SE Serbia, June 2012
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.
SE Serbia, June 2012
Valais, Switzerland, May 2020
Valais, Switzerland, February 2021
Valais, Switzerland, March 2012
Eggs hiding under the leaf in center shot.
Valais, Switzerland, April 2011
Valais, Switzerland, May 2016
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.
Malaga, Spain, May 2019
Valais, Switzerland, May 2016
Corsica, France, July 2012
Valais, Switzerland, March 2018
Valais, Switzerland, March 2012
Valais, Switzerland, August 2013
Madrid, Spain, July 2011
Burgos, Spain, July 2011
Vaud, Switzerland, May 2011