Marbled White (Melanargia galathea)
Marbled White (Melanargia galathea)
Marbled White (Melanargia galathea)
Marbled White (Melanargia galathea)
Marbled White (Melanargia galathea)
Marbled White (Melanargia galathea)

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Marbled White (Melanargia galathea)


Photo © Peter Eeles
FamilyNymphalidae
SubfamilySatyrinae
GenusMelanargia
Speciesgalathea
Authority(Linnaeus, 1758)
English NameMarbled White
European Red List 2010Least Concern (LC)
EU 27 Red List 2010Least Concern (LC)
European Red List 2025Least Concern (LC)
EU 27 Red List 2025Least Concern (LC)
Habitats Directive
Bern Convention
CITES

Description

The Marbled White inhabits many different types of poor grassland that has not been fertilized. It is common in the southern part of its range, also on road verges and in agricultural areas. The butterflies need a lot of nectar, and are often seen on plants in bloom. Various grass species, mostly fine-leaved, are used as foodplants. The female usually just drops her eggs into the grass, sometimes while flying. The first instar caterpillar hibernates without eating first. In periods of hot weather, the other instars can also go without food. They pupate deep in the vegetation. The Marbled White has one generation a year.

Distribution

Albania / Austria / Belarus / Belgium / Belgium: Flanders / Belgium: Wallonia / Bosnia and Herzegovina / Bulgaria / Croatia / Czechia / Denmark (Irregular Vagrant) / Estonia (Irregular Vagrant) / France / France: Mainland / Germany / Greece / Greece: Mainland / Hungary / Italy / Italy: Mainland / Italy: Sicily / Latvia / Liechtenstein / Lithuania / Luxembourg / North Macedonia / Moldova / Montenegro / Netherlands (Irregular Vagrant) / Poland / Romania / European Russia / San Marino / Serbia / Serbia: Serbia / Serbia: Kosovo / Slovakia / Slovenia / Spain / Spain: Mainland / Sweden (Irregular Vagrant) / Switzerland / European Türkiye / Ukraine / United Kingdom / United Kingdom: Great Britain / United Kingdom: Jersey (Irregular Vagrant) /

Larval Foodplants

#OrderFamilyGenusSpeciesVernacular NameLink
1PoalesCyperaceaeCarexalba
2PoalesCyperaceaeCarexflaccaGlaucous Sedge
3PoalesPoaceaeAgrostiscapillarisCommon Bent
4PoalesPoaceaeAnthoxanthumodoratumSweet Vernal-grass
5PoalesPoaceaeAvenulapubescensDowny Oat-grass
6PoalesPoaceaeBrachypodiumpinnatumHeath False-brome
7PoalesPoaceaeBrachypodiumsylvaticumFalse-brome
8PoalesPoaceaeBromuserectus
9PoalesPoaceaeCalamagrostisarenaria
10PoalesPoaceaeFestucaFescues
11PoalesPoaceaeFestucaliviensis
12PoalesPoaceaeFestucaovinaSheep's-fescue
13PoalesPoaceaeFestucarubraRed Fescue
14PoalesPoaceaeHelictochloapratensisMeadow Oat-grass
15PoalesPoaceaeKoeleriapyramidata
16PoalesPoaceaeLoliumpratense
17PoalesPoaceaeMoliniacaeruleaPurple Moor-grass
18PoalesPoaceaePhleumpratenseTimothy
19PoalesPoaceaePoapratensisSmooth Meadow-grass
20PoalesPoaceaeSesleriaalbicans