Cardinal
Argynnis pandora

Switzerland, May 2005

The cardinal is allegedly widespread in southern Europe, though I have obviously never been in the right place at the right time. The picture above shows the first and to date only cardinal I have seen. It turned up quite by surprise in the Rhône Valley when I was looking for iolas blues.

This butterfly is superficially like a silver-washed fritillary but noticeably darker, visible even in flight, and with a striking rosy red flush under the forewing. If you get a look at the underside there is little possibility of misidentification.