Tree Grayling (Hipparchia statilinus)

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2022 photographs highlighted in blue. Click on any photograph to go to an enlarged picture, or simply scroll down the page.

31461_male_Var_28Aug12 3592_male_Var_10Aug06 42158_male_Var_27Aug16 23607_female_Var_2Sep10
 
14378_female_Var_20Sep08 14100_female_Var_2Sep08 9555_pair_Var_5Sep07  

On previous trips to southern Var in July I had seen statilinus only occasionally and in limited numbers and had assumed it to be not an abundant species. Lafranchis gives the flight period as August to mid-October, while T&L says the main flight period is late July to early August in southern localities, but having spent several recent summers in Var, it does not seem to emerge much before early August and its peak emergence is in September when it becomes extremely widespread and common. Statilinus often flies in company with the False Grayling (Arethusana arethusa).

The underside is quite variable, especially the unh discal line, which is much stronger in the male which has a lighter post-discal band, giving a greater contrast, and the female often has a very faint discal line, sometimes almost non-existent. It really is a mis-named butterfly as it has very little connection with trees, usually settling in hot weather on roads or low ground, often stones and rocks, but usually in positions which make getting photographs difficult.
ref sex

observations

alt. m
31461 M a male, not entirely fresh, in typical pose. 1020
3592 M

a male, quite fresh and with a nice clear discal line.

780
42158 M a male with a nice strong discal line and generally quite dark in the marginal areas. 780
23607 F

a female, as indicated by the weak discal line.

780
14378 F

a dull and rather battered female, interesting because it is egg-laying, although not clear on what.

70
14100 F

a more attractive female with nice lightly contrasted markings.

920
9555 PAIR

a pair engaged in courtship, hence the open wings. The male is on the left and the female on the right with open wings, clearly identifiable from the upperside markings as female, as well on body shape.

920

 

31461_male_Var_28Aug12

 

3592_male_Var_10Aug06

 

42158_male_Var_27Aug16

 

23607_female_Var_2Sep10

 

14378_female_Var_20Sep08

 

14100_female_Var_2Sep08

 

9555_pair_Var_5Sep07