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Post by nomad on Mar 23, 2014 2:33:25 GMT -8
In Britain we do have a meagre butterfly fauna compared to most other European counties. However we have some interesting subspecies and none more so than the three races of Coenonympha tullia. All three subspecies are found on boggy moorland. Ssp scotica as its name suggest occurs in Scotland and it is the largest and palest of the races. Ssp davus is the darkest of the races and has the largest white ringed hindwing eye-spots making it a very attractive species. Ssp davus is found on a few lowland Midland mosses where there has been much decline. Today the best colonies of ssp davus occur on the mosses of north-west England. Subspecies polydama is found in Northern Cumbria, southern Scotland, Wales and Ireland and has smaller but well developed hindwing eye-spots. I have seen ssp species scotica on the peaty moorlands at sea level in Sutherland in the far north of Scotland where the verso hindwing becomes very pale and the occeli are often absent. In the Cairngorms of eastern Scotland I was surprised to find one colony of ssp scotica at 850 meters. The habitat of ssp davus in south Cumbria can be very wet. I enjoy seeing this butterfly, it is hard to approach and has a strange loping flight. The specimens shown below are from the collection of Clive Pratt and thank you to him for the his specimen photographs. Attachment DeletedC. tullia ssp scotica. Staudinger & Rebel 1901 Attachment DeletedC.tullia ssp davus. Fabricius 1777 Attachment DeletedC. tullia ssp polydama. Haworth 1803. Many in this box are from Hatfield Chase in South Yorkshire.  C. tullia ssp scotica. Sutherland. 2012  C.tullia ssp davus resting on Bog Asphodel, South Cumbria. 2012 |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 23, 2014 3:53:16 GMT -8
 form davus is in my opinion the most beautiful of our 3 ssp. |
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Post by nomad on Mar 23, 2014 4:00:20 GMT -8
Once again every taxonomist have their own views. It depends on who you agree with, you usually have a wide choice. These subspecies are well defined and are recognized by most British lepidopterists. I think you might agree, they are a very nice series of specimens and show well the range of geographical variation for this species in the U.K.  |
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Post by nomad on Mar 23, 2014 4:04:48 GMT -8
View Attachmentform davus is in my opinion the most beautiful of our 3 ssp. Yes, dunc, davus is my favourite subspecies, the large eye- spots and the very dark recto, make it a wonderful butterfly. |
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Post by daveuk on Mar 24, 2014 11:20:54 GMT -8
A female C tullia davus from Whixall Moss in Shropshire-collected in June 1990.. Attachments:
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Post by Deleted on Mar 25, 2014 2:45:28 GMT -8
Very nice underside Dave, as I said I have all 3 ssp and this is by far the best.
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Post by jonathan on Mar 25, 2014 6:36:10 GMT -8
A female C tullia davus from Whixall Moss in Shropshire-collected in June 1990.. wonderful. |
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Post by smallcopper on Mar 25, 2014 6:45:50 GMT -8
Another superb set of photos of some beautiful series, thank you. Not quite as wonderful as pulling open one's own cabinet to see them there before one's eyes, but almost! Jon In Britain we do have a meagre butterfly fauna compared to most other European counties. However we have some interesting subspecies and none more so than the three races of Coenonympha tullia. All three subspecies are found on boggy moorland. Ssp scotica as its name suggest occurs in Scotland and it is the largest and palest of the races. Ssp davus is the darkest of the races and has the largest white ringed hindwing eye-spots making it a very attractive species. Ssp davus is found on a few lowland Midland mosses where there has been much decline. Today the best colonies of ssp davus occur on the mosses of north-west England. Subspecies polydama is found in Northern Cumbria, southern Scotland, Wales and Ireland and has smaller but well developed hindwing eye-spots. I have seen ssp species scotica on the peaty moorlands at sea level in Sutherland in the far north of Scotland where the verso hindwing becomes very pale and the occeli are often absent. In the Cairngorms of eastern Scotland I was surprised to find one colony of ssp scotica at 850 meters. The habitat of ssp davus in south Cumbria can be very wet. I enjoy seeing this butterfly, it is hard to approach and has a strange loping flight. The specimens shown below are from the collection of Clive Pratt and thank you to him for the his specimen photographs. |
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Post by nomad on Mar 25, 2014 9:08:54 GMT -8
Thank you Jon for your comments, I am pleased that you enjoyed them. I could spend ages in Clive's bug rooms. |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 25, 2014 11:01:53 GMT -8
"Thank you Jon for your comments, I am pleased that you enjoyed them. I could spend ages in Clive's bug rooms". Me too but he would bankrupt me for sure. |
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