Speckled Wood?

[Deborah]

I can’t quite believe I’m asking if this is a Speckled Wood or a Wall Brown. I know it should be more orange if it’s a Wall; but the markings didn’t look quite right for a Speckled Wood. Photo taken yesterday. The second photo is a Wall Brown taken in October last year. Help appreciated!

[David M]

Hi Deborah. It's a Speckled Wood and looks to be a female.

I think you have both aegeria and tircis forms in your area and whilst this appears to be tircis, the markings on the lower outer edges of the forewings look rather paler than would be the norm.

I don't know if these two forms can hybridise but your specimen looks to have an element of both.

Take a look at this wesite:

http://www.eurobutterflies.com/sp/aegeria.php

This female from that page is a classic tircis:

[Deborah]

Thanks a lot David You’re right - I’ve seen both kinds of Speckled Woods here and most commonly they are definitely all more orangey!

[Padfield]

I agree with David, except I think (if I understand him correctly) he has the names the wrong way round. Tircis is the form (or subspecies) found in the UK and eastwards, while aegeria is the form found from Brittany westwards and south to Iberia and North Africa. Sorry if I misunderstood you, David.

Guy

[petesmith]

I think the confusion arises from the link that David has included to Matt Rowling's excellent website. The first two images of Speckled Wood on Matt's page appear to have their names transposed, tircis for aegeria and vice versa.

[David M]

I think the confusion arises from the link that David has included to Matt Rowling's excellent website. The first two images of Speckled Wood on Matt's page appear to have their names transposed, tircis for aegeria and vice versa.

That's right, Pete, although it doesn't help that in France, the Speckled Wood is actually called 'Le Tircis'.

My apologies for the mix-up.

[Maximus]

A 'le Tircus' from Normandie today..