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Coenonympha pamphilus

Small Heath

Field Notes

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Valais, Switzerland, July 2006
 

Var, France, April 2006
 

Valais, Switzerland, May 2006
 

Valais, Switzerland, June 2006
 

Cote d'Or, France, June 2005
 

Middle Atlas, Morocco, June 2005
 

Var, France, May 2004
 

Valais, Switzerland, July 2004
 

Bouches du Rhône, France, April 2004
 

Chalkidiki, Greece, May 2004

Unheard of until now...? At rest with wings open.

 

A generally common and very widespread species. It likes fairly dry grassy places. It flies erratically and close to the ground. When at rest it never opens its wings. There are several variants that generally affect the underside hindwing. The ground colour can vary in colour from greyish to brown (like the April 2004 butterfly above) and the intensity of the markings.

It does not open its wings when at rest, ever. Except the one butterfly I photographed above. It was a weak flying individual showing signs that its thorax was malformed. At rest it held its wings open as shown above. It would fly only a short distance of a couple of meters before resting again with wings open.

 

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