Alpine Heath
Common NameAlpine Heath
Scientific NameCoenonympha gardetta
FamilyNymphalidae
SubfamilySatyrinae
Wingspan (mm)33
Wing Patternspotted
Primary Colorsorange, brown, grey, white, black
HabitatAlpine meadows, subalpine grasslands, rocky slopes
Geographic RangeEuropean Alps, Pyrenees, Apennines, Balkan mountains
Host Plantsvarious grasses (Poaceae)
Flight PeriodJuly to August
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesEggs are laid on grasses; larvae feed on grasses and overwinter before pupating in the spring.
Identification TipsLook for the row of small, white-ringed black eyespots on the hindwing underside, often with a prominent white band, which helps distinguish it from similar species in its alpine habitat.
Description
A small butterfly with an orange-brown upperside and a distinctive underside hindwing featuring a row of black eyespots ringed with white, often set within a pale band.
