- Tourists noticed a large number of big butterflies in Ala-Archa Gorge. "Large, beautiful insects of various colors flutter over the forest meadows. The most common are the large ones with reddish-yellow wings and round spot patterns," say weekend hiking enthusiasts.
Biologist Irina Stezhko explained: "These are great fritillaries. Butterflies of this species become active in June-July. The great fritillary is a large butterfly with dark spots on its wings.
It can be found in summer on forest mountain meadows. The caterpillars feed on forest plants like raspberries, blackberries, and violets, but can also be garden pests, eating apple trees. This species is listed in the Red Book.
Its name comes from the iridescent pattern on the underside of its wings, resembling mother-of-pearl. The Latin species name 'paphia' refers to the Greek epithet of the goddess of love and fertility, Aphrodite - 'Paphian goddess,' after the sanctuary in Cyprus where the goddess emerged from the sea. The great fritillary is one of the largest butterflies in Kyrgyzstan, with strong wings that allow it to make long flights and reach altitudes above 2,000 meters.
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