False Grayling (arethusana arethusa)
2008 photos highlighted green. Click on any photo to go to an enlarged picture, or simply scroll down the page.
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| 8772_male_Var_2Aug07 | 8712_male?_Var_2Aug07 | 13606_male_Lozere_20Aug08 |
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| 13804_male_Vaucluse_23Aug08 | 8686_male?_Var_2Aug07 | 3561_female_Var_10Aug06 |
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| 13858_female_Vaucluse_23Aug08 |
Prior to 2006, I had seen a few arethusa in various places in the south of France, never in great numbers, and it was always a pleasure to see them. It is sometimes necessary to look closely as the unh can vary with regard to the contrast between the dark discal area and the lighter post-discal band, but in some specimens the discal area can be lacking in contrast and darker specimens can look like the Tree Grayling (hipparchia statilinus) with which it often flies. In 2006 I stayed in Var throughout August and September and found that there was a strong emergence in mid-August extending through until mid-September when I counted at least 20 in one locality alone. It is a semi-altitude specialist and most of these were seen at 800-1000m although I have seen them at 2000m whereas the books indicate that its altitude range is normally 1100m and exceptionally 1600m. In 2007 and 2008 in this same locality, there was a mass emergence at the beginning of August and they could be counted in hundreds.
When it settles, it immediately opens its wings briefly a couple of times, maybe to scare off predators, and then closes them without re-opening them again. However, once you realise that this always happens, you can get an upperside shot it you're quick, as in 3561. It's not a great shot but a view of the upperside confirms that it is a female (the undersides seem very similar between the sexes) and suggests that it is not the subspecies dentata which has more tooth-shaped (dentate) orange markings. Undersides that show a limited contrast across the discal line appear indicative of dentata and the range of this subspecies includes much of Provence, although I believe that these photos are of the nominate form, not dentata. Higgins & Riley, a very authoritative work if now 35 years since publication, says that dentata is found in south-west France and is "transitional to" arethusa in the Basses Alpes (just to confuse me even more) but this would seem to explain the similarity as the Var locations were in the north of the département on the edge of the Basses Alpes.
8772: a male, very fresh with a nice rich dark brown ground colour, and a rich orange post-discal band on both wings. The extent of the orange is much less than shown in T&L. Altitude 920m.
8712: probably a male, as I believe the undersides of both sexes are almost indistinguishable. In fact, T&L only gives one underside illustration. This seems fairly typical of the mass emergence of arethusa. A very appealing and intricately marked butterfly, especially when fresh. Altitude 920m.
13606: a male, I think, with rather dull colouring, even though fresh.
13804: a fresh male, nice orange but not the fiery colouring that arethusa sometimes has.
8686: quite a dull underside, by arethusa standards, lacking the markings and contrast and orange unf of other specimens. Quite rounded hindwings, maybe suggesting female, but the body length and pose indicates male. Altitude 920m.
3561: a female upperside, a quick flash before closing up. There is a small upf black spot in s2, and a strong uph black spot in s2.
13858: a nice fresh female, bright orange and a strong discal line. I am assuming it is a female as it was lurking in the undergrowth.
