Monte Baldo, Italy, July 2014
Grisons, Switzerland, July 2013
Field notes and information
This seems to be a very local species, and is hard to find in my experience. It is however, widespread in the eastern Alps.
I've only found it at 2 sites, my best site is very low at 300m where I found it in mid June in 2003 and reasonably fresh at the end of June 2004. I understand that this is exceptionally low and early, being more usually found at Alpine levels not before the beginning of July. It flies extremely locally at both places I've found it, straying at all from the area I found them.
Identification & Similar species: Simliar to the Stygian ringlet E. stirius. That species has a less mottled and less contrasting underside hindwing. It has a smooth outer edge underside forewing orange band where, in the current species there is an indent (a "tooth") in space 2. To see this the forewing has to be pushed well foreward.
Distribution & Flight: North Italy, east Switzerland and eastwards in the Alps of southern Austria and Slovenia.
Habitat & Behaviour: Rocky grassy places amongst trees. At higher levels, may be above the treeline(?).
Monte Baldo, Italy, July 2014
Monte Baldo, Italy, July 2014
Monte Baldo, Italy, July 2014
Note the notch in the orange of the forewing.
Grisons, Switzerland, July 2013
N Italy, June 2004
Monte Baldo, Italy, July 2014
Monte Baldo, Italy, July 2014