Lesser mountain ringlet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lesser mountain ringlet |
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| Upperside | |
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| Underside | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Erebia
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| Species: |
melampus
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The Erebia melampus, also known as the lesser mountain ringlet, is a small butterfly. It belongs to a group of butterflies called Satyrinae, which are part of the larger Nymphalidae family.
Where It Lives and What It Likes
This butterfly lives only in Europe. You can find it in the Alps, a big mountain range stretching across several countries. These include France, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, and Austria.
The lesser mountain ringlet loves grassy areas. It can be found both in forests and in open fields. It lives high up in the mountains, from about 800 to 2,400 meters (about 2,600 to 7,900 feet) above sea level.
What It Looks Like
The lesser mountain ringlet is a small butterfly. Its wings spread about 30 to 36 millimeters wide (about 1.2 to 1.4 inches). These butterflies have brown wings.
On their front wings, they have a band of orange spots. These spots are oval or round and have small black dots inside them. The back wings have three or four spots that look like eyes. These are called eyespots.
Life Cycle and Food
Adult lesser mountain ringlet butterflies fly from July to September. The young butterflies, called larvae or caterpillars, eat different types of grass. They especially like Festuca and Poa species, such as Poa annua, Poa nemoralis, and Festuca ovina. They also eat a plant called Anthoxanthum odoratum.
Images for kids
