satyrus ferula/satyrus actaea

Great Sooty Satyr (satyrus ferula) and Black Satyr (satyrus actaea)

2008 photos highlighted green. Click on any photo to go to an enlarged picture, or simply scroll down the page.


3297_male_Alpes Maritimes_27Jul06 - actaea	3292_female_Alpes Maritimes_27Jul06 - actaea	2726_male_Italy_16Jul06 - ferula

8006_male_Isere_6Jul07 - ferula	13005_male_Valais, Switzerland_15Jul08 - ferula	13007_male_Valais, Switzerland_15Jul08 - ferula

2256_male_Alpes de Haute Provence_1Jul06 - ferula	2406_female_Var_7Jul06 - ferula	2733_female_Italy_16Jul06 - ferula

2426_female_Var_7Jul06 - ferula	2728_female_Italy_16Jul06 - ferula

Ferula appears to be quite common in its localities, which are usually at medium altitude of around 1000m. It is very similar to actaea although ferula has two ocelli on the forewing while actaea has only one, and ferula is generally larger. However, the lower ocellus is quite low down the forewing and may not be visible when settled with the wings closed when the lower part of the forewing is obscured. The unh of both ferula and actaea are quite different, with male actaea having a more jagged white discal band and a distinctive white submarginal band. Ferula can be quite jagged in some specimens but not quite to the level of actaea. The upperside could be confused with the Dryad (minois dryas) but the centres of the ocelli on the dryas upf are blue (especially in the female) and ferula white.

There is a huge degree of variation, especially in the female ferula, in both the colouring and the markings, as can be seen from these shots. The female also seems to outnumber the males by around 2:1 whereas in most species it appears to be the other way round, mainly because the males are more active. Ferula can often, unusually for satyrids, be seen with its wings open basking in the sun, again usually the female which holds its wings almost flat as can be seen in 2406.

3297: a typical male actaea underside, a white irrorated post-discal band.

3292: a weak but very jagged discal line, characteristic of female actaea, and a generally irrorated unh especially in the basal area.

2726: a typical male ferula upperside, dark brown ground colour, although I have seen specimens that were jet black, with two ocelli with clear white pupils.

8006: a male, a fairly typical underside matching the illustration in T&L quite well. Altitude 1500m.

13005: a male ferula, rather dark and with very little contrast across the discal line.

13007: a lighter male ferula, but not quite light enough to suggest female.

2256: a typical male ferula underside, with a quite well-defined white post-discal band.

2406: a typical female ferula upperside, in a common pose. The upf post-discal band is wide and pale, uph ocelli in s1, s2, stronger in s2, clear white pupils in each and interesting white dashes linking the ocelli.

2733: a grey-brown female ferula unh, a strong discal line and good contrast across it.

2426: a very pale grey female ferula underside, a strong discal line and clear contrast across it, and strong black unh ocelli at s1 and s2.

2728: a quite brown female ferula unh, a strong discal line but limited contrast across it.

3297_male_Alpes Maritimes_27Jul06 - actaea