in the 19th century but there has been no trace of it in the present century *.
Mellicta athalia (Rott.) (Melitaea athalia) Heath Fritillary
p34. Formerly very local resident; reintroductions during this century. This species was found
locally in N.E. Essex in the last century but became extinct in its last stronghold - at Dedham - about
1890 *. There is also an old record from Epping Forest (Tyssen, 1857). It was introduced into
Hadleigh Woods in 1925 and into Hockley Woods in 1935, became established and in some years
was common in both localities. It became progressively more scarce during the 1960s and the last one
was seen - in Hadleigh Woods - in 1972 *. An attempt to reintroduce it to Essex was begun in
1983, and there are indications in 1985 that it has been successful.
SATYRIDAE
A very large, very widespread, family of small, medium-sized or large butterflies. They are known as
the 'browns' - all except one of the British species being some shade of brown. The adults have small,
characteristic eyespots somewhere on their wings. The forelegs are non-functional and the antennae
are not strongly clubbed. The larvae are grass-feeders; they are quite long and thin and are mainly
green or brown with smooth skins. All can overwinter in the larval stage although speckled woods and
walls may sometimes overwinter as pupae. The pupa is generally suspended from its cremaster. There
are eleven British resident species, three of which are highland or moorland specialists and are
unknown in Essex. The other eight species are still all resident in Essex although two are very
rare.
Pararge aegeria (Linn.) Speckled Wood
p26. Resident, local; locally common; comparatively recent re-colonist. The only Essex butterfly
which is currently extending its range and consolidating its position in the areas it has occupied.
Common in the 19th century it had virtually disappeared by 1900 and during the ensuing fifty years
there were only a few occurrences, scattered both in time and place. In the mid-1950s it began to re-
colonise the County from the south and by 1974 it had reached a line running from Bradwell-on-Sea
westwards through Maldon, Danbury Ridge and Brentwood to the Epping Forest area, with a few
isolated occurrences further north *. The following records chart its further progress which has been
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