First ever "official" sighting of a Silver-washed Fritillary in the Churnet Valley.

Here is a photo of a male Silver-washed Fritillary feeding on bramble in Dimmingsdale 20/07/14. The photo was taken by Terry Eyre on his own nature reserve. 

Apparently, according to the Staffordshire Invertebrate Group (see https://www.facebook.com/groups/staffsinverts/?fref=ts), this is the first ever record of a Silver-washed Fritillary in the Churnet Valley, so well done Terry! 

Silver-washed Fritillary is the largest British fritillary species. They are a woodland species where the adults may be seen feeding and, if you are lucky, mating and laying eggs. The adults feed on bramble nectar and aphid honeydew, which they find in the treetops. The female lays her eggs in woodland clearings which contain violet plants, as this is the food plant of the Silver-washed Fritillary caterpillars.

Here is a photo of a male Silver-washed Fritillary feeding on bramble in Dimmingsdale 20/07/14. Do they actually breed here I wonder?