Woodland Ringlet (Erebia medusa)

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2022 photographs highlighted in blue. Click on any photograph to go to an enlarged picture, or simply scroll down the page.

20524_male_Doubs_1Jun10 32706_female_Côte-d'Or_14Jun13 15786_pair_Doubs_04Jun09

Medusa is a butterfly of eastern France, not occurring in the south, so I have limited experience of it, having seen it only in a few locations in eastern France, and in the wetlands of the Jura where it was quite common. It has an almost complete set of ocelli on both the upperside and underside.

From an upperside view alone, the only possible species it could be confused with in France is the Almond-eyed Ringlet (E. alberganus) which is an altitude specialist so their ranges do not overlap, and even then the ocelli of medusa are much better developed and rounded with strong white centres.

The orange-red post-discal bands tend to be wider and more complete in the female than the male, based on a limited number of observations.

ref sex

observations

alt. m
20524 M

probably a male, based on body shape, and the small size of the ocelli.

860
32706 F a female, as indicated by the body length and shape. The female also tends to have better developed orange post-discal bands, and those on this specimen seem particularly well-developed. 430
15786 PAIR

a mating pair, female above.

860

 

20524_male_Doubs_1Jun10

 

32706_female_Côte-d'Or_14Jun13

 

15786_pair_Doubs_04Jun09