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Aberrant Meadow Brown Devon 2020

Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2020 11:56 pm
by 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.

Re: Aberrant Meadow Brown Devon 2020

Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2020 8:42 am
by 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

Re: Aberrant Meadow Brown Devon 2020

Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2020 11:14 am
by David M
That's quite a specimen, particularly given how haphazard the bleaching is.

Re: Aberrant Meadow Brown Devon 2020

Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2020 7:20 pm
by 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.