10182_female_Var_2May08
Spring Ringlet (Erebia epistygne)
2012 photos highlighted in orange. Click on any photo to go to an enlarged picture, or simply scroll down the page.
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10182_female_Var_2May08 |
20072_female_Var_13May10 | 20087_female_Var_13May10 |
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A rather scarce early season Erebia that I saw for the first time in 2008 at one location in the deserted rocky wilderness of northern Var. It is quite large with pale post-discal bands and lots of large bold ocelli, quite visible in flight, I found. Its principal flight period is April and 10182 looked quite worn when I saw it on 2 May. 20072 was seen even later on 13 May, rather battered, but 2010 was a "late" year because of the poor early spring weather. |
The early flight period means that confusion with any other Erebia is almost impossible, as Erebia generally do not emerge until July or later, with only one or two exceptions. Epistygne, especially the males, flies over rocky terrain at altitudes usually over 500m, and is therefore rather difficult to follow, so I considered myself fortunate to get close enough for any photograph. I do not think I have actually seen a male stop for more than a couple of seconds. |
| ref | sex |
observations |
alt. m |
| 10182 | F |
a rather worn female, as indicated by the ocelli in s1 and s2 that the male does not have. |
920 |
| 20072 | F |
a female, right at the end of its flight period. |
920 |
| 20087 | F |
a female, the underside of 20072. |
920 |
