Meadow Brown, Maniola jurtina

Identification

Medium sized: wingspan 50mm to 55mm.

Males are a dark dusky, or even velvety, brown on the upper surfaces of their wings with a vague, lighter patch towards the outside of the fore wings. There is single dark brown eyespot with a white pupil towards the tip of the forewings surrounded by a small brown halo.

Females have a warmer brown ground colour on their upper surfaces with a dull orange-brown, broken patch towards the outside of the forewings. There is a prominent black eyespot with a single white pupil towards the tip of the forewings.

Behaviour and life history

The Meadow Brown is to be found anywhere where there is rough grassland and appears to be always on the move even during dull weather. It forms discrete does not wander far from them with the males constantly searching out females. Eggs are laid over a prolonged period between July and September on a variety of grasses. The young caterpillars emerges shortly afterwards, overwinters in grass tussocks before completing its development and pupating in late May or June. Adults emerge in late June or July.

Where to look for it

The Meadow Brown is probably the most common and widespread butterfly found in Plymouth and is to be found wherever there is grassland which is not repeatedly mown. It is particularly common in fields, along hedgerows and lanes as well as within in woodlands wherever there are breaks in the tree canopy which let sunlight through. It is present in all of the citys Local Nature Reserves.

Distribution and status

Very common and widespread.

When to look for it

It is most plentiful in late June,July and August.

Similar species

It is most likely to be confused with the Gatekeeper, Pyronia tithonus. However, the Meadow Brown never has an orange-brown patch or eyespot on its hind wing and typically has a single, not double, white pupil in the eyespot on its forewing.

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