Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina)
2009 photos highlighted in yellow. Click on any photo to go to an enlarged picture, or simply scroll down the page.
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| 10996_male_Var_31May08 | 10610_male_Var_19May08 | 13453_female_Cote d'Or_22Jul08 |
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| 9270_female_Var_28Aug07 | 13459_female_Cote d'Or_22Jul08 | 1780_female_Var_7Jun06 |
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| 18895_female_Aisne_21Jul09 |
A very common butterfly, almost certainly the most common in the UK, and perhaps in Europe too, although the Marbled White (Melanargia galathea) might claim that distinction in southern France. The male has quite a dull brown upperside with a single apical ocellus, although the female has a strong orange upf post-discal band and greater contrast on the unh. It is - in my experience - generally a lowland species, unlike its cousin the Dusky Meadow Brown (Hyponephele lycaon) which I have found only at altitude; the textbook altitude ranges are, however, stated as essentially sea level to just below 2000m for both species.
10996: a male, slightly more orange than most. Altitude 200m.
10610: a male, nice bright orange. Altitude 230m.
13453: a typical female. Altitude 320m.
9270: a female, based on the lack of contrast across the unh discal line and the enlarged unf ocellus. Altitude 920m.
13459: a female, quite a pale brown with very little grey. Altitude 320m.
1780: this has a strong discal line externally yellow-orange around the edge of the cell, with a dark submarginal unf band and a double ocellus. This is, I think, the form hispulla which occurs in Provence.
18895: a female of the nominate form. Altitude 80m.
13453_female_Cote d'Or_22Jul08
13459_female_Cote d'Or_22Jul08
