Common brassy ringlet facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Common brassy ringlet
E. c. arvernensis - female upperside
E. c. arvernensis - underside
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Nymphalidae
Genus:	Erebia
Species:	E. cassioides
Binomial name
Erebia cassioides (Reiner & Hohenwarth, 1792)
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Synonyms
Papilio cassioides Reiner & Hohenwarth, 1792

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The common brassy ringlet (scientific name: Erebia cassioides) is a type of butterfly. It belongs to a group of butterflies called Satyrinae, which are part of the larger Nymphalidae family. These butterflies are known for their unique "brassy" shine on their wings.

Where Does This Butterfly Live?

This special butterfly is found only in Europe. You can spot it in many countries, including Spain (in the Cantabrian mountains and Pyrenees), France (Pyrenees, Massif Central, and the Alps), Italy, Switzerland, Romania (Carpathians), Bulgaria (Rila and Pirin Mountains), Greece, North Macedonia, and in the Balkans (like Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, and Bosnia).

What Kind of Places Do They Like?

Common brassy ringlets love to live on grassy slopes. They often choose areas with lots of stones and rocks. You'll usually find them high up in the mountains, at altitudes between 1,600 and 2,600 meters (about 5,200 to 8,500 feet) above sea level.

What Does the Common Brassy Ringlet Look Like?

These butterflies are fairly small, with a wingspan of about 32 to 38 millimeters (about 1.2 to 1.5 inches). Their front wings are brown and have a cool metallic-greenish shine, which is why they are called "brassy ringlets."

Wing Patterns

On their front wings, they have an orange band. You can also see two small, white-centered "eyespots" near the tip of the wing. Their back wings have a series of even smaller eyespots.

If you look at the underside of their front wings, they are orange with a brownish edge and the same two small eyespots. The underside of their back wings is a shiny silvery-gray and ocher color.

Life Cycle of the Brassy Ringlet

The female butterflies lay their eggs close to the ground, often on dry grass stalks. When the eggs hatch, the tiny caterpillars start to eat different kinds of grasses. They especially like grasses such as Festuca ovina, Poa species, and Nardus stricta.

Growing Up

The caterpillar spends the winter in its first or second stage of growth. The following year, usually between June and August, it changes into a pupa. The adult butterflies then emerge from their pupae and fly around from July to September, with most of them seen in August.

Gallery

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  This picture shows the upperside of the butterfly's wings.

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  This picture shows the underside of the butterfly's wings.

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  This is a subspecies called Erebia cassioides arvernensis.