Common Brassy Ringlet (Erebia cassioidies)
Species

Taken in the Vercors Natural Park, France, on July 24th 2018.
(1/200th sec at f10. © David Hastings)

Taken in the Vercors Natural Park, France, France, on July 22nd 2018.
(1/200th sec at f14. © David Hastings)

Description

Family: Satyrinae

Wing span: 32 - 38mm

The Common Brassy Ringlet has brown forewings with a metallic-greenish shine. On the forewings there is an orange postdiscal band and two small ocelli pupillated with white towards the apex. A series of small ocelli appears on the hindwings. The underside of the forewings is orange with a brownish border and two small ocelli at the apex, while the hindwings are silvery grey/brown.

This European endemic is present in Spain (Cantabrian mountains, Pyrenees), France (Pyrenees, Massif Central and the western and eastern Alps), Italy, Switzerland, Romania (Carpathians), Bulgaria (Rila and Pirin Mountains), Greece, Macedonia and in the Balkans.

It prefers stony, rocky grassy slopes at altitudes between 1600 and 2600m.

There is one brood per year between early July and early September. The larva is the over-wintering stage.

The larvae feed on various grasses.

Sightings

24-Jul-2018 : Vercors Natural Park, France
22-Jul-2018 : Vercors Natural Park, France
19-Jul-2018 : Vercors Natural Park, France