False ringlet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids False ringlet |
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The Coenonympha oedippus, also known as the false ringlet, is a type of butterfly. It belongs to a group of butterflies called Satyrinae. You can find this butterfly in many countries across Europe and Asia, including Austria, France, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Poland, Russia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, and Ukraine. Sadly, it has disappeared from some places like Bulgaria, Germany, and Slovakia.
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What Does It Look Like?
The false ringlet butterfly is usually a dark, sooty brown color on its upper side, without many markings. But if you look at its underside, especially its hindwings, you'll see some interesting patterns! It has a rusty brown color mixed with yellow. On the hindwing, there's usually one eye-like spot (called an ocellus) near the top and a straight line of other ocelli with pale edges closer to the bottom.
Variations in Appearance
Sometimes, you might see false ringlets with slightly different looks. For example, some might have more or bigger eye-like spots on the underside of their front wings. Butterflies from Eastern Siberia, like the amurensis type, are often much larger and even darker on their upper side. They also have a shiny, metallic line on their underside. In Japan, the annulifer type is even bigger, and its eye-like spots are very large, sometimes stretched out sideways.
Where Does It Live?
False ringlets love damp places! You'll often find them in wet meadows, especially those that sometimes get flooded. They prefer areas with small stony hills. These butterflies usually aren't found in large numbers in one spot, and their homes can sometimes be hard to reach because they live in swampy areas.
Life Cycle
The journey of a false ringlet from egg to butterfly is fascinating!
The Caterpillar
The caterpillar (larva) of the false ringlet is pale green. It has a dark line running down its back and a lighter stripe along its sides. Its head is a dark olive-green color. These caterpillars usually live from July until May of the next year. They mostly eat reeds, but some people say they might also eat a plant called Iris.
The Pupa
After growing, the caterpillar turns into a pupa. This pupa is yellowish-green. The parts that will become its head are brownish, and its wing-cases (where the wings develop) are yellowish with light borders.
The Adult Butterfly
The adult false ringlet butterflies are usually seen flying around in June and July. They have a unique "hopping" way of flying as they move from place to place.
Subspecies
A subspecies is like a slightly different version of a species, often found in a specific area. Here are some known subspecies of the false ringlet:
- C. o. oedippus
- C. o. annulifer Butler, 1877 (found in Japan)
- C. o. magna Heyne, 1895 (found in Siberia, Altai, Tuva)
- C. o. amurensis Heyne, 1895 (found in Primorye Oblast)
- C. o. taibaica Murayama
- C. o. magnocellata Krzywicki, 1967
Status
The false ringlet butterfly is considered an endangered species in many places. This means its numbers are getting very low, and it has even disappeared completely from some areas where it used to live. Protecting its wet meadow habitats is very important to help this beautiful butterfly survive.
Etymology
The name Oedippus comes from Greek mythology. Oedipus was a famous king of Thebes in ancient Greek stories. Many scientific names for animals and plants are inspired by classical traditions like this.
