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Araschnia levana

Map Butterfly

Field Notes

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Vaud, Switzerland, May 2008

 

Vaud, Switzerland, July 2010

 

Vaud, Switzerland, July 2008
Resting in the shade on the underside of the larval food plant, Stinging Nettle, Urtica dioica

 

Vaud, Switzerland, May 2008

 

Florina, Greece, May 2004

Spring generation underside showing "map" like markings.

 

Florina, Greece, May 2004

Spring generation orange form

 

Rila Mts, Bulgaria, July 2004

Summer generation

 

Ardennes, Belgium, June 2002

Spring generation

 

Piestany, Slovakia, July 2001

Summer brood
 

Vienna, Austria, July 2001

Underside. Patterns are reminiscent of a map.
 

Piestany, Slovakia, July 2001

Summer brood. Colour looks wrong but shows markings moderately well.

 

This is a very interesting species. It shows very extreme seasonal dimorphism, by far the most pronounced in Europe. The spring form has an orange ground colour on the upperside with black markings increasing towards the basal area. The summer form brings the White Admirals to mind (Limenitis sp.) with a black ground colour and a white (cream) discal band across both wings. Differences in the undersides are not so pronounced.

It flies across central Europe in open places in woodland and along woodland margins.

 

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