Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera)

Family: Nymphalidae Checklist: 59.002

 
Description
Wing span: 44-52 mm. The Wall Brown gets its name from its characteristic behaviour of resting with its wings two-thirds open on any bare surface. It was once found throughout England and Wales, but over the last few decades it has suffered a severe decline, and has almost disappeared from the Upper Thames region. It is found primarily in coastal areas, especially in unimproved grassland, wasteland, cliff edges and hedgerows. In some areas it manages to penetrate inland.
 
Images (click to enlarge)
Wall Brown ♂ © David Hastings
Wall Brown ♂ underside © David Hastings
Wall Brown ♀ © David Hastings
Wall Brown ♀ underside © David Hastings
Male Male underside Female Female underside
 
Life Cycle
There are two broods per year. The first appears around the first week of May, peaking towards the end of the month. The second brood emerges in early August. The larva is the over-wintering stage.
 
Larval Foodplants
The primary larval foodplants are various Bents (Agrostis spp.), Cock's-foot (Dactylis glomerata), False Brome (Brachypodium sylvaticum), Tor-grass (Brachypodium pinnatum), Wavy Hair-grass (Deschampsia flexuosa) and Yorkshire-fog (Holcus lanatus ).
 
Nectar Sources
Adults feed on Daisy, Fleabane, Hawkweeds, Knapweeds, Marjoram, Ragged Robin, Ragwort, Thistles, Water Mint and Yarrow.
 
UK Conservation Status
Endangered
 
Earliest UTB first sighting (since 2004) : 3rd May
Mean UTB first sighting (since 2004) : 6th June
 

Key
1 sighting 2-9 max seen 10+ max seen
This species is a vagrant in the UTB region.

 
Related Species
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