Code

Closed wings: Their colour is silver grey mottled with brown. There are two large black eyespots with a yellow ring and white centre on the forewing, though only one can be usually seen.  On the hindwing, there are two curvy or wavy lines, which are clearly round in the centre. A brown spot with a black dot at the bottom can be seen on the margin close to the anal angle.

Open wings: This species hardly ever stretches the wings. They are dark brown with two eyespots on the outer part which are difficult to be seen inside. There is a back dot close to the anal angle on the hindwing.

Similar species

Striped Grayling: It is generally bigger, and there are larger brown sections on its wings. On the hindwing, the lines that go across it are wider, and the central one is clearly pointed. There is a short line between this and a wavy line which is close and parallel to the outer margin.

Biology and Habitat

The species has one generation a year which flies from July to September.

It is typical in sparse oak forests, their favourite habitat, where it lives in open, and stony areas, or in grassland. It can also be found in cork oaks and reforested pine trees forests to a lesser extent. Its caterpillar feed on grass plants such as oat (Avenula spp.), esparto (Stipa spp.), Brome pollen (Bromus spp.) and False-brome (Brachypodium spp.).

Distribution in the Great Path

It can be found on every stage of the GMP, although in limited number of places and in small numbers. There might be some of it populations on other stages, above all along stages 17 and 19.