Small Heath is a common and very variable species within the southern département (county) of Var in France. This is my page:
http://www.butterfliesoffrance.com/html ... philus.htm
The ocelli are very variable, the colour is very variable, and even the wing shape can vary.
Lyllus flies in south-eastern France even though Tolman says it flies in south-west Europe, but Var clearly isn't in south-west Europe.
It was flying in company with nominate
pamphilus so does this mean it is a form and not a subspecies? I am never quite sure if a subspecies can fly in company with the nominate species or another subspecies, i.e. they are geographically separated by definition. I have found occasions where a subspecies flew in company with the nominate species (e.g.
Boloria titania and
B. t. cypris) and were even mating.
Roger