Aberrant Meadow Brown Devon 2020

[Devon Dave]

Whilst strolling down a quite Devon Lane on the 11th June this year I spotted this beauty on Bramble blossom. A rare find I think making it a perfect summer day. What unusual colours this specimen proudly displayed.

[millerd]

That's a curious-looking individual, Dave. However, it's not uncommon to find Meadow Browns where the colour appears to be bleached out (usually unevenly) to a greater or lesser extent. Have a look at some of the examples on the several pages here:

https://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/album.php?id=567

Yours is particularly striking as the bleaching has included the eyespots on the forewings and part of the orange patch on one wing.

For some reason this species seems particularly prone to this kind of aberrant marking.

Cheers,

Dave

[David M]

That's quite a specimen, particularly given how haphazard the bleaching is.

[Chris L]

It is indeed a very curious looking specimen. It would have frightened the life out of me had I seen it as I would have wondered what on earth it was.