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Around 70 different butterflies make their home in the Untersberg Foreland. Over a third of these are endangered and are therefore either nationally or even internationally protected.
The "star" among these is the Scarce Fritillary. This rare butterfly has found, within the Natura-2000 site, one of its only significant habitats in all of Central Europe!
Butterfly species in the project area with European-wide importance
(protected under Annex II and Annex IV of FFH guidelines)
 Scarce Fritillary (Euphydryas maturna)
The Scarce Fritillary is extremely discriminating. In order to reproduce, it requires wind protection, a stepped forest canopy or small forest clearings with a "subtropical" micro-climate. Important for the survival of this species is the ash (Fraxinus excelsior), which plays an important role as both the host for the eggs and as the main source of food for the young caterpillars. The mature insects fly away in June and visit flowering bushes or sparse haymeadows.
Marsh Fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia)
The natural habitat of this butterfly is especially sparse haymeadows with low-growth vegetation. The caterpillars also live in these meadows, feeding on the leaves of the Devil's Bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis). These butterflies fly in May and June.
Scarce Large Blue (Maculinea teleius)
This small butterfly, belonging to the family of Blues, can be found only in wetlands containing a healthy population of Great Burnet (Sanguisorba officinalis). This plant is very important for the propagation of these butterflies; it is here where mating takes place, the eggs are laid on the flower buds and the crimson colored caterpillars also feed here. In autumn, ants carry the half-grown caterpillars into their anthills, where the caterpillars spend the winter. Full-grown Blues can be seen in the Untersberg Foreland from May to June.
Woodland Brown (Lopinga achine)
The Woodland Brown is recognized by its characteristic coloring, the large, yellow-ringed eye-spots on the upper and undersides of the wings. This species lives among the trees and canopy of highly structured mixed forests. From June to July they can be seen near the edge of the forest and underbrush.
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