Bird, bug, butterfly and a wild variety of photos from Belarus, Cyprus, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Scotland and Spain by Irish wildlife photographer Patrick J. O'Keeffe and invited guests

Wednesday 25 May 2022

WALL BROWN BUTTERFLY (Lasiommata megera) male at St. Deirbhile's Old Church and Graveyard, Faulmore, Mullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo


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The Wall Brown Butterfly (Lasiommata megera) is of the family Nymphalidae which is in the genus Lasiommata
It occurs in most of Europe as well as parts of Western Asia and North Africa. Formally more common and widespread but since the mid 1980 it has been in decline and is now absent from many of its former haunts.  This decline has not been reflected on the Mullet Peninsula where this species is still commonly encountered. The main flight season is from late April to early September, over two generations. Occasionally there is a third generation in late September into early October. Males have a very distinctive dark mid fore wing bar. It overwinters as a larva.  
 
 Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds