Erebia Ringlet Species for ID (1 Viewer)

[Adey Baker]

I saw several Erebia species butterflies on holiday in Haute-Savoie, France recently and most are giving me ID problems!

The one below is an interesting example. There appear to be 3 possibles with this pattern of 'eyes' where there are 3 large and 2 distinctly smaller eyes on the upper forewing.

The shot was taken at Montenvers in the Mont Blanc range at about 1900m high which rules out Chapman Ringlet.

De Prunners Ringlet should have the 'top' 3 eyes more or less in-line which this one clearly doesn't (it's also a bit late in the year for this sp).

This leaves Piedmont Ringlet - however, although the book (Tolman/Lewington) describes many of these species as variable, the illustration closest to this one is of the form bejarensis which occurs in central Spain! None of the other pictures show anything like this patterning.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

The underwing was not seen

 

[Adey Baker]

Come on folks, don't be shy!

How about this one as well, whilst you're at it.

On a flowery hillside at about 1300m near La Clusaz, Haute-Savoie

 

[Jos Stratford]

First have to say I have no experience of these species of ringlet and am simply looking in the same book as you (Lewington/Tolman). Would agree the closest match are the two species you suggest. However, looking at your first photo and the illustration of Piedmont in the book, there is no Piedmont that matches your butterfly - the bejarensis illustrated (only female shown) has far more orange surrounding the spots than on yours. The male meolans has correct amount of orange, but spots wrong. So the question is how variable are these races? Can the race in the area you took the photo show these mixed characteristics? I suppose so, but that is a guess - maybe someone more knowledgeable in this filed might like to comment.

It appears that the races of de Prunner's Ringlet are less variable and, according to the book, none have the spot pattern of yours, so my guess is that it is Piedmont.

 

[Adey Baker]

Thanks, Jos.

I photographed another butterfly quite close by which I'm fairly confident is a male Piedmont (I'll be putting it into my gallery soon) so I suppose that's a good pointer to it being that species but, as you say, we could really do with someone more knowledgable to comment. on their variability.

I get a few hours on a few days per year, during my annual holiday, to do the best that I can with continental butterflies so I reckon I'll have cracked these Erebias when I'm about 90 - then I'll start on the fritillaries and blues!

 

[Adey Baker]

Not a great deal of interest in these ringlets, so does anyone have any comments on the pale yellow Clouded Yellow below.

The shot is full-frame at the closest focus distance of my lens (I've been trying, unsuccessfully so far, to get a Small White at the same distance since returning home, for comparison, as it seemed quite a small butterfly at the time).

The upperside was, as far as could be seen in flight, the same colour as is visible on the forewing and the 'dusty' underside of the hindwing was quite noticeable.

Presumably, it's either a pale form of Clouded (Colias crocea), Pale Clouded (C. hyale) or Berger's Clouded Yellow (C.alfacariensis).

It was on a flowery hillside at about 1300m a.s.l.

 

[Jos Stratford]

Adey, take a look at a thread I started with a Pale Clouded Yellow - thread name is 'Jos's Butterflies - some for discussion'. The Pale Clouded I photographed also struck me as a small butterfly.

 

[Adey Baker]

Missed that thread, Jos, amongst about 5,700 posts when I got back from holiday!

The underside of mine is obviously well worn as the crescent of spots is hardly visible

 

[Adey Baker]

Thanks, Jos.

I photographed another butterfly quite close by which I'm fairly confident is a male Piedmont (I'll be putting it into my gallery soon) so I suppose that's a good pointer to it being that species but, as you say, we could really do with someone more knowledgable to comment. on their variability.

I've uploaded the presumed male Piedmont Ringlet into the gallery today at:

http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showphoto.php/photo/59610/sort/1/cat/500/page/1