Ricglet - or am I barking up the wrong butterfly?

[dragnil]

Photographed today in Lincs and my first thought was Ringlet. Now I look at the Collins and think, should it not have 3 eye spots on the fore wing and, if it's a male, should it not be a lot darker, and shouldn't the white border to the wing be much more pronounced. Or, am I on the wrong page - again? Any clues gratefully received.
David

[Mark Colvin]

Hi David.

You are definitely 'barking up' the right butterfly. The first image shows a female, the second a male. Both have seen much better days hence you are not seeing the colours you expect. Eyespots on the wings do vary and a number of named and unnamed aberrations occur.

http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/aberrati ... hyperantus

Good hunting.

Kind regards. Mark

[dragnil]

Hi Mark,
Many thanks for the explanation as well as the confirmation. As a very inexperienced butterfly watcher I find this forum incredibly helpful and I was taking a real chance with this question as, in previous times and in other forums, I've asked, "Is it A or B" and the answer has come back, "It's C" - we never stop learning do we?
Thanks again,
David
http://www.dragnil.co.uk