HBF and DGF

[Tony Moore]

Hi guys,

Just back from Witherslack and Arnside, trying to separate DGF and HBF by their uppersides. Many more HBFs than I expected, and freshly emerged examples of both species. Missed a superb mating pair of HBFs due to some rather cavalier 'gardening' - GRRrrrr! Found these two near enough together for some sort of shot. An interesting comparison - sorry the DGF is rather out of focus.
Looking again, I'm now not sure that the back one is a DGF!! Any opinions??

[Pete Eeles]

I think these are both HBF because:

- The 3rd dot down from the leading edge of the forewing is indented in both individuals.
- I think it would be quite unusual for a male DGF to court a HBF in this manner. They know better than humans when the species is "wrong"

I think the critter in the front is a female and the one behind a male because:

- The sex brand (containing the androconia scales that contain the relevant pheremones) is missing in the individual at the front, and present in the one behind.
- The abdomen is wider in the individual at the front.

What threw me was:

- The colour - the males are normally brighter than the females.
- The wing shape - the females normally have the more-rounded wings.

My 2p.

Cheers,

- Pete

[Tony Moore]

HI Pete,
I'm sure you're right. It was the colour of the back one that fooled me. I was concentrating on photographing the obvious HBF at the front, and sort of assumed that the back one was a DGF. On second look, the third spot is definitely out of line, but, as you say, a very dark shade for a male.

Tony.