Lasiommata maera ¦ Large Wall Brown ¦ euroButterflies

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Lasiommata maera

Large Wall Brown

euroButterflies

by Matt Rowlings

Valais, Switzerland, June 2017

Rhodes, Greece, May 2017

Field notes and information

A large species of grassy places in hills. A local form, meadewaldoi, confined to the highest levels of the Moroccan High Atlas mountains is often considered as a separate species, although evidence for this is scant. See separate page for that taxon.

Identification & Similar species: Similar to the wall and northern wall browns L. megera & L. petropolitana. Both species are smaller, the former being of paler yellow-orange and more extensively marked. The latter is less well marked and has a strong discal line on the upperside hindwing that has a pale shadow.

Distribution & Flight: From north Africa to central Scandinavia and Greece. Absent from the UK. Flies in a single brood in the northern part of its range, two in the south.

Habitat & Behaviour: Grassy places in rocky dry areas and slopes.