Boloria freija

Boloria freija, the Freija fritillary, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae with a circumboreal distribution. It occurs in bogs and tundra. Its range includes Northern Europe to the north of 60° N, occasionally more southern locations, the Urals, Siberia, the Russian Far East, mountains of northern Mongolia and Hokkaido, as well as North America, extending in the Rocky Mountains to 35° N.

Description

A. freija Thnbg. . Upperside almost exactly as in dia, the size also being the same. The hindwing beneath resembles that of chariclea, but is more variegated, with a distinct silvery white band between the central and marginal areas; a large rhomboidal silver-spot in the centre of the costa and rather long silver-spots at the margin.

Biology

Larvae feed on Rubus chamaemorus, Dryas sp., Vaccinium uliginosum, Arctostaphylos alpina, A. uva-ursi, Empetrum nigrum, Rhododendron aureum, Rh. lapponicum. The species produces one generation every two years.

Etymology

Named after Freya, the goddess of love and war in Norse mythology.