Meadow Browns with double eye-spot

[IanShaw]

On Thursday 5/7/12 I visited Brampton Wood in Cambs. I photoed a few Meadow Browns, one of which was the attached:

Meadow Brown with double eyespot.

Presumably the double eyespot and the dark spot beneath is some form of abberation? I notice that on your Meadow Brown page there is an image of a similar individual in the abberation section and there is also one in the 2nd image in the main section (pair in cop, Vince Massimo 5-Sep-2009)

How common is this? Is there any regional variation? I haven't noticed this before (or haven't being paying enough attention!)

Best Regards

Ian Shaw

[MikeOxon]

I saw one last year at Lough Down, Berks and posted it in the September 2011 sightings viewtopic.php?f=8&t=5693&sid=0f81dd1ef6 ... 572#p50998

It was the first time I had knowingly seen one but there did seem to be quite a number of unusually spotted Gatekeepers and Meadow Browns around last year.

Mike

[Neil Freeman]

I just realised that the pale looking female that I posted in my diary the other day also has double eyespots,

Meadow Brown female Ryton Wood 14.07.2012

Cheers,

Neil F.