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Lasiommata megera

Wall Brown

Field Notes

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Bouches du Rhône, France, April 2004

Female upperside, mating pair.

 

Bouches du Rhône, France, April 2004

Female underside clearly visible

 

Bouches du Rhône, France, April 2004

Male underside shown on right

 

Valais, Switzerland, October 2004

 

Valais, Switzerland, May 2004

Paler ground colour matches the rocks in this habitat.

 

Sardinia, Italy, May 2003

ssp. paramegera

 

Sardinia, Italy, May 2003

ssp. paramegera

 

This is a widespread and often encountered butterfly although it never seems particularly common. It is often one of the earliest species to emerge in spring when it sits in the sunshine absorbing heat from the sun and the rocks. It is usually very alert and hence difficult to approach for photographs.

Its overall orange colouration recalls the Fritillaries in flight. It doesn't hold its wings flat in flight though which can be used to separated it from them when necessary. It is absent from northern UK and northern Scandinavia.

 

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