Madrid, Spain, July 2011

High Atlas, Morocco, July 2005

The form benuncus from N Africa is striking. The underside white spots link up.

Field notes and information

A distinctive species of grasslands.

Identification & Similar species: The bright silver underside spots are distinctive.

Distribution & Flight: Most of Europe and north Africa, sporadic in south Spain and south Italy. Absent from most of northern Scandinavia and only present on chalk hills in south England (although expanding rapidly in the new millenium). Often at high levels in the Alps (>2000m). Single brooded, depending on region and altitude from mid June to August or later.

Habitat & Behaviour: Open grassy places where it frequently feeds at flowers and rests on bare earth to warm up.

Valais, Switzerland, June 2015

Valais, Switzerland, July 2020

Bern, Switzerland, August 2020

High Atlas, Morocco, August 2019

Valais, Switzerland, July 2022

S Greece, July 2008

Valais, Switzerland, July 2019

Middle Atlas, Morocco, August 2019

Hautes-Pyrénées, France, July 2017

High Atlas, Morocco, August 2019

High Atlas, Morocco, August 2019

Valais, Switzerland, August 2019

Hautes-Pyrénées, France, July 2018