Hipparchia wyssii ¦ Tenerife Grayling ¦ euroButterflies

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Hipparchia wyssii

Tenerife Grayling

euroButterflies

by Matt Rowlings

Tenerife, Spain, August 2021

Tenerife, Spain, August 2021

Field notes and information

One of the 5 taxa formerly considered subspecies of H. wyssii but revealed as full species by DNA analysis.

Due to it's propensity to settle on roads, roadkills are frequent and the upper side can be exposed for those unlucky individuals to be injured or worse.

Identification & Similar species: From the five western Canary Islands Spain. The following five very similar species can be identified by the island they inhabit:
H. tamadabae from Gran Canaria.
H. wyssii from Tenerife.
H. tilosi from La Palma.
H. gomera from Gomera.
H. bacchus from Hierro.

Distribution & Flight: Only found on Tenerife where can bd common and easily found along roads passing through pine forests at over 2000m. Flies in July and August.

Habitat & Behaviour: Settles frequently on road surfaces and rocks amongst pine forests.