Lasiommata megera
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Female above, male below, Switzerland, September 2016
Females, Switzerland, October 2016
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Female above, male below, Switzerland, September 2016
Females, Switzerland, October 2016
Female, Switzerland, May 2014
Male, Switzerland, October 2016
Underside, Switzerland, May 2014
Male, Spain, March, 2011
Male, Switzerland, December 2011
Mating pair, Switzerland, October 2012
Switzerland, July 2007, male on left, female on right
Same pair, male on right
Male, Switzerland, March 2007
Female, Switzerland, March 2007
Male, December 2006, Rhône Valley (yes, December - 15th to be precise)
May 2006, Rhône Valley
May 2006, Rhône Valley
Distribution - note: in Corsica and Sardinia the wall is replaced by
the Corsican wall,
Lasiommata paramegera,
considered by some to be a subspecies of wall
This is generally a very
common
butterfly, found in flowery, grassy places all over Europe from April
until October or later. I have seen them flying as late as December in
Switzerland, in years when the snow doesn't fall. Strangely, however,
they have in recent decades become surprisingly rare in much of
Britain. In my childhood they could be seen just about anywhere in
Suffolk. Since I returned to the UK in 2018, I have yet to see a single
wall, though I have seen them each time I have been to Spain or
Switzerland since then. The phenomenon is recognised all over the UK
and I am not sure what the cause is.
With an upperside view, identification is easy. The combination of fritillary-like markings and general appearance with the characteristic ocelli of a Satyrid is unique. Males are easily recognisable by the strong sex brand beneath the cell. From the underside, the wall is similar to the northern wall and the large wall. The northern wall, however, is much greyer, in particular along the costa of the underside forewing, where there is no visible orange. The large wall, as the name suggests, is larger, and the postdiscal ocelli on the hindwing are double-ringed rather than single-ringed.
The larval foodplants include many common species of grass. The species hibernates as a caterpillar.
With an upperside view, identification is easy. The combination of fritillary-like markings and general appearance with the characteristic ocelli of a Satyrid is unique. Males are easily recognisable by the strong sex brand beneath the cell. From the underside, the wall is similar to the northern wall and the large wall. The northern wall, however, is much greyer, in particular along the costa of the underside forewing, where there is no visible orange. The large wall, as the name suggests, is larger, and the postdiscal ocelli on the hindwing are double-ringed rather than single-ringed.
The larval foodplants include many common species of grass. The species hibernates as a caterpillar.