Meadow brown
Maniola jurtina
Habitat
The Meadow brown is a common butterfly in the Netherlands. This butterfly species is found in rough grasslands and scrublands. These areas often feature structures such as hedgerows, verges, and ditch banks. The Meadow brown also lives in agricultural areas, urban green spaces, and fallow land. The Meadow brown can be seen flying from late June to mid-August.
Appearance
Life cycle
The Meadow brown stays in the egg for 14 to 30 days. When the Meadow brown hatches from the egg, this butterfly species is still a caterpillar. The caterpillar lives for 260 to 310 days, after which it pupates. Pupation lasts 14 to 30 days. The Meadow brown then lives for 21 to 41 days as a butterfly.
Host plants and nectar plants
Host plants are special plants on which butterflies, such as the Meadow brown, lay their eggs. When the eggs hatch, the caterpillars feed on those plants. The caterpillars grow until they are large and strong enough to transform into butterflies. This is why host plants are essential for the survival of butterfly species, because without host plants there would be no caterpillars and ultimately no butterflies.
Each butterfly species has its own favorite plants. The Meadow brown uses Sheep’s fescue (Festuca ovina), Erect brome (Bromopsis erecta), Wood small-reed (Calamagrostis epigejos), Couch grass (Elytrigia repens), Red fescue (Festuca rubra), Meadow foxtail (Alopecurus pratensis), Sweet vernal grass (Anthoxanthum odoratum), Cock’s-foot (Dactylis glomerata), Tufted hairgrass (Deschampsia cespitosa), and Smooth meadow-grass (Poa pratensis) as host plants.
Most butterfly species, such as the Meadow brown, need nectar to survive. Butterflies obtain nectar from nectar plants. Nectar is a syrupy liquid that comes from flowers. This liquid contains a lot of sugar and small amounts of proteins and vitamins. Nectar provides the energy that the Meadow brown needs to fly.
The Meadow brown feeds on various nectar plants, such as Marsh thistle (Cirsium palustre), Field thistle (Cirsium arvense), Wild marjoram (Origanum vulgare), Buddleja (Buddleja), Brown knapweed (Centaurea jacea), Ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris), Hemp-agrimony (Eupatorium cannabinum), and Lavender (Lavandula).
To help the Meadow brown in nature, it is best to plant (some of) these plant species in your garden.
Caution with some plant species
Sweet vernal grass (Anthoxanthum odoratum) is slightly toxic.
All parts of Ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris) are toxic to humans.
Bonesets (Eupatorium) is used in natural medicine. This plant has medicinal properties for the liver, urinary tract, kidneys, bones, joints, and digestive system. If large quantities of the whole plant are ingested, it is toxic.
