![Photo: lathonia72.jpg](../pics/l/lathonia72.jpg)
SE Serbia, June 2012
![Photo: lathonia103.jpg](../pics/l/lathonia103.jpg)
Valais, Switzerland, February 2021
Field notes and information
The underside of this species sports remarkable reflective patches - "pearls" a queen may wear.
Identification & Similar species: The large underside "pearls" are distinctive. The highly concave forewing margin and angled hindwing are distinctive, visible in flight to the trained eye.
Distribution & Flight: Widespread and often common across all of Europe except the UK and Scandinavia where it is a rare migrant. Occasionally becomes temporarily resident in the UK, a colony may last several years (e.g. Minesmere, southeast England in the early 2000s). Also north Africa.
Habitat & Behaviour: Hot dry places, often amongst cultivation. In Switzerland it is associated strongly, but by no means exclusively, with vineyards at low levels in the Valais. A migrant, more northerly populations are reinforced annually by migration from the south.
Variation: Spring brood butterflies have a greenish dusting around the wing edges and basally. They are also smaller than the following broods.
![Photo: lathonia73.jpg](../pics/l/lathonia73.jpg)
SE Serbia, June 2012
![Photo: lathonia101.jpg](../pics/l/lathonia101.jpg)
Valais, Switzerland, May 2020
![Photo: lathonia100.jpg](../pics/l/lathonia100.jpg)
Valais, Switzerland, February 2021
![Photo: lathonia77.jpg](../pics/l/lathonia77.jpg)
Valais, Switzerland, March 2012
Eggs hiding under the leaf in center shot.
![Photo: lathonia33.jpg](../pics/l/lathonia33.jpg)
Valais, Switzerland, April 2011
![Photo: lathonia94.jpg](../pics/l/lathonia94.jpg)
![Photo: lathonia90.jpg](../pics/l/lathonia90.jpg)
Valais, Switzerland, May 2016
![Photo: lathonia67.jpg](../pics/l/lathonia67.jpg)
![Photo: lathonia54.jpg](../pics/l/lathonia54.jpg)
Valais, Switzerland, March 2012
Even when mating, the new couple is approached by males. The red fluid is discharge from the newly emerged female. She probably hasn't even flown yet.
![Photo: lathonia98.jpg](../pics/l/lathonia98.jpg)
Malaga, Spain, May 2019
![Photo: lathonia95.jpg](../pics/l/lathonia95.jpg)
Valais, Switzerland, May 2016
![Photo: lathonia76.jpg](../pics/l/lathonia76.jpg)
Corsica, France, July 2012
![Photo: lathonia97.jpg](../pics/l/lathonia97.jpg)
Valais, Switzerland, March 2018
![Photo: lathonia71.jpg](../pics/l/lathonia71.jpg)
![Photo: lathonia69.jpg](../pics/l/lathonia69.jpg)
Valais, Switzerland, March 2012
![Photo: lathonia86.jpg](../pics/l/lathonia86.jpg)
Valais, Switzerland, August 2013
![Photo: lathonia39.jpg](../pics/l/lathonia39.jpg)
Madrid, Spain, July 2011
![Photo: lathonia37.jpg](../pics/l/lathonia37.jpg)
Burgos, Spain, July 2011
![Photo: lathonia35.jpg](../pics/l/lathonia35.jpg)
Vaud, Switzerland, May 2011