Swiss brassy ringlet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Swiss brassy ringlet |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Nymphalidae |
| Genus: | Erebia |
| Species: |
E. tyndarus
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| Binomial name | |
| Erebia tyndarus (Esper, 1781)
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| Synonyms | |
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The Swiss brassy ringlet (scientific name: Erebia tyndarus) is a type of brush-footed butterfly. It lives in Europe and is known for its unique look. This butterfly belongs to a group called Satyrinae, which are often called "browns" because of their colors.
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Meet the Brassy Ringlets
The Swiss brassy ringlet is part of a special group of butterflies. These are called the "brassy ringlet" group. They live in cool places like taiga forests and high mountain areas across Europe and Asia.
For a long time, scientists thought there was only one type of brassy ringlet butterfly. They believed it lived in many different places, from the Sierra Nevada mountains in Spain to the Julian Alps in Slovenia.
Different Kinds of Brassy Ringlets
Scientists now use DNA information to study these butterflies. They have learned that there are actually several different species that look very similar. These are called a cryptic species complex. This means they are different species, but they are hard to tell apart just by looking at them.
The Swiss brassy ringlet is one of these hidden species. It lives in the Alps. About 130,000 years ago, at the end of the Ice Age, the climate changed. The butterflies' homes moved higher up the mountains. This caused groups of butterflies to become separated. Over time, they slowly changed and became different species.
Here are some of the close relatives of the Swiss brassy ringlet:
- Erebia nivalis, also known as de Lesse's brassy ringlet. It lives in the highest parts of the Central Eastern Alps in Austria.
- Erebia calcaria, or Lorkovic's brassy ringlet. You can find it in the Julian Alps, which are in Austria, Italy, and Slovenia.
- Erebia cassioides, the common brassy ringlet. This one lives in meadows a bit lower down the mountains. It is found in many parts of the Alps.
What Does the Swiss Brassy Ringlet Look Like?
This butterfly is a medium size, with its wings spreading about 3.5 centimeters (1.4 inches) wide. Its upper wings are a dark brownish-black. They have a special shiny look, like brass or green-gold. This shine is why it's called a "brassy ringlet." The color comes from how light bounces off tiny scales on its wings.
Wing Patterns and Colors
On its upper front wings, and sometimes on its back wings too, you'll see a large coppery or orange patch. This patch is near the tip of the front wings. On the back wings, it runs along the outer edge.
Inside these patches are black eyespots. Each eyespot has a small white dot in the middle. On the front wings, there are usually two eyespots close together. On the back wings, there are three or four eyespots spaced out. These spots do not touch each other. Sometimes, the spots on the back wings might be smaller or even missing, especially in males. Males also tend to be darker overall.
Underside of the Wings
The underside of the wings is a lighter grayish-brown. This helps the butterfly blend in with its surroundings, a type of camouflage. The hindwing has a darker band that curves across it. It also has a bright, shiny silver look. This silvery shine is easy to see when the butterfly flies in the sun. The reddish patches and eyespots from the upper front wings also appear on the underside. However, the eyespots from the upper hindwings usually do not.
Life Cycle and Food
The adult Swiss brassy ringlets fly for only a short time during the summer. This is mainly in July and August. They drink nectar from yellow mountain flowers.
Eggs, Caterpillars, and Pupae
The eggs of this butterfly are green and oval-shaped. They have many small ridges running along them. The caterpillars are grey-green to grey-brown. They have dark lines running down their bodies.
The pupa, which is the stage before becoming an adult butterfly, is thick and brown. The Swiss brassy ringlet has one generation per year (it is univoltine). Its caterpillars eat different types of grasses. They especially like sheep's fescue (Festuca ovina), matgrass (Nardus stricta), and other fescue and meadow-grass species. The caterpillars spend the winter on the ground. They then turn into pupae around May and June.
Where Do They Live?
You can find the Swiss brassy ringlet in the Alps. This includes parts of France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and the Vorarlberg region of Austria.
Their Mountain Home
These butterflies live high up in the mountains, above the treeline. They prefer clearings and rocky alpine meadows. You can find them at altitudes from about 1,200 to 2,700 meters (about 3,900 to 8,900 feet) above sea level.
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