Melitaea aetherie

The aetherie fritillary , is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found locally in mountain areas of North Africa and very locally in southern Spain, southern Portugal, Sicily and southern Italy.

The insect flies from mid-April until the end of May with a second generation in September in Italy. The habitat is open grasslands and flowery meadows. The larvae feed on various ''Centaurea'' knapweeds. The flowers of ''Centaurea'' also attract the nectar-feeding adults.