Lopinga achine

Cote d'Or, France, June 2005

Incredible luck to catch this butterfly flicking its wings open, something this extremely sensitive butterfly does not often allow a photographer to do.

Woodland Brown
Lopinga achine

Distribution: Much of France and eastwards across Central Europe to S Finland, extremely local in N Spain. Sporadic and local across range. Can be common where found, but usually at low density.

Identification: Distinctive. The large rings on all wings mean this species is unlikely to be confused with any other. Female paler and with slightly broader white bands on the uns.

Flight time: June/July. In W Europe (central France and Switzerland) flight time begins around mid June with older specimens found in early July.

Habitat: Forest edges and clearings. Feeds on various grasses (Brachypodium sp.).

Behaviour: Very sensitive to approach except when taking salts from damp earth or animal droppings. The photos show it also takes honeydew from the surface of leaves, although this is not so frequently seen. Except for a very brief period warming up in the morning, the butterfly only very rarely opens its wings when at rest. It is equally happy flying along woodland margins in sunshine, half or full shade. It often rests for long periods on leaves of bushes or trees. I've never seen one taking nectar.

Additional notes: I've only seen this butterfly on a few occasions, although now I have several good sites for it in E France and Switzerland. It is at very low density in many places but at one site in the canton of Genève, Switzerland it is common. Here many can be found on the wing together, flitting amongst the trees, in and out of shade and even sharing a salt drink from damp earth, urine patches or animal droppings with the White Admiral, L. camilla.