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Browsing pics.. this triaria is rather asymmetrically spotted.. is that a regular erebia thing, or unusual?- anyone comment? I promise it's not an entry for the photoshop comp

Great triaria, Paul! Was that when you came out to the Alps in July? I'd be interested to know what altitude it was at if so - they are well off the wing at lower levels by then. Triaria is typically an early insect, though I do see a few tatty ones every year in the Val d'Aran in July.

I do often find that extra or missing spots in Satyrids may be just on one side. In gatekeepers and meadow browns, for example, extra spots are very common and usually not symmetrically placed.

Guy

Great photo there Paul. Seeing that makes me wish spring would hurry up so I can be off butterfly photographing again! But although I have not seen many species opf satyrid, I have noticed similar in ringlets, some had three dots on left forewing upperside and only two on right etc... Quite common on meadow browns to have ocelli oddities, I noticed quite numerous ones last year that all had different numbers of eyespots, or ones in places others did not have any.

sorry, this one was at 2600m in the Pyrenees orientales on 14th July 08 - I've not previously noticed this satyrid spotty carelessness... will be more observant in the future!!