Erebia alberganus

• Erebia alberganus alberganus (Prunner, 1798)
• Erebia alberganus phorcys (Freyer, 1836) (Bulgaria)[1][2]

This species can be found in the alpine regions of France, Italy, Switzerland, and Austria, in the mountains of central Italy and in some mountains of the northern Balkans. These butterflies live in flowery meadows, clearings, grassy places, amongst scrub or woodland, at an elevation of 1,000–2,200 metres (3,300–7,200 ft) above sea level.[3][4]

Mating pair

Erebia alberganus has a wingspan of 40 mm. These small butterflies have dark brown wings, with a series of distinctive postdiscal oval or almond shaped (hence the common name) orange markings containing small black spots with white highlights. The two sides of the wings are identical.[3][5] The females usually are slightly larger and lighter brown than the males. Moreover, the eyespots have small white centres.[6]

This species is rather similar to a woodland ringlet but has smaller eyespots.[3]

Caterpillars feed on Gramineae, Poa annua, sheep's fescue (Festuca ovina) and sweet vernal-grass (Anthoxanthum odoratum).[2] When they are half-grown they hibernate. They pupate at the following spring.[1][4] Adults fly from mid-June to August.[2][3]

• Paolo Mazzei, Daniel Morel, Raniero Panfili Moths and Butterflies of Europe and North Africa
• Butterfly Guide
• Almond-eyed ringlet, UK Butterflies