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Erebia hispania

Spanish Brassy Ringlet

Field Notes

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Pyrenees, France, August 2003

Note the right forewing brassy sheen giving the English name Brassy Ringlet

 

Pyrenees, France, August 2003
 

Pyrenees, France, August 2003

 

One of the six Brassy Ringlets found in Europe. It is confined to alpine meadows in the Pyrenees and the Sierra Nevada in southern Spain where it is found usually above 2000m. They were in good numbers and fresh in early August. They were very sensitive to approach.

In this range it can only be confused with the Common Brassy Ringlet Erebia cassioides. They are fairly easily separated by the size of the forewing eyespots in hispania, clearly shown in the  above photographs. It is also a larger species although this feature is as usual rather variable. The bright orange colouration is another helpful feature, cassioides being red rather than orange.

 

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