Erebia alberganus, the almond ringlet or almond-eyed ringlet, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae.
Subspecies Erebia alberganus alberganus (Prunner, 1798) Erebia alberganus phorcys (Freyer, 1836) (Bulgaria)Guide des papillons d'Europe et d'Afrique du Nord de Tom Tolman, Richard Lewington, éditions Delachaux et Niestlé, 1998 - ()
Distribution and habitat 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 above sea level.Almond Eyed Ringlet, European ButterfliesIUCN
Description
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.Butterflies and Moths – A Photographic Guide to British and European Butterflies and Moths The females usually are slightly larger and lighter brown than the males. Moreover, the eyespots have small white centres.Butterflies of France
This species is rather similar to a woodland ringlet but has smaller eyespots. Wheeler (1903) gives a short description (as ceto) Wheeler, George.The butterflies of Switzerland and the alps of central Europe. London: Elliot Stock, 1903. pdf
Biology Caterpillars feed on Gramineae, Poa annua, sheep's fescue (Festuca ovina) and sweet vernal-grass (Anthoxanthum odoratum). When they are half-grown they hibernate. They pupate at the following spring. Adults fly from mid-June to August.
References
External links Paolo Mazzei, Daniel Morel, Raniero Panfili Moths and Butterflies of Europe and North Africa Butterfly Guide Almond-eyed ringlet, UK Butterflies