Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Superfamily: Papilionoidea
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Melitaeinae
Genus: Melitaea

The Heath fritillary can be very variable, which often makes it difficult to identify the species. This species is usually slightly larger than the Melitaea aurelia, the black lines that cut the nerves of the wings build a grid that looks more uneven, while the palpi on the head are very dark, almost black. For correct identification, it is necessary to extract the genitalia of the male. The Heath fritillary is one of the most common brush-footed butterflies in Serbia. This species is rarely found only in Vojvodina and is present on almost all types of meadows and pastures. The caterpillar host plants are from the genera Digitalis, Melampyrum, Plantago, Veronica, itd. It can be found almost all of Europe and in large part of Western and Central Asia.

Red Lists