A website dedicated to European Butterflies

Contact Me
Matt Rowlings

 

Mail me to receive
"What's New" Update
e-mails

Field Notes

Alpes de Haute Provence, France, August 2005

Alpes de Haute Provence, France, August 2005

Alpes de Haute Provence, France, August 2005

Alpes de Haute Provence, France, August 2005

Var, France, August 2004

Provence, France, August 2003

On favourite (or at least the most abundant) nectar plant.

Provence, France, August 2003

Frequent flicking of wings allows views of upperside

Montes Universales, Spain, August 2003

Showing variability of extent of orange on upperside.

Catalonia, Spain, August 2003

In this area Scabious was abundant and the typical nectar plant.

Catalonia, Spain, August 2003

Catalonia, Spain, August 2003

Strong white underside stripe is very variable.

This species has a patchy distribution in France and is widespread in Spain and from central Austria to eastern Europe down to Greece. There is an apparent gap in Italy, Switzerland and Germany. It has a distinctive white band on the underside hindwing and the upper surfaces have a characteristic orange brown band that forms a V easily seen in flight.

I've found it throughout its southern range where it can often be common everywhere. It loves dry grassy places and is very strongly attracted to the flowers of Eryngo. Here it will occasionally flick its wings open while feeding and thus I have upperside images that would be very difficult to achieve without video.

TOP