Wall Brown

lasiommata megera

The Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera) is a delightful and active member of the brush-footed butterfly family, Nymphalidae. Named for its signature habit of basking on warm stone walls, gravel paths, and rocks, this insect is a sun-loving species that thrives in open, stony habitats. Its striking orange and dark brown pattern, dotted with deceptive eyespots, makes it an eye-catching encounter for nature enthusiasts. In flight, the Wall Brown exhibits a rapid, skipping pattern, moving quickly from one sunny patch to another. Despite its historic abundance across temperate climates, this butterfly has suffered mysterious and dramatic population declines in inland regions, making coastal sightings particularly treasured. It remains a fascinating subject of study due to its territorial nature and superb thermoregulatory tactics.

Lebensraum: Found in open, sunny environments with sparse vegetation and bare ground, such as disused quarries, railway embankments, rocky coastal cliffs, and gravel paths.

Aussehen

This medium-sized butterfly features upperwings painted in a rich, marbled orange pattern with dark brown veins and bands. The most distinctive identifier is a large, black, white-pupiled eyespot near the tip of each forewing, complemented by a row of smaller eyespots along the edges of the hindwings. When resting, the Wall Brown typically folds its wings to reveal a mottled, cryptic underside of grey, brown, and cream, which provides outstanding camouflage against stones and dry earth. Males can be distinguished by a prominent dark brand of scent-scales on their forewings, and their wingspan generally ranges from 3 to 5 centimeters.

ReichAnimaliaStammArthropodaKlasseInsectaOrdnungLepidopteraFamilieNymphalidaeGattungLasiommata

Wall Brown

Kategorie

Insekten

Seltenheit

Common

Gefahr

1/5 · Sehr gering

Snaps

Mach den ersten Snap!

Interessante Fakten

Depending on the warmth of the region, the Wall Brown can produce up to three successive generations in a single year.

The butterfly gets its common name from its habitual behavior of basking on stone walls, rocks, and bare pathways to absorb solar heat.

To protect itself from predators while resting, the Wall Brown closes its wings to reveal a mottled grey-brown underside that perfectly mimics stone or dry soil.

Besondere Fähigkeiten

It spreads its wings flat against stone walls or bare earth to rapidly absorb solar radiation, allowing it to fly in cooler conditions.

Large, concentric eyespots on the wingtips draw the attacks of birds and other predators away from the vulnerable body.

Males actively patrol small, warm territories, darting out aggressively to intercept and investigate any passing insects.

Maße und Details

Länge: 222010212000021+ cm
Flügelspannweite: 3+ cm
Gewicht: 0.0001+ kg
Lebenserwartung: 0+ Jahre
Top Speed: 15 km/h
Gelegegröße: 505001010315000+
Brutzeit: 101010000000000+ Tage

Ernährung und Fütterung

As caterpillars, they feed exclusively on various wild grasses, whereas the adult butterflies forage for nectar on a variety of wildflowers.

Hauptnahrung

Cock's-foot grass (Dactylis glomerata)
Yorkshire Fog (Holcus lanatus)
Bramble nectar (Rubus fruticosus)
Common Knapweed nectar (Centaurea nigra)

Nahrungssuche

Foraging20240417121043

Ökologische Zusammenhänge

host plant

Cock's-foot Grass

Dactylis glomerata

The primary larval host plant, providing nutrition for the developing caterpillar.

mutualism

Bramble

Rubus fruticosus

Provides a crucial nectar source for adult butterflies during the summer months.

eaten by

Common Wasp

Vespula vulgaris

Acts as a major predator of both larvae and adult butterflies in scrub habitats.

Merkmale

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Auch bekannt als

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Sicherheit

Gefahr

1/5 · Sehr gering

Noch keine besonderen Sicherheitshinweise.

Häufig gestellte Fragen

Wie identifiziert man Wall Brown?

Der einfachste Weg, Wall Brown zu bestimmen, ist die Verwendung der Naturführer-App Snappit.

Was ist der/die/das länge von Wall Brown?

222010212000021+ cm

Was ist der/die/das flügelspannweite von Wall Brown?

3+ cm

Was ist der/die/das gewicht von Wall Brown?

0.0001+ kg

Was ist der/die/das lebenserwartung von Wall Brown?

0+ Jahre

Was ist der/die/das top Speed von Wall Brown?

15 km/h

Was frisst Wall Brown?

As caterpillars, they feed exclusively on various wild grasses, whereas the adult butterflies forage for nectar on a variety of wildflowers.

Wo findet man Wall Brown normalerweise?

Found in open, sunny environments with sparse vegetation and bare ground, such as disused quarries, railway embankments, rocky coastal cliffs, and gravel paths.