A seriously threatened butterfly in the UK, with a rapidly receding range, but thankfully not so in France where it is quite widespread albeit rarely common. It is superficially similar to the Dark Green Fritillary (A. aglaja) and the Niobe Fritillary (A. niobe) and although there are several distinguishing features, the slightly concave forewings of adippe being the most visible and conclusive. In the male adippe, the sex brands on the upf v2 and v3 are particularly strong compared to aglaja and niobe.

The undersides of all three are also quite different. The adippe underside is generally consistent although not-uncommon forms occur in which the post-discal band is dark red.

There is also the form cleodoxa found principally in the south in which the silver unh spots are replaced by buff, as can just be seen in 03-13D above. I have found cleodoxa to be predominant in the Pyrénées but I have not encountered it in Var. There is also an intermediate form cleodippe which I have also seen in the Pyrénées.

In 2019 this species was reclassified as Fabriciana adippe. I'll give it a few years before changing the web page (and all the occurrences and links associated) as it is entirely possible that the taxonomists will change it again. Also Argynnis adippe is in common use and often used in web searches, etc.

observations

a male, as indicated by the heavy sex brands. Quite lightly marked.

the same male as 2117. The upf sex brands on v2 and v3 are strong and clear.

a female, more heavily marked than the male.

a typical male underside, easy to photograph when they are preoccupied taking salts, except that the photographer has to lie prostrate (often in the road) in order to get a straight-on shot.

a male, puddling. Rather delicate beige markings.

the buff colouration, clear even from this angle, confirms cleodoxa.