Higher classification Erebia | Scientific name Erebia medusa Rank Species | |
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Similar Erebia, Butterflies and moths, Scotch argus, Butterfly, Erebia ligea | ||
Rundaugen mohrenfalter erebia medusa
Erebia medusa (woodland ringlet) is a member of the subfamily Satyrinae of the family Nymphalidae.
Contents
Woodland ringlet erebia medusa ok rosi kov
Subspecies
Subspecies include:.
Distribution and habitat
This species is present in most of Europe, from France across Central and Eastern Europe to western Asia. These butterflies prefer clearings, grassy and humid wastelands, damp grasslands and moors and sunny forest edges, at an elevation of 300–2,300 metres (980–7,550 ft) above sea level.
Description
Erebia medusa has a wingspan of 44–52 millimetres (1.7–2.0 in). The antennae are club-shaped. Wings are dark brown. Forewings have an orange-yellow postmedian band, with two adjacent pupillated ocelli near the apex and one or two smaller ones. There are at least four bright orange ringed eyespots on the hindwing. The number of eye spots is rather variable. The two sides of the wings are similar. The female is generally paler than the male. The ribbed eggs are white or light green speckled with brown. The caterpillars are about 20 millimeters long, light beige or pale green with a dark dorsal stripe. The chrysalis is light brown.
Biology
The females lay their eggs individually or in small groups on grasses. Caterpillars feed on Gramineae, Digitaria, Milium effusum, Panicum, Setaria, Brachypodium, Festuca and Bromus species. Adults fly from May to August. This species overwinters as a caterpillar for one or two consecutive years depending on the altitude of its habitat.
